Welcome back to another season of fantasy hockey at Dobber! It is time for another weekly fantasy dive. In this column, whether you are scanning the waiver wire for possible adds or scouring the trade market to improve your team, we have the information you need. Managers, let’s look ahead at the upcoming weeks in fantasy hockey.

Fantasy Hockey Player Outlook

Who can be had on the waiver wire, and who should you avoid picking up? Check out the fantasy hockey players’ outlook for the upcoming week.

*Note: All stats are courtesy of Frozen Tools

Mid-Season Adds (Claim these players on the waiver wire)

Mason McTavish, C, St. Louis Blues, Rostered-31.3%

Mason McTavish's career in Anaheim began in promising fashion as he was poised to be a core piece of the future. However, as the Ducks amassed a strong young group up front, he saw his ice time diminish, and his production followed suit. Now in St. Louis, he has taken the second-line center role and run with it.

Dylan Garand, G, New York Rangers, Rostered-50%

Dylan Garand had virtually no fantasy value to begin the season, beginning as the third-string goalie behind Igor Shesterkin and Jonas Korpisalo. However, with Shesterkin out for the year and Korpisalo also sidelined, Garand has become the guy in New York. The Rangers have had a better start to the season than anticipated, and if that is to continue, it will be on the back of Garand, who will see plenty of starts moving forward.

Young Players to Build Off (Young players who are hot right now)

Roman Kantserov, LW, Chicago Blackhawks, Rostered-9%

Roman Kantserov is one of the most exciting young players on a Chicago team that has plenty of those. His rookie season got off to a slow start, but he now finds himself on a line with Patrick Kane and Connor Bedard. The early returns of that line are promising, and if Kantserov remains with that trio, he is worth an add in fantasy.

Trevor Connelly, LW, Vegas Golden Knights, Rostered-6%

The 2026-27 rookie class is loaded, with several big names up front. Former first-round pick Trevor Connelly flies under the radar as a result. He has managed five points in nine games on the Golden Knights third trio. If he can break into the top six, he could be a dark-horse pick for the Calder this season.

Steer Clear (Players you should avoid in fantasy leagues, or sell immediately if you own them)

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Zeev Buium, D, Rostered-12.8%

After being the centerpiece of the Quinn Hughes trade and signing a massive extension in the offseason, many eyes were on Zeev Buium heading into the year. However, the sophomore defenseman has registered just one assist this year. As a result, the coaching staff deemed he wasn't ready for first-pairing responsibilities and demoted him to the third duo.

Jake Allen, G, New Jersey Devils-24.5%

The Devils have gotten off to a much better start this year than they did in 2025-26. However, with the departure of Jacob Markstrom in the offseason, the main concern for the team is in the crease. Veteran Jake Allen has done little to alleviate those concerns thus far. He may lose his starting job to Nico Daws in the process.

Buy Now Players (You should trade for these players as soon as possible)

Cole Perfetti, LW, Winnipeg Jets, Rostered-70.6%

The Winnipeg Jets have been searching for secondary scoring behind Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor. This season, they have gotten that from Cole Perfetti, who is putting the league on notice in Year 5. With five goals and eight points in his first seven contests, the Jets are hoping this is the year he breaks out. Perfetti is worth a waiver wire pickup as he also sees power-play time.

Jackson Blake, C, Carolina Hurricanes, Rostered-60.7%

Jackson Blake really made a name for himself last spring for the Carolina Hurricanes during their Cup run. With the lack of production from the team’s star forwards, Blake stepped up and produced at an elite level, earning Conn Smythe consideration. Now the 23-year-old is looking to carry that into the regular season and build off his 53-point campaign last year.

NHL Team Outlooks

Analyzing the upcoming week’s schedule and looking at which NHL teams are expected to have a strong week and who will be in tough. Which teams’ players should you be buying stock in, and which teams should you avoid at all costs? Take a peek at the NHL team outlook for the upcoming week.

*Note: This week’s analysis covers the period of Oct 16-22. The weekly fantasy matchup runs from Oct 19-25. Teams that play more games during the week/matchup often gain favor in the schedule analysis.

Matchup Favorites (Players from these teams will pay dividends in the coming games.)

Carolina Hurricanes

The defending Stanley Cup Champions have had a favorable schedule to begin their title defense. That continues this week as they head to Western Canada to play weak competition in Calgary and Vancouver.

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San Jose Sharks

Now with captain Macklin Celebrini back in the mix, the San Jose Sharks are looking to get their season on track. Despite being on the road, the Sharks play a heavy schedule which could pay dividends in fantasy.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The new-look Maple Leafs have been as advertised to begin the season, and you can expect that to continue in the coming games. Toronto has several offensive weapons who should be productive over this stretch.

Matchup Killers (Avoid players from these teams at all costs in the upcoming games.)

Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago has seen the return of their captain, Connor Bedard, much earlier than anticipated. However, the Blackhawks season has gotten off to a poor start in his absence, and despite him returning, they have a thin upcoming schedule, so don’t expect them to climb out of the basement in the coming days.

Nashville Predators

The Predators have seen a mediocre start to their 2026-27 campaign thus far. Expect them to fall closer to the basement in the upcoming games due to a thin and difficult schedule ahead.

Washington Capitals

Washington has had a decent start to the year, although more will be expected of their improved roster once they've had more games together to gel as a group and build chemistry. However, don't anticipate this being the stretch that they put everything together.