Fantasy Hockey Finals Waiver Wire Picks: Best Streamers for the Title Push

If you're here at this point in the season, congratulations are due. It's not easy to win, and making the fantasy hockey finals is a strong accomplishment. You've made the right moves, worked through the marathon of your regular season, and perhaps gotten luck to go your way in the playoffs. 

There's not much outright advice you need to hear from me now. There's really just a couple of things to keep in mind. One is to pay attention closely to warmups for players who could get rested. I'd imagine the Avalanche and Hurricanes may be early adopters of this strategy, but as positioning gets locked in, more teams may take the option to give their best players a rest. What this means is that having some third-line or otherwise complementary players on your roster could give you a boost. They'll be the ones filling bigger minutes for any teams who choose to rest players. 

The other big point here is that games in hand are crucial. Picking up a player on a team with six games left could give you just enough production over adding one that has only four or five games left to add to his totals. That will be more critical in a week when looking for final adjustments in leagues that allow daily transactions, but it's important to keep in mind who is going to have the most chances to contribute. 

Bottom line, you've got one matchup left to get the job done. As always, much of the end result is out of your hands -- just take care of your roster and maximize your potential. Don't kick yourself if something that looked good in theory doesn't pan out. Most of all, have fun with your friends and fellow league members before hockey takes a break. 

Top Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Pickups for the Championship Week

Leading off this week, I'm really liking Ivan Barbashev's recent play. He has three goals, eight assists, 17 hits, 17 shots on goal and a plus-5 rating over his last eight games. The switch behind the bench from Bruce Cassidy to John Tortorella would be concerning earlier in the year, but there's not a lot of time for Tortorella to change how the Golden Knights play. In any case, Barbashev's in a good spot anyway -- he's a versatile forward who can play around the lineup, and he's honest in his own zone. Barbashev will be motivated to finish strong, as he's just two points shy of matching his career high from 2021-22 with the Blues. 

As mentioned above, the Avalanche have no need to push players. That means a cautious approach to keep Cale Makar (upper body) out to get him healthy for the playoffs, opening the door for Sam Malinski to really shine. Malinski has four goals, eight points, 16 shots on net, 10 blocked shots and a plus-5 rating over his last seven contests. That comes with some extra power-play time, though he's yet to contribute in that situation during this opportunity. Malinski has broken out with 37 points and a plus-41 rating in 76 contests despite not getting top-tier usage. 

The Bruins' second line is clicking lately, and that's meant good production for Viktor Arvidsson, who has five goals, 10 points and 18 shots on net over his last seven games. Arvidsson's rise has come alongside Pavel Zacha, with both players' fantasy stocks rising. Arvidsson has done well to rebuild his value this year in general with 51 points across 66 appearances. He's an offense-only option, but that offense has been well worth it since the start of the calendar year. 

Mason Marchment is an intriguing player to keep an eye on for both points and physical play. He has nine points, 19 hits, 24 shots on net and a plus-6 rating over his last 12 contests. I say intriguing because he's on a team battling for a playoff spot, but he also missed a contest Thursday due to an undisclosed injury. He's likely playing through it to help the Blue Jackets, and that comes with top-line minutes when he can suit up. Marchment has 28 points over 34 contests since the Kraken dealt him to Columbus, so he's definitely worth checking on. 

The Lightning's ability to develop defensemen into NHL-caliber players is remarkable. Charles-Edouard D'Astous is the latest success story with two goals and six assists, as well as 11 hits, five blocked shots and a plus-6 rating over his last seven games. D'Astous has erupted for 29 points over 64 contests this season despite mainly working in a bottom-four role. He adds decent totals across the board, aside from special-teams production. You can add him now for a final push on the blue line, and he's also worth considering for 2026-27 if Darren Raddysh walks in free agency, as D'Astous might be on a similar career trajectory. 

Best Fantasy Hockey Forwards to Stream for Points, Hits and Shots

Blake Coleman is a player who is often in consideration for fantasy, though not necessarily in all formats. He is a positive for hits and shots on goal primarily, and he can chip in enough offense for a solid all-around floor. He doesn't have a three-game point streak since the start of March, but he has 12 points, 54 shots, 32 hits and 16 PIM across 18 appearances in that span. Coleman is getting premium minutes, including power-play time, as the Flames lean on him to shelter some of their prospect forwards, getting an opportunity late in the year. 

In a similar vein, it's worth looking at Anders Lee, especially since the Islanders have the pressure of a playoff race to partake in. Lee has stepped up with seven points, 19 shots and 13 hits over his last nine outings. He's on the top line for now, though the Islanders sacked Patrick Roy for Pete DeBoer as head coach Sunday, which could shake things up. Lee's a reliable veteran who sits a goal away from 20, and he can also help in shots and hits, though his physicality has dropped a bit this year. 

If you don't need to chase offense on the blue line, look at Sean Walker. He's been limited to six points over his last 14 games, but he's racked up 33 hits, 38 shots on goal, 25 blocked shots, and a plus-2 rating in that span. There is the danger that the Hurricanes rotate players out for rest, but Walker likely wouldn't be at the top of that list -- Shayne Gostisbehere and Jaccob Slavin have battled injuries this year and would be top candidates to sit. Walker won't hurt you anywhere, and he can stabilize the non-scoring areas if that's where you need the help. 

Fantasy Hockey Goalie Streamers and Backup Starts for Playoff Week

Chasing goalie games at this time of year can be difficult. Teams in the thick of the race will double-up their starters in some back-to-backs, which doesn't do fantasy managers any good since most of those clear-cut No. 1 goalies are already rostered. The key here is to look for netminders who have a combination of steady time and wide availability. 

Casey DeSmith is a speculative addition for me, as I think the Stars will likely choose to rest Jake Oettinger a bit down the stretch. They still have first-round home ice to play for in a battle with the Wild, but that playoff matchup is nearly locked in, so there's not much point to overwork Oettinger. DeSmith is an ideal backup for the modern age of goaltending, as he can take 25-30 games a year without causing a dramatic drop in quality. He is 2-4-1 since the start of March, posting a 2.43 GAA and a .901 save percentage over his seven games in that span. The Stars don't have a back-to-back left, but with three contests against non-playoff teams coming up (Tuesday versus the Flames, Saturday versus the Rangers and April 13 against the Maple Leafs), DeSmith could draw favorable matchups if he gets the playing time I'd expect. 

Carter Hart is back from a long-term lower-body injury, and it comes at a perfect time for him to give the Golden Knights a new look in net. Adin Hill hasn't gotten the job done lately, and Akira Schmid hasn't been trusted in a high-pressure situation. Hart has won his first two starts since his return, stopping 50 of 54 shots. He looks to be the No. 1 for Vegas, a team competing for the top of the Pacific Division. You don't have to like the player to roster him, but it's understandable if you won't consider him on moral grounds. The Golden Knights showed no such concern when they signed him, and they clearly believe he gives them the best chance to win right now. 

This is the best time of year to have fun with your fantasy team. If you're still playing, there's a title on the line, which will be decided in the next 10 days. Give it all you've got while enjoying the NHL's playoff race, which has shaped up into a pretty good competition. I'll be back one more time next Monday to give some matchup-specific options to help you make your final push for the title. 

Stuck between two players available on the waiver wire? Check out the NHL Player Comparison Tool or the NHL Trending Players to help break the tiebreaker on your waiver wire decisions.