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Best NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire picks for Week 13 ft. Jake DeBrusk
After the NHL holiday break, league and fantasy hockey managers are back to business as usual, which means spending hours a day researching the best options to improve.
Whether you are the top or the bottom team, there's always an opportunity for an upset, and acquiring players to make it happen is one of the critical elements of a successful story.
As the NHL and fantasy hockey manager prepare for the stretch run leading to the All-Star Game in February, here are a couple of players worth watching this week.
Best NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Picks for Week 13
1) Josh Manson - Colorado Avalanche (Rostered in 27% of leagues)
The Colorado Avalanche remain one of the top 10 teams in the NHL and rely on forwards like Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen to carry the offense. However, defense wins championships, and the Avalanche had a solid core of defenders, including Josh Manson.
In his last 10 games, Manson has collected five points with a plus-seven rating and 16 shots while averaging 19:33 of ice time. Overall, he has 11 points in 34 games and skates roughly 17:31 a game with 50 shots, which equals 1.47 shots a night.
Whether your NHL fantasy team is struggling with injuries or a lack of production from defensemen, Manson is a low-risk addition that won't hurt you much because he's on one of the league's strongest teams. Even though he won't be a leading offensive defender, he provides other vital stats to help you win a matchup.
2) Karel Vejmelka - Arizona Coyotes (Rostered in 26% of leagues)
After collecting back-to-back shutouts over the Buffalo Sabers and Ottawa Senators, Karel Vejmelka was recently named NHL goalie of the week. The Arizona Coyotes hold the top spot in the Western Conference Wild Card race, so they are an up-and-coming team with solid goaltending, including Connor Ingram and Vejmelka.
Despite some struggles to begin the season, leading to a 2-7-2 record with a .892 save percentage (SV%), Vejmelka has won his last four games, giving up just six goals and posting an impressive .939 SV%.
Moreover, since so many elite NHL netminders like Ilya Sorokin and Juuse Saros are having rough seasons or are injured, if your NHL fantasy team is platooning goalies with no bona fide starter, picking up Vejmelka could save your reputation as a fantasy manager.
3) Blake Coleman - Calgary Flames (Rostered in 53% of leagues)
Blake Coleman has seen his fantasy value increase after producing at a point-per-game pace in December, netting 13 points in 13 games. Now, the leading scorer on the Calgary Flames deserves to be picked up in even more leagues.
As one of the core members who will not be dealt away at the upcoming NHL trade deadline, Coleman has a chance to steer the Flames offense in the new year. Skating alongside youngsters like Yegor Sharangovich, Cory Zary, and Martin Pospisil, there are plenty of opportunities for the 32-year-old to break all his personal best numbers in goals, assists, and points.
Additionally, the Flames are pushing hard to qualify for the playoffs in a tough Western Conference and will rely on Coleman down the stretch to keep the offense going as they look to win more games.
4) Jake DeBrusk - Boston Bruins (Rostered in 37% of leagues)
Heading into a contract year, many rumors surrounded Jake DeBrusk and his future with the Boston Bruins. Unfortunately, he got off to a very slow start, with just 11 points in his first 25 games, ruining his chances at landing a significant extension with the team.
However, since returning from the Christmas break, the Bruins are 3-0, and DeBrusk has five points with goals in back-to-back contests for the second time this year. Interestingly, he's being rewarded for his recent outburst, skating a season-high 19:10 in a contest against the Detroit Red Wings.
Although DeBrusk is a risk for long-term success in fantasy hockey, he's been red hot coming out of the break, and with three games on tap for this week, he'd be worth adding to any lineup if just for depth purposes.
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