Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 5
Each week, we’re here to help you find value on the waiver wire. Players who are trending up, earning new opportunities, or quietly producing under the radar. These can be short-term difference-makers who can help you win the week or patch lineup holes caused by injuries, but also project to have long-term upside.
Our focus is on availability and upside: players rostered in fewer than 40% of leagues who are showing strong usage trends, positive analytics, or upcoming schedule advantages.
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Brock Seguin’s Waiver Adds:
Jack Roslovic (EDM – C/RW – 14% Rostered)
Roslovic has been a revelation for the Oilers. He signed after the season started, began in the bottom-six, and has quickly climbed the lineup. Now skating alongside Leon Draisaitl and on PP1, he’s thriving. Long known as a decent streamer for his shot volume, Roslovic is finally getting the opportunity to showcase it.
Over his last eight games, he’s averaging 2.9 SOG and 5.1 shot attempts per game, and has seven points (3G, 4A) in his last six—including three on the power play. He’s also averaged 19:00 TOI over his last five. Everything’s trending up, making Roslovic an absolute must-add right now.
Victor Olofsson (COL – LW/RW – 15% Rostered)
Olofsson isn’t seeing big minutes—just under 15 per night—but he’s been extremely efficient. Over his last 13 games, he’s produced 12 points (5G, 7A) while averaging 3.2 SOG and 4.8 shot attempts per game.
His biggest value lies on Colorado’s top power-play unit, where he’s picked up five PPP despite the group ranking just 22nd in the NHL (17.0%). That unit has been top-five in conversion rate since 2023, so Olofsson’s power-play production should rise as they heat up.
Jordan Eberle (SEA – RW – 12% Rostered)
I mentioned Eberle as a top Week 5 streamer, but he’s playing well enough to hold long-term value. Despite Seattle’s offensive struggles, he’s been steady with 10 points (5G, 5A) in 12 games, averaging 2.3 SOG, 4.5 shot attempts, and 1.2 hits per game.
He’s logging 19+ minutes per night (top-60 among forwards) and ranks 42nd in ixG per game, suggesting his production is sustainable. The Kraken also have a soft upcoming schedule—2nd in SOS this week, 14th next, and 5th in Week 7—making Eberle a strong short- and medium-term add.
Deep League Target: Evan Rodrigues (FLA – C/LW/RW – 9% Rostered)
In deeper formats, Rodrigues is worth a look. He’s skating on Florida’s top line with Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe, a trio generating elite underlying numbers—4.2 xGF/60, 42.6 SCF/60, and 16.0 HDCF/60 in 67 minutes together.
Rodrigues has eight points (3G, 5A) in 13 games with steady peripherals (2.1 SOG, 3.8 shot attempts, 1.5 hits per game), giving him value in deep banger leagues as well.
Banger Leagues: Emil Heineman (NYI – LW/RW – 25% Rostered)
Heineman is already rostered in most banger leagues, but if he’s somehow available, grab him. He’s skating with Bo Horvat and, recently, Mathew Barzal, giving him a solid offensive platform.
Through 13 games, he’s tallied eight points (5G, 3A) while averaging 2.1 SOG and 3.9 hits per game. He ranks fifth among all forwards in hits (51) and is one of only two players in the top-10 (alongside Kiefer Sherwood) with more than six points. Heineman brings rare category coverage with upside.
Beebs Bondy’s Waiver Adds:
Brock Boeser (VAN – RW – 36% Rostered)
PP1/L1 – 9 Pts (6G/3A) in 12 GP – 28 SOG
Vancouver’s main source of goal scoring, Brock Boeser is surprisingly still only 36% owned despite being on a 41-goal pace across an 82-game season. The 28-year-old winger missed time this year due to personal reasons, but has returned with a chip on his shoulder and is both shooting a ton and eating up ice time. Boeser has played 20+ TOI in seven of the last 8 games he’s completed and has rewarded new head coach Adam Foote with seven points and 23 SOG during that span. Just one season removed from a 40-goal, 73-point campaign in 2023-24, Boeser has proven he has what it takes to be an elite fantasy scoring option. Add him now before other managers catch on to his elite usage and scoring ability.
Alexis Lafreniere (NYR – LW/RW – 19% Rostered)
PP1/L2 – 6 pts (1G/5A) in 14 GP – 32 SOG
If “bad puck luck” had a face this season, it would very likely be Alexis Lafreniere in 2025-26. With only one goal on 32 SOG, LaFreniere is doing everything right despite his lack of results on the score sheet. Averaging 2.29 SOG per game and still occupying NYR’s top powerplay, the former 1st overall pick is bound to have some success sooner rather than later. He had a modest three-game point streak (3A) snapped in Tuesday’s shutout and is averaging 46 seconds more than his previous career high in TOI while nearly on pace to hit 200 SOG for the 2nd time in his career. New York does not seem ready to give up on their former top prospect, and neither should fantasy owners. It is rare to find this type of ceiling with this nice of usage below 20% at any time of the year.
Ben Kindel (PIT – C – 1% Rostered)
PP1/L3 – 5 Pts (5G) in 12 GP (26 SOG)
Coming off a two-goal, seven SOG performance across 22:23 TOI on Monday, there are few young talents that have opened my fantasy eyes like Ben Kindel as of late. With Rickard Rakell hitting the IR last week (and out week-to-week), Pittsburgh was in need of an offensive spark to add to their top power play unit alongside Crosby and Malkin. Enter the Penguin’s 2025 11th overall pick, Ben Kindel. The 18-year-old had 35 goals and 99 points with Calgary (WHL) last season, skyrocketing him up draft boards before eventually playing himself onto the Penguins’ roster after an impressive training camp. If Kindel can continue to raise his TOI (14:03) and fire the puck at his impressive rate (26 SOG – 2.16 per game), his recent powerplay success should (2 PPG) allow him to succeed while Rakell is out. With Pittsburgh expected to be sellers around the deadline, Kindel could be a season-long answer in deep leagues with an impressively high ceiling. Kindel is tied for the league lead in rookie goals with five.
Deep League Target: Dalibor Dvorsky (STL – RW – 1%)
PP1/L3 – 1G in 3 GP (4 SOG)
Dvorsky was moved to PP1 on Monday morning and rewarded his head coach by ripping a one-timer home with the man advantage for his first career goal that night vs. Edmonton. Dvorsky is one of the Blues’ top prospects after being drafted 10th overall in 2023, and he is being handed the reins to their offense after just three games, based on his recent usage and upgrade in the lineup. The 20-year-old is coming off an impressive inaugural season with Springfield (AHL), where he had 21-goals and 45 points in 61 games played and continued to prove throughout his career that he can excel at any level (45-goals, 88 points in 52 games with Sudbury in 2023-24). Alongside his recent success, Dvorsky has been a surprisingly decent contributor in banger leagues throughout his first three games with four hits. It appears the Slovakian rookie will be doing whatever it takes to remain in the Blues’ lineup long term and is deserving of a deep league look as long as he remains a shooting option on the Blues’ top power play.
Banger Leagues: Oliver Ekman-Larsson (TOR – D – 24%)
PP1/D3 – 8 Pts (1G/7A) in 13 GP – 16 SOG – 19 Hits – 14 Blocks
Ekman-Larsson was promoted to Toronto’s top power play unit on Tuesday to help their 31st-ranked power play (12.1%) out of the league’s basement. Despite starting the season with just 16 SOG in 13 games played, the 34-year-old should see those totals increase as he adds more fantasy-relevant ice-time with his recent promotion. Prior to his move up the lineup, he was still on pace for an extremely rosterable 55 points across a full 82-game season. Add in that the 16-year-veteran has been more inclined to throw the body as of late (11 Hits in last 5 SOG), and we have a perfect candidate to help out your back end in banger leagues. Ekman-Larsson has shown an inkling to hit in the past, finishing above 2+ hits per game in two separate campaigns and above 150 hits in 4 separate seasons. If Ekman-Larsson can improve Toronto’s horrendous man advantage in any way, he should be able to contribute in nearly all categories in both banger and standard leagues, making him a very easy target to roster.