How to win the waiver wire with Streamer Finder

What it tells you

Every candidate is rostered in 80% of leagues or fewer. For skaters, each usable game adds the per-game projection times a deployment factor from the last three games (line 1 up, lines 3 and 4 down). Scoring stats (goals, assists, points, PPP, shots, fantasy points) are also scaled by the opponent (fantasy points allowed to the position, kept between 0.8 and 1.2), PP1 and schedule edge; hits, blocks, PIM, faceoffs and +/- are not. Goalies are scored on start probability times their per-start projection, so a backup with one likely start drops down the list.

The Scoring menu defaults to your saved scoring from Who Should I Start (Standard if you have none): category profiles total each category over your nights and average them with equal weight against every candidate; points profiles add up the points. The One stat group ranks by a single stat.

Nights matter twice. You can switch off any date you cannot use, and a busy-night weight decides how much a game on a crowded night counts. Off-nights (fewer than 10 NHL games) always count in full, because that is when your bench has open slots.

• Columns: rank, player (team and position), Rostered, a Nights strip with each opponent (off-nights in teal), Score and Why.
• Why chips explain the rank: games and off-nights, schedule edge, L1 or PP1, recent line moves, soft or tough matchups, the categories a player helps (for example “Helps HIT, BLK”) or points per game, and, for goalies, expected starts.
• An Ascension chip shows a rising or falling role as context; it does not change the score.

Step by step

1. 1

   Step 1: Pick the dates

   Choose this fantasy week or next, or set From and To dates (up to 14 days).

   Open Streamer Finder →
2. 2

   Step 2: Choose skaters or goalies and your scoring

   Pick your league’s scoring profile (Standard, Banger, Roto, Classic, Scoring, Hits & blocks, ESPN points or projected Yahoo, DraftKings or FanDuel points), or a single stat from the One stat group. Toggle the positions you can fill (C, LW, RW, D).

3. 3

   Step 3: Set availability

   Use “Available (avg league ≤ 25/50/75%)” to filter by rostered share, or connect a Fantrax or ESPN league and pick “Available in” your league to see only real free agents.

4. 4

   Step 4: Switch off the nights you cannot use

   Each date in “Nights you can use” shows the day and the number of NHL games. Turn off nights when your lineup is already full so those games stop counting.

5. 5

   Step 5: Pick the busy-night weight

   Keep 0.75 (default), choose 1.0 to count every game, or 0.5 when you only have room on off-nights.

6. 6

   Step 6: Read the Why chips, then add

   Prefer players whose rank comes from games, role and matchups together. Check the Nights strip to confirm the games fall on your open nights before you claim.

In category leagues

In category leagues, pick your league’s profile so every category counts equally, as it does in your matchup. When you are short on one stat, switch to it in the One stat group. Hits and Blocks are the most streamable categories because role and games drive them more than talent, and a third-pair defenseman with four games can out-hit a star with two. Shots favour forwards with PP1 time and soft opponents.

To weight categories differently late in a matchup, use Category Catch-Up with need, need ×2 and punt.

In points leagues

In points leagues, pick ESPN points, your league’s own point values (load them in Who Should I Start) or projected Yahoo points. The score then adds projected points across your open nights, so volume on off-nights is worth the most. Two off-night games from a middle-six forward usually beat one busy-night game from a better player who would sit on your bench.

For goalies, every scoring option multiplies each start chance by the per-start projection, which is the right way to compare a likely starter against a tandem goalie with more games.

Tactics that win

• Stream for off-nights first

  Set the busy-night weight to 0.5 when your roster is full on big slates. The list then rewards players who fill empty slots.

• Chain streamers across the week

  Run this week’s first half, add the leader, then switch those nights off and run it again for the back half.

• Follow role changes

  Chips like “Moved onto PP1” or “Moved up a line” flag a player whose projection may lag his new role.

Mistakes to avoid

• Counting games you cannot start

  A four-game player whose games all fall on full nights adds nothing. Turn those nights off.

• Ignoring goalie start chances

  The Nights strip fades a goalie’s games by start probability. Two likely starts beat three coin flips.

• Dropping a core player for a stream

  Streaming works with your last bench spots, not by cutting players you will need next week.

Frequently asked questions