Week Two Waiver Wire Wisdom

Week one in the NHL has been everything we can ask for from an entertainment perspective. We saw some very high scoring games, a few shutouts, goalies making their debut with their new team, and even a goalie goal! Heading into week two of the season, let’s see which goalies could be good streaming options, and which ones might be best to avoid.

Target: Arturs Silovs

The Pittsburgh Penguins came out of the gate, not waddling, but yes, flying. Who would’ve expected them to score seven goals on opening night? Not only was their offense impressive, but their defense and goaltending were perfect, with Artur Silovs putting up a 19-save shutout. Although the main core of the team is at the tail end of their careers, the Pens have added some young guns and have a few players that could take a step forward in their careers. One of those players is none other than Silovs (35% owned on Yahoo). Much of the hype for Pittsburgh goalies heading into this year has been about Sergei Murashov. Murashov did great in the AHL last year, and has loads of potential. However, at the age of 22, he might not be quite ready to take over the crease in Pittsburgh. Silovs had an up and down year last season and struggled at times. But at the age of 25, with over 50 games of NHL experience, he is better suited to be the starter. This may just be the last dance for the Penguins, and we can fully expect Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang to give it their all to make the playoffs as Penguins one last time. Silovs might be an underrated fantasy hockey goalie at this point. Don’t forget that Silovs went on an incredible run in the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs and led his team to a Calder Cup championship while also being named the AHL playoff MVP. If you’re not convinced of streaming Silovs, keep in mind the Penguins play four games this upcoming week. Silovs might be worth rostering beyond this week, but at worst, he’ll get you two to three starts in week two on a team that is off to a good start.

Target: Stuart Skinner

Jack Campbell, Stuart Skinner, Tristan Jarry, Connor Ingram. What’s the common denominator? There have been several goalies who have had a chance at the starter role in Edmonton and struggled mightily. Skinner felt a little different. A hometown boy who is a great teammate, handles the media well and wore a moustache reminiscent of Grant Fuhr. There was a soft spot for him in Edmonton. He sadly couldn’t get his game to where it needed to be with the Oilers. Things didn’t go much better after being dealt to the Penguins at the end of last year. Is it finally time for Skinner to settle into a backup role? Not yet! Skinner (25% owned on Yahoo) has a golden opportunity in front of him. Connor Hellebuyck has made it clear that he is ready to move on from the Jets by means of a trade, and at this point, it will be very difficult for the Jets to get a number one goalie in return. However, there is some hope in Winnipeg. The Jets are not very far removed from a Presidents trophy season 2 years ago. Although Hellebuyck was the MVP of that campaign, the core of star players still remain with the team. Winnipeg might surprise us and be in the mix for a wildcard playoff spot in the western conference. Skinner and the Jets play three games this week against Pittsburgh, Colorado and Anaheim. Look for Skinner to rest against Pittsburgh and play two games this week. He might not be the best streamer for week two, but if you’re looking for a long-term option in nets, Skinner might be your guy.

Target: Yaroslav Askarov

After watching the San Jose Sharks play their first two games, they look like a team that is primed to make the playoffs. They have an excellent mix of young talent on the rise and veteran presence. They’ve also added so much grit to the squad. However, many fantasy hockey managers are still sleeping on Yaroslav Askarov (72% owned on Yahoo). Askarov is now the undisputed number one netminder in San Jose and he picked up two wins in week one. In addition, Askarov was a very high draft pick (11th overall in 2020) with loads of potential. Although we’ve seen snippets of what he’s capable of, this year might just be his real breakout. At the age of 24, he is right around the sweet spot where a young goalie’s talent starts to translate well to the NHL. The Sharks have a three-game schedule in week two with no back-to-backs. Time is ticking. If Askarov happens to still be on the waiver wire in your league, don’t waste any more time. He won’t be there for much longer.

Avoid: Darcy Kuemper

Do you remember the finalists for the Vezina trophy for the 2024-25 season? Connor Hellebuyck, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and yes, Darcy Kuemper. Kuemper put together a very impressive year, and it seemed like the Los Angeles Kings finally found their guy after the Jonathan Quick era. Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out as well last year. Kuemper only put up 19 wins out of his 50 games started, with below-average save percentage and goals-against-average stats. At the age of 36, there is still some hope that Kuemper can bounce back and regain his form. However, his first start was not ideal. Kuemper (35% owned on Yahoo) let in eight goals on 29 shots against a red-hot Colorado Avalanche team. The Kings only play two games in week two followed by another two games in week three. They will be facing teams like Florida, Vegas and Edmonton. Look elsewhere for a temporary stream, and circle back to check in on Kuemper in a couple of weeks.

There is lots to look forward to in week two. Will Devon Levi establish a role as the starter in Edmonton? Will Igor Shesterkin continue to rack up the points, with already a goal and an assist thus far? Will the Hellebuyck saga finally come to a close? Let’s see.