NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Pickups: Goalies, January 1: The Juuse is Worth the Squeeze on New Year's Day

1 week ago 2

On every game day this season, THN Fantasy will highlight players and goalies for fantasy hockey managers to stream, roster or utilize in standard leagues and/or DFS games. Players and goalies highlighted for streaming in standard leagues are rostered in less than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues.

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S DAY!!!

8 games on Thursday, January 1

* = confirmed

Logan Thompson, WSH at Leevi Merilainen, OTT (1 p.m. ET)

Vitek Vanecek, UTAH at David Rittich, NYI (3 p.m. ET)

Eric Comrie, WPG at Joseph Woll, TOR (7 p.m. ET)

Cam Talbot, DET at Stuart Skinner, PIT (7 p.m. ET)

Jacob Fowler, MTL at Brandon Bussi, CAR (7 p.m. ET)

Jake Oettinger*, DAL at Spencer Knight, CHI (8:30 p.m. ET)

Juuse Saros, NSH at Joey Daccord, SEA (10 p.m. ET)

Jonas Johansson, TB at Darcy Kuemper, LA (10:30 p.m. ET)

Goalies

David Rittich, NYI vs. UTAH (36% rostered) - FanDuel $7,600
What I wrote Tuesday applies here as well. Ilya Sorokin, currently on injured reserve, might be back for this contest. If he is, feel free to utilize Sorokin. If not, Rittich, who has more than ably stood in for Sorokin while he has been sidelined, is the play. Rittich has allowed eight goals on 144 shots over his last five games - going 3-1-1 - since taking over the No. 1 role for Sorokin. On the year, Rittich is 10-4-2 record with a 2.27 goals-against average (GAA) and a .917 save percentage through 16 appearances.

Cam Talbot, DET @ PIT (16% rostered) - FanDuel $7,300
Talbot and the Red Wings have a tough road matchup to begin the New Year, facing the Penguins. Pittsburgh is 3-5-2 in their 10 contests but come in off two straight wins, as does Talbot. Detroit surprisingly leads the Atlantic Division, largely thanks to the play of John Gibson, who started Wednesday, between the pipes. Talbot gets his chance to show he deserves additional time in net.

Juuse Saros, NSH @ SEA (87% rostered) - FanDuel $7,200
Justus Annunen got the nod Wednesday, leaving the net to Saros on Thursday. Saros enters the contests with wins in four of his last six appearances as Nashville have vastly improved their play after a rough start to the season. On the year, Saros is up to 15-12-3 with a 2.93 GAA and an .898 save percentage over 30 appearances, numbers in line with what he posted last season.

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