NHL Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Player Pickups Oct. 17 - Big Minutes For Sharks' Mikael Granlund

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.

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Dylan Strome, C, WSH vs. DAL (36% rostered)

At this pace, Strome will be rostered in more than half of Yahoo fantasy leagues sooner than later. The Caps' top pivot has scored three points in two games, including two on the power play, and added 21 faceoff wins. This is a tough matchup against the Stars, but you can't deny the top-tier deployment on L1 and PP1 with Alex Ovechkin.

Mikael Granlund, C/RW, SJ vs. CHI (20% rostered)

Granlund is the Sharks' top pivot sans Macklin Celebrini, and even though he didn't score a point in his past two games, Granlund is getting a ton of play. He's averaging over 23 minutes per game (!) with 22 faceoff wins and two blocks. He's got 12 shots through three games, which is a much higher shooting rate than what we're used to seeing, and it's just a matter of time before one of them goes in.

Anton Lundell, C/RW, FLA vs. VAN (17% rostered)

Lundell has stepped up big time with three goals in two games in Aleksander Barkov's absence, and it helps that top goal scorer Sam Reinhart is on his right wing. The Canucks are reeling early in the season with a 0-1-2 record with 12 goals allowed.

Josh Norris, C, OTT vs. NJ (16% rostered)

The Sens' No. 2 center should be rostered in way more leagues with his ability to score goals, win faceoffs and hit. He's been very good so far this season averaging nearly 19 minutes per game and the Sens offense has been very adept this season, scoring eight goals in the last game against the Kings. Norris centers Drake Batherson at even strength and both also play on the top power play unit.

Anthony Duclair, LW, NYI at STL (15% rostered)

Duclair has looked pretty good as the Isles' top left winger, scoring two goals and three points in three games. The drawback with Duclair is that he offers little outside of points, and note Patrick Roy has dialed back his top six's minutes slightly over the past two games, though one was a 6-2 blowout win against the Avs.

Conor Garland, RW, VAN at FLA (10% rostered)

Garland has been one of the Canucks' best players early in the season with three points in three games, and he's averaging four more minutes per game this season (18:28) than last season (14:32). Even though he plays on the third line and PP2, Garland's getting lots of ice time regardless. The best part is his shooting rate has also increased, and as one of Rick Tocchet's most trusted players, he will certainly see a lot of minutes as the Canucks try to snap their winless slump.

Jordan Eberle, RW, SEA vs. PHI (8% rostered)

Here's hoping that fatigue catches up to the Flyers, who are playing their fourth road game in seven nights. Ivan Fedotov is slated to start, and he wasn't particularly sharp allowing five goals on 31 shots (.839 SP). Meanwhile, Eberle, the newly minted captain of the Kraken, has three goals in four games maintains his spot on PP1 and opposite their most dangerous goal scorer, Jared McCann, at even strength.

Kent Johnson, C, CLB vs. BUF (3% rostered)

I'm ride or die on this bandwagon. Johnson has been a revelation this season, and an assist in the home opener against the Panthers stretched his points streak to three games. He also played over 21 minutes again; never mind that he's third-line right winger because Dean Evason's giving him tons of minutes, including PP1. The Sabres are playing the second half of a back-to-back and allowed six goals against the Penguins on Wednesday night.

Defensemen

Seamus Casey, D, NJ at OTT (17% rostered)

What Casey's been doing has been nothing short of awesome, though Sheldon Keefe is clearly still sheltering the rookie defenseman. However, it's encouraging that Casey played a season-high 15:57 against the Canes in their previous game, and the Devils are expected to score quite a few goals against a Sens team that still doesn't defend that well and may be forced to start backup Anton Forsberg (pulled in his previous start) or third-string Mads Sogaard with Linus Ullmark doubtful to start.

Adam Boqvist, D, FLA vs. VAN (9% rostered)

Boqvist's ice time crept up to 16:36 against the Jackets, a season-high, though it's partly because the Panthers spent a lot of time on the power play. They have another good matchup coming up against the struggling Canucks, who have not fared well against the Panthers in recent seasons. Boqvist can be boom or bust because his fantasy value derives almost entirely from his role as the QB on PP1.

Erik Gustafsson, D, DET vs. NYR (3% rostered)

Based on the Red Wings' most recent practice, Gustafsson is drawing back into the lineup after sitting out the last two games and bumping Moritz Seider to PP2. Gustafsson, a power-play specialist like Boqvist but likely to play more minutes, notched a power-play assist in the season opener but finished with a minus-2 rating. The Rangers are a tough matchup, but they're also expected to start backup Jonathan Quick. If you're looking for a defenseman at the last minute with power play upside, Gustafsson's a good option.

Honorable mention:

Mason Marchment, LW, DAL at WSH (34% rostered) - L2, PP2, 5 Pts in 5 GP
Evan Rodrigues, C/LW, FLA vs. VAN (15% rostered) - L1, PP1
Shane Pinto, C, OTT vs. NJ (14% rostered) - L3, PP2, 2 Pts in 3 GP, 18:30 TOI/GP
Eeli Tolvanen, LW/RW, SEA vs. PHI (14% rostered) - L1, PP1
Stefan Noesen, LW/RW, NJ at OTT (12% rostered) - L3, PP1, 5 Pts in 6 GP
Dawson Mercer, C, NJ at OTT (10% rostered) - L2, PP2
Fabian Zetterlund, LW/RW, SJ vs. CHI (9% rostered) - L2, PP1, 18:05 TOI/GP
Morgan Frost, C, PHI at SEA (4% rostered) - L1, PP1, 3 Pts in 3 GP
Jason Zucker, LW, BUF at CLB (2% rostered) - L3, PP1, 3 Pts in 2 GP
Kaiden Guhle, D, MON vs. LA (31% rostered) - L1, 4 Pts in 3 GP
Jake Walman, D, SJ vs. CHI (12% rostered) - L1, PP1, 24:15 TOI/GP