Fantasy Hockey Streaming Targets: Week 18

It’s a busy week in the NHL with at least 9 games on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. For streaming purposes, you’ll want to target teams playing on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. I’ve gone over the teams with the most streamer-friendly schedules this week and their best available options below. Good luck!

Montreal Canadiens (4 games – Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday)

The Habs are the only team playing on all three of the league’s quieter nights this week. They’re the best team to target on the wire, and luckily, their roster boasts multiple viable, low-owned fantasy options. The best place to start, of course, is the top line. @Phillip Danault has proven himself to be one of the better two-way players in the NHL, but his fantasy value is still lagging behind. A lack of shot volume means he’ll never be a reliable goal-scoring threat, but he can help pad your assist and point totals this week. Danault has 12 goals and 27 assists in 57 games this season, with an ATOI of 19:09. He’s currently skating on the top line and power-play unit, and is available in 65% of standard Yahoo! leagues.

Should Danault be unavailable, you can turn your attention to Montreal’s second line. @Nick Suzuki and @Joel Armia are a formidable duo at 5v5 and they’ve seen a spike in production since being paired with @Ilya Kovalchuk. Suzuki (28% owned) has been particularly hot of late, racking up two goals and six assists in his last seven games, but Armia (25% owned) is always a better bet to score. He has 14 goals and a rather impressive 132 shots on goal in just 44 games this season.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning @Jonathan Drouin (31% owned) made his return to the lineup on Saturday. He played just 11 minutes and his short-term usage is a concern, but he could work his way back into fantasy relevance once he’s back up to full speed. Drouin registered 15 points in 19 games before being sidelined for nearly three months with a wrist injury.

Vancouver Canucks (3 games – Monday, Wednesday, Sunday)

The Canucks are the only other team worth mentioning here. You can definitely get two games out of them earlier in the week, and might be in need of an extra man for Sunday’s nine-game slate. @Tanner Pearson is arguably the best Canuck to target on the wire this week. He’s cemented himself a spot alongside @Bo Horvat on the top line and is taking full advantage of the opportunity. Pearson is on pace for a career year, racking up 16 goals and 24 assists through 56 games. He’s registered 135 shots on goal despite playing just 16:29 a night. He should also be in line for some more power-play time this week with @Brock Boeser (upper-body) already ruled out for the next two games. Pearson is currently owned in 40% of Yahoo! standard leagues.

Boeser’s injury also notably opens up a spot on the wing of @Elias Pettersson. @Jake Virtanen is expected to fill Pettersson’s vacant wing, a place where he’s been effective already this season. Together at 5v5, Virtanen, Pettersson, and @J.T. Miller are averaging 37 scoring and 15 high-danger chances per 60. Virtanen has a knack for getting the puck on net and should flourish as Boeser’s replacement. He’s available in 85% of Yahoo! leagues.