Fantasy hockey top 10 waiver wire pickups

NHL.com identifies the top 10 players to add off the fantasy hockey waiver wire throughout the 2026-27 season. For more coverage, visit NHL.com/Fantasy.

MORE FANTASY COVERAGE 📈

Top 200 rankings | Cheat sheet

Picks/props | Projected lineups

Play 'NHL Fantasy Stars' game ⭐️

Play 'NHL Goal Chase' game 🚨

FORWARD

Elias Lindholm, BOS (31%)

-15pts (7G/8A) in 18gm with 4 PPP, 33 SOG, 13 HIT & 8 BLK.
-Leads BOS with 3 game-winning goals this season.
-PP1 with David Pastrnak, Morgan Geekie, Pavel Zacha & Charlie McAvoy + also L3.
-Key EDGE stats: Has scored 5 of 7 goals from high-danger areas; ranks highly among forwards in max skating speed (22.87 mph; 88th percentile).

Tommy Novak, PIT (16%)

-14pts (7G/7A) in 18gm with 5 PPP, 32 SOG, 3 HIT & 10 BLK.
-L2 with Egor Chinakhov & Ben Kindel + PP1 with Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell & Erik Karlsson.
-Key EDGE stats: T-10th in entire NHL in high-danger goals (6); among forward leaders in offensive zone time percentage (47.5; 95th percentile) & high-danger shots on goal (19; 93rd percentile)

Victor Olofsson, VGK (13%)

-L3 with Tomas Hertl & Ivan Barbashev + PP1 with Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, Mark Stone & Hertl.
-6pts (4G/2A) in 6gm with 2 PPP & 14 SOG.
-Key EDGE stats: Ranks in 90th percentile or higher among forwards in offensive zone time percentage (49.3) & average shot speed (62.18 mph).

Victor Eklund, NYI (6%)

-6pts (4G/2A) in past 8gm; 4 games with 3+ SOG in span.
-Leads NYI with 47 hits this season.
-PP1 with Matthew Schaefer & Bo Horvat + L2; Mathew Barzal nearing return.
-Key EDGE stats: Scored all 5 of his goals from middle regions this season (3 from high-danger, 2 from mid-range); ranks highly among forwards in even-strength offensive zone time percentage (43.3; 86th percentile).

Berkly Catton (7%) and Mackie Samoskevich, SEA (3%)

-Catton (14pts) & Samoskevich (11pts) playing on line & power play with Kaapo Kakko (13pts).
-SEA has 8 players with 10+ points this season (T-3rd in NHL behind CAR with 10, COL with 9).
-Key EDGE stats: Catton is among forward leaders in max skating speed (23.32 mph; 96th percentile); Samoskevich ranks in 95th percentile among forwards in both 22-plus mph speed bursts (5) & mid-range goals (3).

Ross Colton, NSH (2%)

-Has scored goals in 4 of past 5 games.
-8pts (5G/3A), 26 SOG, 39 HIT & 14 BLK this season.
-Key EDGE stats: Has scored 4 of 5 goals from high-danger areas & ranks in 96th percentile among forwards in max skating speed (23.28 mph).

DEFENSEMAN

Alexander Nikishin, CAR (31%)

-Paired with Shayne Gostisbehere & also on PP2.
-Had multipoint game (1G/1A) & 2 blocks in season debut vs. CHI on Saturday.
-Key EDGE stats: T-4th in entire NHL in long-range goals (six) last season & ranked in 95th percentile among defensemen in both hardest shot (9940 mph) & average shot speed (74.18 mph).

GOALIE

Alex Lyon, BUF (16%)

-NOTE: Nearing return from injury.
-Last season: 20 wins, 2.77 GAA, .907 SV% & 3 shutouts.
-BUF ranked 3rd in team SV% (.900) last season.
-Key EDGE stats: T-4th among qualified goalies in long-range SV% (.984) last season.

Cam Talbot, CBJ (12%)

-5 wins in 7 games this season with 2.44 GAA & .911 SV%.
-Key EDGE stats: 2nd in both mid-range SV% (.955) and quality start percentage (85.7; six of eight) among goalies to play at least 8 games.

---

Key injury returns:

Devon Levi, G, EDM (62%)
Joonas Korpisalo, G, NYR (11%)

Players to add from previous weeks’ lists:

Charle-Edouard D'Astous, D, TBL (41%)
Tristan Luneau, D, ANA (39%)
Kent Johnson, F, CBJ (28%)
Gabe Perreault, F, NYR (21%)
Trevor Connelly, F, VGK (10%)

Others to consider:

Brock Boeser, F, VAN (35%)
Tye Kartye, F, NYR (13%)
Taylor Hall, F, CAR (10%)
Maxim Shabanov, F, MIN (8%)
Chandler Stephenson, F, SEA (8%)
Morgan Barron, F, WPG (2%)
Arber Xhekaj, D, MTL (2%)
Arttu Hyry, F, DAL (1%)