Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Picks – Week 20 (2026)

This is the last regular-season matchup week before most fantasy playoffs begin.

So forget “good player, good vibes.”

This week is about one thing:

Startable games.

If you add a skater who only plays on the three most overloaded nights, you can easily “stream” yourself into 0 actual starts.

Let’s win the schedule. If you are a lock for playoffs use our optimizer to look ahead and make the most of your moves this week as you set up into the next.

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The schedule reality (what actually matters)

There are 55 NHL games in Week 20.

Off-nights (maximum leverage)

These are the slates where streaming actually fits into lineups:

• Mon (Mar 9): 4 games
• Wed (Mar 11): 2 games (best streaming slate of the week)
• Fri (Mar 13): 2 games (best streaming slate of the week)
• Sun (Mar 15): 6 games

Heavy nights (bench-clog risk)

These are “looks good on paper, sits on your bench” nights:

• Tue (Mar 10): 13 games
• Thu (Mar 12): 14 games
• Sat (Mar 14): 14 games

Translation:
Your league is likely decided by what you do on Wed and Fri this week. Those are the two true leverage slates.

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The only thing we’re chasing: startable volume

Tier 0 — The week-winning schedule edge

Ottawa (OTT) — 4 games, and 3 of them are off-nights

OTT is the cleanest schedule advantage in Week 20 because they appear on three of the low-slate days.

OTT schedule:

• Mon: @ VAN
• Wed: vs MTL (2-game slate)
• Sat: vs ANA
• Sun: vs SJS

If you need volume that actually fits into your lineup, this is the #1 target team.

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Tier 1 — “Own Wednesday/Friday” teams (massive leverage)

These teams play on the ultra-light slates and still bring strong weekly volume:

Montreal (MTL) — 4 games (includes Wed + Sun)

• Tue vs TOR
• Wed @ OTT (2-game slate)
• Sat vs SJS
• Sun vs ANA

Philadelphia (PHI) — 4 games (includes Mon + Wed)

• Mon vs NYR
• Wed vs WSH (2-game slate)
• Thu @ MIN
• Sat vs CBJ

Washington (WSH) — 4 games (includes Mon + Wed)

• Mon vs CGY
• Wed @ PHI (2-game slate)
• Thu @ BUF
• Sat vs BOS

Edmonton (EDM) — 4 games (includes Fri + Sun)

• Tue @ COL
• Thu @ DAL
• Fri @ STL (2-game slate)
• Sun vs NSH

St. Louis (STL) — 4 games (includes Fri + Sun)

• Tue vs NYI
• Thu @ CAR
• Fri vs EDM (2-game slate)
• Sun @ WPG

Why this tier matters:
If you stream onto Wed/Fri, you’re almost guaranteed a real lineup start. That’s the entire point.

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Tier 2 — The Friday specialists (3-game teams that still matter)

These teams only play 3 games, but they show up on Friday’s 2-game slate, which makes them legitimately useful.

New York Islanders (NYI) — 3 games (includes Fri)

• Tue @ STL
• Fri vs LAK (2-game slate)
• Sat vs CGY

Los Angeles (LAK) — 3 games (includes Fri)

• Tue @ BOS
• Fri @ NYI (2-game slate)
• Sat @ NJD

If you’re choosing between “4 games but all on overloaded nights” vs “3 games with a Friday lock,” the Friday lock often wins.

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Streaming rules for Week 20 (the last pre-playoff push)

1. Treat Tue/Thu/Sat like traps

13–14 game slates usually mean your roster is full. Streaming into those nights often creates bench waste.

2. Prioritize Wednesday and Friday starts

Those are 2-game slates. If you stream a player who plays Wed/Fri, you’re almost always getting a real start.

3. Sunday can be a comeback day

Sunday is 6 games — still a leverage slate, especially if you’re chasing categories late.

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Player Pickups

Ottawa Senators (OTT)

D Thomas Chabot — Chabot is averaging over 0.5 points per game with 1.7 shots and just shy of 2 blocks per night. A strong all-format add who won’t sink you in peripherals.

C Shane Pinto — Pinto is averaging just shy of 0.6 points per game with over 2 shots and almost 1.5 hits per game. Clean profile for points + shots + light bangers.

C/LW/RW Ridly Greig — Greig brings a little of everything: 0.45 points per game, 1.3 PIM, 1.7 shots, and over 1 hit per night. Excellent glue add for weekly matchups.

D Artem Zub — Quiet category filler: over 1 shot, almost 1 hit, and almost 1.5 blocks per game. Useful when you need steady peripherals without tanking your lineup.

D Tyler Kleven — Pure multi-cat streamer: 1.2 shots, 1.8 hits, and 1.4 blocks per game. If you’re chasing hits/blocks late in the week, this is the type of add that swings categories.

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Montreal Canadiens (MTL)

D Mike Matheson — Matheson is averaging over 0.5 points per game with just shy of 1.5 shots and just over 2 blocks per night. That’s rare production-plus-blocks from the blue line.

LW/RW Zachary Bolduc — Even with down-lineup usage, Bolduc is still producing: over 0.4 points per game, 1.3 shots, and over 2 hits per night. Strong deeper-league profile that plays up in banger formats.

D Kaiden Guhle — Guhle is giving you the full banger package: just over 1 shot, over 2 hits, and 1.5 blocks per game. A legit category stabilizer.

D Arber Xhekaj — Banger-league specialist. Xhekaj is averaging 2.7 hits per night with over 2 PIM. If you’re chasing physical cats, this is a targeted weapon.

D Alexandre Carrier — If you need blocks, Carrier can tilt the week: just shy of 2.2 blocks per night. Simple, reliable, and category-specific.

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Philadelphia Flyers (PHI)

LW/RW Matvei Michkov — Michkov is averaging over 0.5 points per game with over 2 shots. If he’s available, he’s one of the best offense-forward streamers in this entire weekly slate.

LW/RW Owen Tippett — Tippett is averaging 0.6 points per game with over 2.5 shots and just shy of 2 hits. That is a high-leverage shot generator who also contributes in bangers.

D Travis Sanheim — Sanheim is averaging over 0.4 points per game with over 1 shot and just shy of 2 blocks per night. Perfect “do everything a bit” defense add.

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Washington Capitals (WSH)

C/LW Pierre-Luc Dubois — Dubois is averaging just shy of 0.6 points per game with over 2 shots and 1 hit per night. Strong across-the-board streamer.

RW Ryan Leonard — Leonard is averaging over 0.5 points per game with just shy of 2 shots and almost 1.5 hits. Valuable when you want offense that still brings a physical floor.

D Martin Fehérváry — Fehérváry brings a steady banger base: just shy of 1 shot, almost 1.5 hits, and over 2 blocks per night. That blocks number can win weeks.

D Matt Roy — Roy is averaging 1.25 shots, just over 1.5 hits, and just shy of 2 blocks per game. A clean “category connector” on defense.

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Edmonton Oilers (EDM)

D Jake Walman — Walman is averaging over 0.5 points per game with just shy of 2 shots and over 1.5 blocks per night. Great add when you need offense from D without losing blocks.

C/RW Jack Roslovic — Roslovic is averaging over 0.5 points per game with over 2 shots per night. Strong for points leagues and shot volume streaming.

D Connor Murphy — Murphy is averaging just shy of 1 shot, 1 hit, and just shy of 1.5 blocks per night. Those hit/block totals are historically low for him this season — a change of scenery could spark a return to form.

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St. Louis Blues (STL)

RW Jordan Kyrou — Kyrou is averaging over 0.6 points per game with over 2.5 shots. When you need offense and shots, he’s one of the cleanest adds in the pool.

D Colton Parayko — Parayko gives you a strong peripherals base: over 1 shot, over 1 hit, and almost 2.5 blocks per night. That block rate is a weekly difference-maker.

C/LW Dylan Holloway — Holloway is averaging almost 0.6 points per game with just shy of 2.5 shots and over 2.5 hits. One of the best “points + bangers” blends available.

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New York Islanders (NYI)

LW/RW Emil Heineman — Heineman is averaging over 0.3 points per game with over 2 shots and over 3 hits per night. If you need hits with some offense attached, this is a strong streamer type.

LW Anders Lee — Lee is over 0.5 points per game this year with almost 2.5 shots per night. A straightforward shots-and-scoring add.

D Ryan Pulock — Pulock is averaging over 0.4 points per game with over 1 shot and just shy of 2 blocks per night. Nice blend for managers trying to protect blocks while adding some offense.

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Los Angeles Kings (LAK)

C/LW/RW Alex Laferriere — Laferriere is averaging over 0.4 points per game with just shy of 2.5 shots and almost 3 hits per night. That’s premium banger-forward volume.

D Drew Doughty — Doughty is having a down year (shy of 0.3 points per game) but still offers almost 1.5 shots and just over 1 block per night — and he’s likely sitting on waivers in a lot of leagues.

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Playoff Preview Reminder

If your playoffs begin March 16, make sure you read the full breakdown here:

https://www.4thlinefantasy.com/blog/fantasy-hockey-playoff-preview-2026

Schedule volume wins championships.

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Closing Notes

• Best streaming slates: Wed (Mar 11) and Fri (Mar 13) (both 2 games)
• Best schedule edge: OTT (4 games, 3 off-nights)
• Best Tier 1 targets: MTL / PHI / WSH / EDM / STL
• Trap nights to avoid: Tue / Thu / Sat

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