The waiver wire is a great way to add hidden gems and overlooked players to your fantasy hockey club. This remains the case whether you plan to have them as short-term or long-term parts of your fantasy hockey roster. Now that we are officially in April, we better understand which waiver-wire defensemen are worth adding. As a result, here are three waiver-wire defensemen worth snagging in Week 26.
Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire: Defensemen to Consider for Week 26
Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
Jaccob Slavin is an extremely important part of the Carolina Hurricanes blue line. The 29-year-old is their top shutdown defenseman and is truly the backbone of their defense. However, the Denver native is also impactful because of his ability to produce offensively from the point. In 79 games this season, he has five goals, 35 points, and a plus-17 rating. This alone makes him a waiver-wire addition worth making if still available in your league.
However, what is more encouraging about Slavin is he is on fire lately. Over his last three games, the left-shot defenseman has five assists. Getting that kind of offense from a defenseman is massive. Because of this, he’s a waiver-wire defenseman worth snagging right now. He’s playing far too well to simply ignore.
Cody Ceci, Edmonton Oilers
Cody Ceci may not be the biggest name on the Edmonton Oilers, but he is still a key part of their defense. The 30-year-old is relied upon to play big minutes and has garnered a reputation for his defense-first style of play. He has provided offense along with it this season, posting four goals and 24 points in 76 games. Because of this, he’s a waiver-wire defender to consider this week.
Ceci is also riding a hot streak as of late, recording a goal, three points, and a plus-6 rating over his last three games. He is on fire with the playoffs right around the corner, which is a great sign for the Oilers. Because of this, he’s the kind of waive-wire pickup to make at this juncture.
Josh Brown, Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes have been making plenty of headlines this week. Due to their arena trouble, the Coyotes are expected to relocate to Utah for the 2024-25 season. While that is a massive story to pay attention to, that does not mean that we should ignore how the Coyotes’ players are performing as of late. Defenseman Josh Brown, in particular, has done well and warrants some consideration as a waiver-wire addition because of it.
Brown, 30, is a hard-nosed defensive defenseman who is known for his toughness rather than his offense. However, he has quietly been heating up, as he has two goals over his last four games. The Ontario native is finding his scoring touch and is worth taking a flier on as a waiver-wire addition this week.
Nevertheless, it is apparent that this week offers some strong waiver-wire defensemen to consider. It will be fun to see if Slavin, Ceci, and Brown can end the season on a high note from here.