We’re in the final stretch of the season. With only a few weeks left, fantasy owners are looking for players who can help carry their team into the playoffs. The waiver wire becomes more and more important this time of year, and finding players with good fantasy value from now until the end of the season becomes even harder. Let’s take a look at which players you should be targeting on the waiver wire this week.

Cody Eakin | Dallas Stars | Yahoo! Ownership—3%

It was not a good week for the Dallas Stars. They managed to lose both Patrick Eaves and Tyler Seguin for an extended period of time, and with their playoff hopes fading, it seems like the season is basically lost. Cody Eakin is going to have time to show the Stars what he’s capable of doing. The 23-year-old has 23 points (10G, 13A) in 53 games with a plus-4 rating and 104 SOG. Dallas is crazy thin at center, so the Winnipeg native will see lots of time on the first line with Jamie Benn. For fantasy owners looking for some help up front, the 85^th overall pick in 2009 can definitely increase his point total while Seguin remains out of the lineup. He may not stay on the top line for long, but for now he’s worth adding until the Stars become healthy again.

Who I’d drop for him: Mikhail Grabovski (11%), Andrew Shaw (13%), Curtis Glencross (12%).

Tyler Myers | Winnipeg Jets | Yahoo! Ownership—19%

It’s been a busy few days for Myers. After being traded to Winnipeg from Buffalo, the Houston, Texas native recorded two assists in his second game with the Jets. The 25-year-old has 15 points (4G, 11A) in 49 games with a minus-16 rating and 77 SOG. Those numbers are going to get better now that he’s no longer in Buffalo, and that’s good news for fantasy owners looking for some help on the blue line. The Calder Trophy winner has the skill set to put up points, and the Jets will be counting on him to contribute offensively if they want any chance to make the playoffs this year. Look for Myers to have a strong finish to the season.

Who I’d drop for him: Jake Gardiner (25%), Jay Bouwmeester (33%), Justin Schultz (36%)

Drew Stafford | Winnipeg Jets | Yahoo! Ownership—4%

It was a busy week for Stafford, too. Like Myers, he was traded from Buffalo to Winnipeg. The 29-year-old has 25 points (10 G, 15A) in 52 games with a minus-18 rating and 98 SOG. The Jets have Stafford playing on the second line with Mathieu Perreault and Mark Scheifele, and he will be counted on to contribute offensively down the stretch. The three-time 20-goal scorer can put the puck in the net, and he finally has line mates who can help him do that. The 13^th overall pick in 2004 will be key to the Jets playoff run, and the pending UFA will want to show his new team he deserves a contract with the team next season. A 40-45 point season is not out of the question for the Milwakee native, and he should be a nice add for fantasy owners until season’s end.

Who I’d drop for him: Michael Frolik (10%), Steve Downie (44%), Alexander Semin (32%)

Players to Watch:

Fantasy hockey season is coming down to the wire, and these players could be on the rise/decline in the next few weeks.

Trending up:

Blake Comeau | Pittsburgh Penguins | Yahoo! Ownership—16%

Sean Couturier | Philadelphia Flyers | Yahoo! Ownership—6%

Zach Bogosian | Buffalo Sabres | Yahoo! Ownership—9%

Trending down:

Phil Kessel | Toronto Maple Leafs | Yahoo! Ownership—99%

Filip Forsberg | Nashville Predators| Yahoo! Ownership—89%

Matt Duchene | Colorado Avalanche | Yahoo! Ownership—93%