Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Picks Week 1 (2026) | Opening Week

The opening fantasy week is shorter than usual. There are no NHL games on Monday, and only 39 games are spread Tuesday through Sunday.

With only the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks playing four times, Week 1 is not about choosing from a long list of high-volume teams. The edge comes from finding schedules that place games on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, when fantasy lineups should have the most room.

Prioritize startable games in Week 1, the best three-game schedules can be more useful than heavier schedules with a game on Saturday.

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The Schedule

There are 39 NHL games from Monday, September 28 through Sunday, October 4.

• Monday: 0 games
• Tuesday: 5 games
• Wednesday: 3 games
• Thursday: 8 games
• Friday: 5 games
• Saturday: 13 games
• Sunday: 5 games

Wednesday is the lightest active night of the week, but Tuesday, Friday and Sunday also provide excellent opportunities to add games without creating lineup conflicts. Thursday's eight-game slate sits in the middle: it is not as valuable as the four lightest active nights, but it should still leave room in many fantasy lineups.

Saturday is the clear bench-clog risk with 13 games. We will look to avoid it unless the player gives you value earlier in the week.

Want to compare every NHL team this week?
Use the 4th Line Fantasy Weekly Schedule to see every team's games across the full week.

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Best Teams to Stream This Week

Tier 0 The Best Opening-Week Schedule

New York Rangers (NYR)

NYR schedule

• Tue @ BOS
• Thu vs TBL
• Fri @ DET
• Sun vs UTM

The Rangers are the only team that combines four games with a schedule free of the 13-game Saturday slate. Tuesday, Friday and Sunday all fall on five-game nights, while Thursday remains playable with eight games. The Thursday-Friday back-to-back also creates an efficient two-start window in the middle of the week, making New York the clear first place to look for Week 1 help.

Will Cuylle (LW/RW)

Cuylle averaged just under half a point per game last season, with nearly two shots and more than 3.5 hits per game. His hits give him value even when he does not score, and the Rangers' four-game schedule makes him a strong opening-week target.

Sean Durzi (D)

Durzi averaged just under 1.5 shots and 1.5 hits per game while also contributing penalty minutes. He offers a mix of categories from a defense slot across the Rangers' four games.

Braden Schneider (D)

Schneider averaged nearly two hits, more than 1.5 blocks and over one shot per game. He is the Rangers option for managers looking to build hits and blocks during the opening week.

Eeli Tolvanen (RW/LW)

Tolvanen averaged 1.8 shots, nearly 2.5 hits and more than one block per game. That combination makes him a useful category stream on a Rangers schedule with no crowded Saturday game.

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Tier 1 Strong Startable Volume

Vegas Golden Knights (VGK)

VGK schedule

• Tue vs CHI
• Fri vs ANA
• Sun @ VAN

Vegas plays only three times, but every game lands on a five-game NHL slate. That clean Tuesday-Friday-Sunday distribution gives all three games an excellent chance of fitting into fantasy lineups and avoids both the busier Thursday slate and Saturday's congestion. The Golden Knights do not offer the raw volume of New York or Vancouver, but they have the most usable three-game schedule of the week.

Tomas Hertl (C/LW)

Hertl averaged 0.7 points per game last season, with nearly 2.5 shots and just under 1.5 hits. Vegas plays Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, giving him three chances to contribute on nights with room in fantasy lineups.

Noah Hanifin (D)

Hanifin averaged nearly 0.4 points and two shots per game, along with more than 1.5 blocks. He is the Vegas defense target for managers seeking scoring potential alongside shots and blocks.

Jeremy Lauzon (D)

Lauzon delivered more than 3.5 hits per game, plus over a shot, nearly 1.5 blocks and steady penalty minutes. He is the strongest Vegas choice here when hits are the priority.

Brayden McNabb (D)

McNabb averaged over a shot, nearly two hits and more than two blocks per game. His hits and blocks make him another useful defense stream across Vegas's three lightly scheduled dates.

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Vancouver Canucks (VAN)

VAN schedule

• Tue @ EDM
• Thu vs EDM
• Sat vs CGY
• Sun vs VGK

Vancouver is one of only two four-game teams and provides three particularly useful opportunities on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Saturday may be difficult to use on a 13-game slate, but it is bonus volume if your lineup has room. The Saturday-Sunday back-to-back gives the Canucks a strong late-week finish and makes them one of the best full-week holds.

Elias Pettersson (C)

Pettersson averaged just under 0.7 points per game last season, with nearly two shots and 1.5 blocks. His blocks add value beyond scoring, while Vancouver's four-game week gives him useful starts on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Brock Boeser (LW/RW)

Boeser averaged more than 0.6 points and over two shots per game. He is a Vancouver target when you need scoring and shot volume across the Canucks' opening-week schedule.

Jake DeBrusk (LW/RW)

DeBrusk averaged just over half a point and nearly three shots per game. His shot rate makes him appealing on Vancouver's three more usable dates, with Saturday offering a possible fourth start if your lineup has room.

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Florida Panthers (FLA)

FLA schedule

• Tue @ CAR
• Thu @ SJS
• Sun @ ANA

Florida offers a balanced Tuesday-Thursday-Sunday schedule with no game on the crowded Saturday slate. All three dates should be playable in most formats, and the Sunday game supplies valuable late-week flexibility. The Panthers lack a back-to-back and play all three games on the road, but their distribution makes them a reliable three-start option.

Carter Verhaeghe (LW)

Verhaeghe averaged over 0.7 points and nearly 2.5 shots per game last season. Florida's Tuesday-Thursday-Sunday schedule gives him three opportunities to add scoring and shots without a game on crowded Saturday.

Aaron Ekblad (D)

Ekblad averaged more than one shot, hit and block per game last season. That mix gives him several ways to help from a defense slot.

Anton Lundell (C)

Lundell averaged just under 0.7 points per game, with over two shots and over one hit. He offers a mix of scoring and peripheral contributions across Florida's three games.

Radko Gudas (D)

Gudas averaged nearly three hits and more than 1.5 blocks per game while also contributing penalty minutes. He is the Florida target when physical categories are the priority.

Garnet Hathaway (RW)

Hathaway averaged just under four hits and nearly one penalty minute per game last season. He is a specialized option for managers looking to gain ground in those categories on Florida's three playable dates.

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Tier 2 Efficient Short Streaming Windows

Toronto Maple Leafs (TOR)

TOR schedule

• Tue vs MTL
• Wed vs NYI
• Sat vs OTT

Toronto opens with a Tuesday-Wednesday back-to-back on two of the lightest slates of the week. That makes a Maple Leafs player an efficient early stream who can deliver two starts before being replaced ahead of the weekend. Saturday is much less valuable, but it can still add a third game if your lineup has space, and all three Toronto games are at home.

Morgan Rielly (D)

Rielly averaged nearly 0.5 points per game last season, with 1.8 shots and almost 1.5 blocks. He offers scoring and shot potential from defense for Toronto's Tuesday-Wednesday opening, with a possible third start Saturday.

Jake McCabe (D)

McCabe averaged more than one hit and nearly 2.5 blocks per game. He is the Toronto choice when you need defensive categories from the Tuesday-Wednesday back-to-back.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson (D)

Ekman-Larsson averaged half a point per game, along with more than one shot and hit and nearly one block. He offers the broadest category mix of these three defensemen for an early-week stream.

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Carolina Hurricanes (CAR)

CAR schedule

• Tue vs FLA
• Fri vs WSH
• Sat @ PHI

Carolina supplies two highly usable games on Tuesday and Friday before closing with a Friday-Saturday back-to-back. Saturday carries a significant lineup-conflict risk, but the back-to-back still creates an efficient late-week sequence for managers who have an open spot. The Hurricanes are strongest as a Tuesday start or a Friday pickup that can potentially produce twice before Sunday.

Logan Stankoven (C/RW)

Stankoven averaged more than half a point and over two shots per game last season. He is a scoring and shots target for Carolina's two most usable dates, Tuesday and Friday, with a possible third game Saturday.

Jackson Blake (RW)

Blake averaged well over half a point and more than two shots per game. His production makes him another forward to consider if you can use both of Carolina's lighter-night games.

K'Andre Miller (D)

Miller averaged more than half a point and 1.5 shots per game, with nearly 1.5 hits and over one block. That balance gives him several ways to contribute from defense during Carolina's three-game week.

Sean Walker (D)

Walker averaged over two shots, more than 1.5 hits and more than 1.5 blocks per game last season. He is a category option when you need shots and defensive contributions from the same roster spot.

Jordan Staal (C)

Staal averaged just under half a point per game last season, with nearly 1.5 shots and more than two hits. His hits give him a useful path to value on Tuesday and Friday even if he does not score.

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Deep-League Watch

Boston Bruins (BOS)

BOS schedule

• Tue vs NYR
• Fri @ WPG
• Sat @ MIN

Boston matches Carolina's Tuesday-Friday-Saturday distribution and offers the same Friday-Saturday back-to-back. The Bruins fall just behind the Hurricanes because both weekend games are on the road, including travel from Winnipeg to Minnesota, but the schedule still offers two strong light-night starts and possible bonus volume on Saturday.

Philadelphia Flyers (PHI)

PHI schedule

• Wed vs PIT
• Thu @ NJD
• Sat vs CAR

Philadelphia is a useful early-week alternative because its Wednesday-Thursday back-to-back begins on the week's lightest active slate. The Saturday finale is harder to use, so the Flyers make the most sense as a two-game stream before pivoting to a Friday-Sunday option.

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Week 1 Priority List

1. New York Rangers
2. Vegas Golden Knights
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Florida Panthers
5. Toronto Maple Leafs
6. Carolina Hurricanes

Deeper options:

1. Boston Bruins
2. Philadelphia Flyers

The Rangers have the week's best combination of raw volume and lineup fit. Vegas follows with three games on three five-game nights, while Vancouver's four-game schedule offers three strong dates plus possible Saturday bonus volume. Florida is the safest remaining full-week hold, and Toronto becomes especially valuable for managers planning to stream two games early and then rotate to another team later in the week.