NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Forward Pickups Dec. 15 - Palmieri and Rossi Look to Remain Hot

On every game day this season, THN Fantasy will highlight players and goalies for fantasy managers to stream or roster for the rest of the season. The recommended players and goalies can be used in standard fantasy leagues or for daily fantasy games.

Tyler Bertuzzi, LW, CHI vs, NYI (7% rostered)

Bertuzzi looked to be on his way to becoming a top-flight fantasy option his last three full seasons in Detroit, which was partially interrupted by injury in 2020-21. He tallied a career-high 62 points the following season, but regressed and was dealt to Boston as his contract was expiring. Bertuzzi signed a one-year deal with Toronto, but never settled in perfectly, despite posting 21 goals and 22 assists. Bertuzzi signed a four-year, $22 million contract with the Blackhawks in July but has just eight goals and 13 points in 29 contests. However, he's skating on Chicago's top power-play unit, and with Connor Bedard heating up, Bertuzzi, who has three goals his last two games, could be headed for a surge of his own.

Kyle Palmieri, RW, NYI @ CHI (27% rostered)

Palmieri enters Sunday's contest riding a three-game point streak. He is up to 11 goals and 13 assists in 31 games, putting him on pace to approach the 54 points he posted last season with the Islanders. Palmieri has carved out a solid career, with 257 markers and 246 helpers in 849 contests between the Ducks, Devils and Islanders. He has helped the orange and blue stay afloat despite the absence of Mat Barzal, Palmieri is in the final year of the four-year, $20 million contract he signed with New York in September of 2021.

Jason Zucker, LW, BUF @ TOR (17% rostered)

I have been lucky with profiling Zucker the past few times, so why not go to the well again. He saw his four-game point streak end Wednesday but still has seven goals and 13 assists in 29 games on the season. Zucker has been a solid secondary scoring option for a struggling Sabres squad. He is only on a one-year deal with Buffalo, which means he should be an attractive trade candidate at the deadline for several squads.

Max Pacioretty, RW, TOR vs, BUF (6% rostered)

Pacioretty scored twice and dished out an assist Thursday. The points were Pacioretty's first in three games since his return from a month's absence due to injury. Toronto is deploying Patches as their second-line right wing next to John Tavares and William Nylander. While he lacks the speed he may have once had, Pacioretty still know how to get in prime scoring position and should be a nice lower-cost option in daily leagues.

Kent Johnson, C/LW/RW, CLM @ CAR (33% rostered)

Johnson extended his point streak to four Saturday, notching an assist. He has three goals and as many helpers in that span, giving the 22-year-old nine markers and as many apples in 16 games. Johnson had a solid rookie season in 2022-23, posting 16 goals and 24 assists in 79 games before regressing while also suffering through and injury-shortened campaign last season. Johnson missed 14 games with a shoulder injury this season but is more than making up for lost time while qualifying at multiple positions in Yahoo leagues.

Dylan Holloway, C/LW, STL vs. NYR (30% rostered)

Holloway is scoreless in his last two games after tallying a point in seven straight. Despite the small slump, Holloway is having a solid first season with the Blues after signing an offer sheet this off-season, posting 10 goals and nine assists in 31 contests. His current season output is greater than what he posted his first two seasons with the Oilers, where he played 89 games. Holloway is skating as St. Louis's second-line left winger, which should afford him solid scoring chances.

Marco Rossi, C, MIN vs. LV, (29% rostered)

When performing research for this column, I was more than a little shocked to see that Rossi was only 29% rostered. Skating on the first line between Kirill Kaprizov and the recently returned Mats Zuccarello, Rossi had started to live up to his lofty draft status as he was selected ninth overall in 2020. He took a major step forward last season in his first full campaign with 21 goals and 19 assists in 80 contests. Rossi already had 10 tallies and 14 apples in 29 games and should remain highly-productive as long as he retains his current deployment.

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