NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Forward Pickups Dec. 23 - Heineman Producing for The Habs

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

Stefan Noesen, C/LW, NJ vs. NYR (46% rostered)

Noesen is back on the beam after going scoreless in six straight contests, scoring twice in his last three games. His tally Saturday set a new career-high in goals with 15 in just 36 games played. He has benefitted from playing almost four minutes more per game, adding nine helpers, 80 shots on goal and 84 hits. Noesen is well on his way to setting career-highs across the board in almost every category.

Reilly Smith, RW, NYR @ NJ (4% rostered)

Smith has upped his production since the calendar flipped to December. Shutout Sunday, Smith still has four goals in 10 contests this month. After notching just three markers his first 21 games of the season. Smith is skating on the third line for New York next to Mika Zibanejad and Brett Berard.

Bobby McMann, LW, TOR vs. WPG (6% rostered)

I profiled McMann the other day and he notched a goal. In fact, McMann has lit the lamp in three straight contests while denting the scoresheet in four straight. After tallying 15 goals in 56 contests last season, McMann is up to nine markers in just 26 games this season. His confidence is growing daily while he builds a strong chemistry with Max Domi.

Cole Perfetti, C/LW, WPG @ TOR (22% rostered)

Perfetti had a big game Saturday, notching a goal and two assists, his first multi-point effort since a two-goal game in Vegas on Nov. 29. Those three points gave Perfetti 23 (nine on the power play) in just 35 games. Perfetti posted a career-high 19 goals, as many assists and 38 points, all of which are in jeopardy of being exceeded this season. Perfetti signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract extension with the Jets in September; a deal that looks to be a steal.

Aliaksei Protas, C/LW, WAS @ BOS (24% rostered)

Hey look, Protas scored again Sunday. That's back-to-back games with a tally for Protas, who is up to a career-high 13 on the season, Protas had just six markers in 78 games last season, but has been a godsend for a Capitals attack that has been without Alex Ovechkin, Ovi is due back after the Xmas break, though Protas certainly has done more than enough to maintain his second line placement.

Michael Rasmussen, C/LW, DET vs. STL (0% rostered)

Rasmussen dished out a pair of assists Friday and has four points over his last three games. He has mostly been skating on the third line, though has been moved up to the top-six, where he has been effective. Rasmussen has shown in the past that he can productive in spurts while bouncing between center and wing. If he remains on the top line, that would be a boost for his fantasy value.

Anton Lundell, C/RW, FLA vs. TB (32% rostered)

Lundell's performance has been like a richter scale, up-and-down. He was especially valuable while Aleksander Barkov was sidelined, but has slid back to the third line. Lundell has not scored since Nov. 29, a span of 11 games, notching just five helpers in that span. But he has shown the ability to get on a heater and worth a look as a cheaper option in DFS.

Noah Cates, C/LW, PHI @ PIT (0% rostered)

Cates is in the midst of one of the better stretches of his career, notching four goals and a pair of assists. The 25-year-old is up to five tallies, six helpers, 30 shots on net and a plus-7 rating over 30 appearances this season. Cates fell from 38 points in 2022-23 to just 18 last season, seeing time in a shutdown rather than scoring roll while skating close to four minutes less a game. Cates has been solid as the Flyers' third-line center.

Rickard Rakell, C/LW/RW, PIT vs. PHI (51% rostered)

I am using writer privilege by including Rakell even though he is slightly above our 50% roster threshold. After a slow start, Rakell has been on fire skating on a line with Bryan Rust and Sidney Crosby, notching eight goals and six assists his last 12 games. The 31-year-old is up to 15 goals -- matching his total from last year -- with 11 assists, 82 shots on net, 62 hits, 36 blocked shots and a plus-1 rating through 35 appearances.

Emil Heineman, LW, MTL @ CLM (0% rostered)

Heineman has been a bright spot recently for the Habs. Saturday was the second straight game with a goal and third consecutive with at least a point for Heineman, who has five points over his last five outings. Heineman's ice time and line placement still is a work-in-progress but if he continues to produce, coach Martin St. Louis will need to move him up in the lineup.

Dmitri Voronkov, LW, CLM vs. MTL (6% rostered)

Voronkov extended his point streak to four with a pair of assists Saturday. He has a goal and four helpers during this span, giving the 24-year-old winger eight tallies and nine apples in 25 contests. Voronkov registered 18 goals and 34 points in 75 games during his rookie season in 2023-24 and looks to have taken a major step forward this season after missing the first nine contests due to a preseason injury.

Jiri Kulich, C, BUF @ NYI (1% rostered)

Taken 28 overall in 2022, Kulich is 24 games into his rookie campaign. He is still trying to establish himself a steady lineup option and productive winger, but has picked it up a little recently. Kulich has a pair of goals and an assist his last seven games, more than doubling his total from his first 17 contests played. The upside potential makes Kulich worth a look.

Anders Lee, LW, NYI vs, BUF (41% rostered)

Lee, the Islanders' captain, saw his production fall from 28 goals and 22 assists in 2022-23 to 20 and 17 last season. He has put together a solid last month with six goals and eight assists over his last 13 contests, giving Lee 13 tallies and 14 apples in 34 contests. The 34-year-old winger is currently on the third line with Mathew Barzal and Jean-Gabriel Pageau, though the lines are likely to be fungible now that the Islanders are fully healthy.

Luke Evangelista, LW, NAS vs. CAR (1% rostered)

The season has certainly not gone as Evangelista and the Predators had hoped. After posting 16 goals and 39 points in 80 regular-season outings in 2023-24, Evangelista was expected to experience a drop in production given all the new faces in Nashville. But he has fallen to just four tallies and nine helpers in 32 games, though he shown some signs of life recently.

Teuvo Teravainen, LW/RW, CHI @ MIN (15% rostered)

Turbo has his scoring motor revving. Teravainen has reeled off four straight multi-point performances, including two assists Saturday, posting a goal and 10 points over that stretch. He is benefitting from seeing regular shifts with Connor Bedard, both at even strength and on the top power-play unit. The hot streak has moved Teravainen up to seven markers and 16 apples in 34 games after posting 53 points last season, his final campaign in Carolina.

Marco Rossi, C, MIN vs. CHI (32% rostered)

Rossi, centering Minnesota's first line of Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello, has five goals and three assists over 10 outings in December. That production has upped his season marks to 12 tallies and 15 helpers in 34 contests. Rossi, taken ninth overall in 2020, teased Minnesota with 21 goals and 19 assists in 82 games last season. But he is showing that he was just scratching the surface with his performance to date.

Kiefer Sherwood, LW/RW, VAN vs. SJ (43% rostered)

Sherwood's main value is in his physical play, already posting 198 hits in 33 games this season after notching 103 and 234 the past two seasons. But he has shown the past two seasons that he can score a little, lighting the lamp 10 times last season and 11 in just 33 games this campaign. Sherwood has been moved down to the bottom-six, which will limit his scoring chances, but he still will rack up hits.

Jamie Benn, C/LW, DAL @ UTAH (51% rostered)

Shhh, don't tell anyone, but Benn is also 51% rostered. That percentage has been rising thanks to Benn's fine recent play, as his five game-point streak ended Friday. Benn is no longer the scoring threat he once was, but is still a solid secondary option. His current fine play has Benn up to six goals and 14 apples in 32 contests while skating on the third line in Big D.

Victor Olofsson, LW/RW, LV vs. ANA (11% rostered) 

Olofsson was a solid scorer his first four seasons in the league, notching 20 or more goals three times. His production cratered last season, falling to just seven markers in 51 contests. Olofsson got a new lease on his career, signing a one-year deal with Vegas this offseason. So far, so good, especially recently, as Olofsson has four goals and three assists over his last seven contests.

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