Fantasy Hockey: Add LW Joffrey Lupul Off Waivers

One of the most devastating fantasy hockey injuries this year was to LW Joffrey Lupul of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Lupul broke his forearm in the third game of the year, and it caused him to miss the next 25 games of the shortened NHL season. The injury put a top-tier winger on the IR for fantasy owners, which is never a good thing to see so early in the season.

However, Lupul finally returned to the ice this past weekend, and the veteran could prove to be an amazing waiver wire addition in smaller leagues. Lupul recorded 67 points in 66 games last year with Toronto, so he has shown that he can be an amazing fantasy asset when healthy.

Saturday was Lupul’s first time on the ice in months. He didn’t need much time to get warmed up, though, as he scored on his very first shift of the game. He finished the 4-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets with two goals, four penalty minutes, six hits, and five shots on goal in around 17 minutes of ice time. The winger was a menace on the ice and looked like he didn’t miss a step while he was out.

Lupul will be a reliable starter for the remainder of the fantasy season. If he happens to be on the waiver wire in your 10-man league, I would advise picking him as soon as possible.

Adam McGill is the Senior Fantasy Sports Writer at Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @adammcgill83, like him on Facebook, or add him to you networks on Google here or here.