This article is part of our NHL Waiver Wire series.
It's only been seven days since the last column, but it feels significantly longer. Teams are tired, which is apparently an excuse for a lot of goals AND not enough of them. Lines are being switched repeatedly. Coaches are saving their starting goalies for the last possible minute or sometimes changing their mind after you've decided to stop looking at Twitter.
I know I said to make sure you act quickly on waiver acquisitions before others pounce, but it's probably a good idea to wait closer to gametime based on all the late-breaking news. You might make a move in the morning due to open positions and then have two of the closed spots open later in the day thanks to a postponement. Of course — and this goes along with the previous paragraph — it's important to stay on top of everything until puck drop.
Sure, you're busy and can't keep track of everything 24/7. That's why it's important to check the latest player news on RotoWire and our current hockey material to set your lineups and manage your rosters.
Here are 14 players who can be had in most leagues and help right away:
(Rostered rates/stats as of Jan. 21.)
Forwards
Bobby Ryan, DET (Yahoo: 23%, ESPN: 16%, CBS: 22%): Everyone was rooting for Ryan off the ice last season after he stepped away, and then we cheered after he netted a hat-trick in his second game back. The Red Wings knew they were adding character and
