Fantasy Hockey Streaming Targets: Week 2

With the elongated first week of the fantasy hockey season finally over, we can start to look at week two streaming options. The seven-game holiday slate on Monday throws a wrench into things a bit. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday are all busier than usual, as the NHL opts for a more balanced schedule this week. Because of that, I put more emphasis on a player’s short-term value and upside, and less on their team’s schedule. With that in mind, let’s get into some of the top streaming options for week two.

@Jason Zucker (LW,RW)

Zucker’s ATOI is down this season, currently at 15:36 compared to 17:05 last season. Fortunately for his fantasy stock, he was recently promoted with linemate @Mikko Koivu to Minnesota’s top line. Zucker played a season-high 17:48 in the Wild’s last game, scoring once on three shots. He and Koivu are a dominant force together at 5v5, with a 69.23 SCF% and a 76.92 HDCF% to show for it. Throw in the fact that Zucker is currently on the team’s top power-play unit, and his short-term upside becomes obvious. The Wild play four games this week; one each against the Senators and Maple Leafs and two against the Habs. Zucker is currently owned in 31% of Yahoo! leagues.

@Jaden Schwartz (LW)

Like the Blues entire top line, Schwartz has endured a rather unfortunate start to the 2019-20 season. He’s picked up no goals and three assists through the team’s first five games. Despite the lack of production, Schwartz has maintained his spot on the left wing of @Brayden Schenn and @Vladimir Tarasenko. It’s only a matter of time before these three get going, and they should be more heavily-utilized going forward. After being the victim of the Blues opting for a more balanced approach to start the season, Schwartz has played over 17 minutes in each of the last two games. He should continue to see a lot of ice time with some premier line-mates, making him worthy of a roster spot in the short-term. Schwartz is currently available in 71% of Yahoo! leagues.

@Ryan Getzlaf (C)

A lack of goal-scoring and lone-centre eligibility keeps Getzalf’s ownership low, but he’s still an elite source of assists. After being paired with some sub-par line mates, Getzlaf struggled through the first five games of the season. Luckily for Getzlaf, he’s expected to get @Ondrej Kase back on his wing for Monday’s game against the Bruins. Getzlaf was at his best last season when skating with Kase. The two averaged 36 scoring and 15 high-danger chances per 60 at 5v5 last season. Don’t expect Getzlaf to light the lamp for you, but his usage should help steady his assist totals. At the time of writing, he’s owned in just 27% of Yahoo! leagues.

@Paul Stastny (C)

After spending the first four games of the season buried in Vegas’ bottom six, Stastny was finally reunited with @Max Pacioretty and @Mark Stone on the team’s second line. In the two games since his return to the top six, Stastny racked up three goals, two assists and five shots on goal. He proved last season to be an above-average point-producer when playing on that second line, and is worthy of a roster spot so long as he’s skating there. The three of them posted a 54.17 SCF% and a 56.41 HDCF% at 5v5 together last season, helping Stastny register 42 points in 50 games. He’s available in 73% of Yahoo! leagues right now.

@Zack Kassian (RW)

Kassian’s stock is on the rise after a red-hot start to the season, but he’s still available in almost 80% of Yahoo! leagues. He’s currently skating in one of the most valuable spots in all of fantasy hockey: on the right wing of @Connor McDavid and @Leon Draisaitl. He’s scored three goals and added two assists through five games while playing just under 17 minutes a night. A robust 28.9 on-ice SH% means he won’t continue to produce anywhere near this pace, but the usage alone makes him worth owning. Roster him until he inevitably falls back down the lineup. He’s especially valuable for tonight’s game against the defensively-inept Blackhawks.