Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Pickups and Sleepers: TOI & PPTOI Trends (Week 13)

When you’re in a deep league with a full-size NHL starting lineup and seven bench positions for a 27-man roster like I am, top line and power play ice time are indispensable factors in analyzing waiver pickups. Both of these factors change over the course of the season, and with a new year upon us, we’re going to dive a bit deeper into each of them to highlight the latest trends.

Jordan Staal, Forward, Carolina Hurricanes

After suffering a fractured fibula in preseason action, Staal (C, LW eligibility; 16% owned in Yahoo leagues) fell off the radar of many fantasy owners. He's a player that will net you plenty of face-off wins, hits, shots and can contribute offensively, as well. Staal played 19:01 in his first game back Dec. 29, and chipped in a power play assist, while seeing 1:44 of powerplay time.

Get an upper hand on managers who forgot about Staal by picking him up now to give both your offensive and defensive categories alike a boost.

Sam Gagner, Forward, Arizona Coyotes

A streaky scorer throughout his career, Gagner (C, RW eligibility; 5% owned in Yahoo leagues) hasn't been as productive as the Coyotes organization had hoped, but that doesn't mean the former Edmonton Oilers forward doesn't possess the talent necessary to do so. In fact, Gagner has caught fire as of late, potting seven points in his past six games–four of them came in one game against his former club on Dec. 23.

And he sees the ice enough to warrant a pickup, too, averaging 16:51 overall per game, with 2:20 of man-advantage time. It's hard to believe Gagner is still only 25, since he broke into the league in 2007-08, so if you're especially in a keeper league, consider hiring Gagner's services.

Derek Roy, Forward, Edmonton Oilers

Roy (C eligibility; 1% owned in Yahoo leagues) is an interesting case. He had a respectable 10 points in 26 games with Nashville this season before being placed on waivers for whatever reason. After going unclaimed, the Oilers decided to trade for Roy. In his first game with Edmonton, he potted an assist and played 14:53, better than his season average in Nashville.

Playing on a young team, the veteran Roy will get every chance to produce. In that first game with the Oilers, he also saw a towering 2:32 of powerplay time. He hasn't been the same player since being hit with the injury bug, and he won't be back to 32-goal, 81-point seasons, but he is very capable of potting 50-60 points. Add him if you need a punch, but can afford to take a potential plus-minus hit.

Marco Scandella, Defense, Minnesota Wild

Scandella (23% owned in Yahoo leagues) averages 22:05 per game on the back-end for Minnesota, a work horse, but he doesn't see all that much power play time. In fact, he only has one power play point. However, that doesn't mean he's not worth a pickup. Scandella has 15 points in 30 games this season, a respectable clip for any blue liner.

But he has found another gear recently, which is why I'm recommending him. In his past six games, the 24-year-old defender has amassed just as many points, four of which have been goals. And those are hard to come by on defense, so add him to your own blue line for the time being and ride him while he's hot.