NHL Waiver Wire: Picks of the Week

Valentine's Day. A time to express your deepest admirations for the one you adore. When something is truly special, it's not healthy to hold in your emotions. Shout it so everyone can hear the praises for your beloved.

Of course, the object of affection being referred to is hockey. The excitement of watching or playing it live cannot be matched by any other sport. Baseball? Too slow. Basketball? Not enough action. Football? Would be more interesting on ice.

And if you're reading this, it only proves you are forgoing more important things due to an immense enjoyment of the game. So, while you're here, please show some appreciation for the following players:

Forwards

J.T. Miller, TB (Yahoo: 32%, ESPN: 63%, CBS: 64%): Within Tampa's potent offense, Miller generally receives a smaller share of the attention. The 32 points in 51 games in his first full season with the Bolts represent a slight decrease, but there are opportunities to improve thanks to a recent move alongside Steven Stamkos on both the top even-strength and power-play lines. The former Ranger has taken advantage of this status by potting a goal and adding three assists – including two PPAs – in his last three games.

Danton Heinen, BOS (Yahoo: 9%, ESPN: 3%, CBS: 15%): Heinen has impressed with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand by notching five points in three outings. And with David Pastrnak set to be out at least two weeks following thumb surgery, we should see an indefinite extension for Heinen in this role. The 23-year old has struggled to recreate last year's 47-point campaign with only 19 in 53, but this latest advancement should push him back on the right track.

Pavel Buchnevich, NYR (Yahoo: 6%, ESPN: 9%, CBS: 25%): Buchnevich has also seen his offensive totals dwindle after a solid second season, though a thumb injury that kept him out for a month should be factored into the dropoff. The young Russian may be close to matching his career high in goals with 10, but he's only registered nine assists through 39 appearances. However, in his last 10, Buchnevich has fired home three goals – all on the man-advantage – to go with three assists and 22 shots.

Thomas Vanek, DET (Yahoo: 4%, ESPN: 10%, CBS: 13%): The aged Austrian has repped the NHL since 2005, suiting up for eight franchises along the way. In his second stint with the Wings, Vanek has endured a couple slumps and two weeks on the sidelines. But the 35-year old has rebounded by racking up 17 points in his last 24 games while logging more than three minutes on the power play. Vanek probably won't be able to maintain this streak forever, but he does qualify as a nice short-term pickup.

Adrian Kempe, LA (Yahoo: 2%, ESPN: 2%, CBS: 8%): For someone who played in the Swedish Elitserien at 17 and was ultimately drafted in the first round, a lot was expected from Kempe. He was eased into the North American ranks in the AHL and eventually earned the call-up early in 2017. Kempe wouldn't do much then, but broke out with 16 goals and 21 assists during his first full slate. This year saw him start with only two points from 16 matchups and later endure a one-in-14 slump, but he's turned it around with points in five straight and a gig centering Ilya Kovalchuk on the Kings' third line.

Luke Kunin, MIN (Yahoo: 0%, ESPN: 0%, CBS: 5%): The 15th pick from 2016 has gone through a lot to earn a regular shot with the Wild. After progressing through three levels, Kunin began his Minnesota journey in October 2017. A torn ACL would derail his hopes a few months later, but he would return in October, dominate in the minors and get recalled in December. He only recorded five points in his opening 21 games, but has notched three goals and four assists from his last five with increased ice time.

Nick Cousins, ARI (Yahoo: 1%, ESPN: 0%, CBS: 0%): Many thought the Coyotes would let opponents roll over them, but their young players have withstood the pressure and are challenging for a playoff spot. A few injuries have decimated the lineup, but others have stepped up. One of those star achievers is Cousins, who had never posted many points during his career. But thanks to the absences of Nick Schmaltz and Christian Dvorak, the Belleville native has been inserted as the second-line pivot and has gone off for eight points during his most recent seven games while also manning Arizona's second power play.

Evan Rodrigues, BUF (Yahoo: 2%, ESPN: 1%, CBS: 4%): Rodrigues could never be compared to former college teammate Jack Eichel, but he's proving himself a valuable asset down the middle. The 25-year old has looked decent as either Buffalo's second or third center on the depth chart, accumulating 21 points and 111 shots in 50 games. Rodrigues recently completed a run of goals in six of eight appearances and is counted upon to serve on both special-teams contingents.


Defensemen

Charlie McAvoy, BOS (Yahoo: 69%, ESPN: 80%, CBS: 88%): You might remember McAvoy from his jump straight from the NCAA to the NHL Playoffs in 2017, posting eight points while skating almost 25 minutes a night. After that feat and a follow-up of 32 points, 133 hits and a plus-20 in his rookie year, the WJC gold medalist was expected to continue the momentum. Unfortunately, a concussion and a foot infection kept McAvoy sidelined for eight weeks. His return in mid-January only netted one assist from the first 10 matches, but he seems to be rounding back into form with a goal, two assists and seven hits in the last three.

Alec Martinez, LA (Yahoo: 6%, ESPN: 10%, CBS: 13%): With the departure of Jake Muzzin, a prime position was vacated on the Kings' blueline. Based on attacking acumen, Martinez was anointed as the new No. 2 D-man behind Drew Doughty. The 2014 Stanley Cup hero has been known to find the scoresheet, peaking at 39 points in 2016-17. Since returning from a month layoff after a lower-body issue, he has only registered a pair of assists in 12 outings. But in the six since Muzzin was traded, Martinez has gone from virtually no power-play time to an average of almost two minutes.

Troy Stecher, VAN (Yahoo: 1%, ESPN: 1%, CBS: 5%): Alexander Edler's concussion has opened the door for Ben Hutton, who has jumped up to the point on Vancouver's No. 1 power play. And Hutton's promotion has also allowed Stecher to fill in on the second unit. The British Columbia boy and UND standout hasn't scored as consistently with the Canucks as in previous leagues, but he can still be a useful addition. Stecher's 18 points are only six away from a career high, with five assists coming from his last 12 games.

Erik Johnson, COL (Yahoo: 29%, ESPN: 13%, CBS: 29%): At 30, Johnson isn't the physical defender he once was – as evidenced by his lower hit and blocked shot counts. And his offensive skills have also faded in recent years, with injuries continuing to play their part. But if there's one thing Johnson can be relied upon, it's his extensive ice time. He regularly clocks in at more than 22 minutes per game and has chipped in with a solid seven points in his last 13 to go with 39 shots.

Goaltenders

Anton Khudobin, DAL (Yahoo: 22%, ESPN: 6%, CBS: 22%): Despite traveling to many destinations, Khudobin has turned out as a dependable backstopper. He didn't receive much of a chance early on and struggled at times, but he did serve as an excellent backup to Tuukka Rask last year. Even with Ben Bishop in Dallas, Khudobin has managed to get in some solid appearances. In fact, over his last 10, the Russian has posted a 1.54 GAA and .952 save percentage. Bishop will soon be taken off IR, but Khudobin should earn more starts even after that happens due to his recent stellar efforts.

Jimmy Howard, DET (Yahoo: 46%, ESPN: 34%, CBS: 60%): Congrats to Howard, who marks the first regular one-team repeat in this column. Detroit isn't going anywhere when it comes to the playoff race, but the veteran American has still compiled a 2.76 GAA and .914 save percentage. And with the trade deadline fast approaching, Howard could be motivated to continue his success to enable a move to a contender. And even if a deal doesn't materialize, he's a worthy waiver commodity based on winning five of his last eight games for a lesser club.



Players to consider from past columns: James van Riemsdyk, Nino Niederreiter, Jeff Carter, Alex Galchenyuk, Nico Hischier, Mikael Backlund, Jonathan Drouin, Max Domi, Marcus Johansson, Jake DeBrusk, Paul Stastny, Dominik Kahun, Gustav Nyquist, Frank Vatrano, Mats Zuccarello, Travis Konecny, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Nazem Kadri, Brendan Gallagher, Andreas Johnsson, Jack Roslovic, Sam Reinhart, Brock Nelson, Alex Tuch, Dylan Strome, Andreas Athanasiou, Darnell Nurse, Nate Schmidt, Erik Gustafsson, Miro Heiskanen, Jacob Trouba, Jared Spurgeon, Ivan Provorov, Travis Sanheim, Ryan Pulock, T.J. Brodie, Will Butcher, Brandon Montour, David Rittich, Linus Ullmark, Jacob Markstrom, Robin Lehner, Jordan Binnington, Carter Hart, Curtis McElhinney, Anders Nilsson