Fantasy Hockey: Weekly Strength of Schedule and Streaming Targets — Week 4

Identifying the players with four games each week and filling your roster with those players can increase your chances of winning your fantasy hockey matchup. That’s why our Weekly Schedule tool is so helpful!

I took that weekly schedule and combined it with a Team Defense Score I created using key defensive metrics to find which teams/skaters have the easiest schedule this week.

Week 4 – Strength of Schedule

Week 4 – Streaming Targets

The way the week four schedule is laid out, there are very few teams to target for streaming purposes. There are only three games on Monday, two games on Wednesday, two games on Friday, and three games on Sunday. As always, the lighter days are the ones you want to target, so let’s take a look at who plays on those days and which players are worth targeting.

Buffalo Sabres

Jeff Skinner (LW – 24% Rostered)

After picking up just one assist in his first four games, Skinner has collected four points (1G / 3A) in his last four games. Skinner has been skating on the top line with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, a trio that has been trading chances with their opponents, averaging 46.0 Scoring Chances For/60 and 41.0 Scoring Chances Against/60. He’s also on the top power-play unit. Buffalo’s power-play is at 20.7 percent (17th in the NHL), yet Skinner has just one power-play goal and no assists with the man advantage. He may not have the highest upside on this list, but he has a consistent, reliable role in the Sabres’ offence, and you’ll be able to get him into your lineup three times.

Victor Olofsson (RW – 18% Rostered)

Olofsson is a streaky goal scorer, and he’s shown that already this season. He has no goals in five of eight games but has tallied two goals in three games. He’s capable of putting up big performances, which makes him an excellent streaming target. He’s averaging 3.3 shots per game, so he won’t leave you with a 0.0 if your league counts SOG as a category.

Casey Mittelstadt (C – 8% Rostered)

Mittelstadt has quietly picked up six points (1G / 5A) in eight games as the Sabres’ second-line centre. His goal-scoring upside is limited due to low shot volume (1.9 SOG/gm), but you know he’s going to play big minutes at 5v5 and on the PP (17:22 ATOI). He’s a solid fallback option if Skinner and Olofsson aren’t available.

Dylan Cozens (C – 5% Rostered)

Cozens is seeing similar usage to Mittelstadt (17:12 ATOI) but has been getting more pucks on net (2.6 SOG/gm). We could be in the beginning phase of a Cozens breakout season. If he maintains his current shot volume and shooting percentage (14.3) he could reach 30 goals over 82 games. As a strict centre, he doesn’t carry long-term value at the moment (outside of deep leagues) but should be a nice streaming target in Week 4.

Carolina Hurricanes

Martin Necas (RW – 53% Rostered)

Necas likely isn’t available in your league, but if he is, you better run to the waiver wire immediately. Necas has picked up 11 points (5G / 6A) in eight games, and in their most recent game, Necas and Andrei Svechnikov were moved up with Sebastian Aho. In addition to potential top-line usage this week, Necas has been on the top power-play unit and has already picked up two PPPs on the season. He’s never been afraid to shoot, and his drastic increase in usage (19:50 ATOI) is fuelling a breakout season for the 24-year-old. Pick him up as a “streaming target” for this week and get him in your lineup three times, but he’s also a long-term option and shouldn’t be dropped after Sunday.

Seth Jarvis (LW/RW – 48% Rostered)

Like Necas, Jarvis likely isn’t available either, but if he is, add him immediately. Necas is the better option if the 5v5 lines stick from Saturday, but Jarvis also makes for a great addition. Jarvis has just three points (2G / 1A) in eight games, but his 7.7 on-ice SH% suggests that better days are ahead.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi (C/LW – 3% Rostered)

Kotkaniemi will be available in your free agent pool, and he’s settled in nicely as the Hurricanes’ No.2 centre. He’s picked up just two assists in eight games, but the underlying metrics suggest he’s in for bigger days moving forward. The line shuffling lands him with Jarvis and Teuvo Teravaianen as the Hurricanes look for a spark. Kotkaniemi is the only skater in the Hurricanes’ top-6 that is readily available, so you may not have an option but to add him.

Detroit Red Wings

Andrew Copp (C/RW – 21% Rostered)

Copp has had a slow start to the season, which shouldn’t be all that surprising since he missed the entire preseason with an injury. In their last game, he centred the red-hot Dominik Kubalik and David Perron, so he’s in a great spot to pick up points this week. With the Red Wings, you’ll only be able to get them into your lineup twice (Monday and Sunday), so target the Sabres and Hurricanes first.

Elmer Soderblom (LW/RW – 2% Rostered)

There’s been a lot of buzz around Soderblom this season, given his combination of size (6’8″ – 247 lbs) and skill. However, the results have been modest so far, scoring two goals on 15 shots (13.3 SH%) in eight games. He’s bounced around the depth chart, so his role may not be consistent, but he’s a decent streaming target in deep leagues.

Adam Erne (LW/RW – 1% Rostered)

Erne is a banger league option. Over the weekend, he skated on the top line with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, picking up an assist, one shot, and two hits in 16:18 TOI. He’s on a four-game point streak (1G / 3A) and averages 3.0 hits per game on the season. It’s unclear how long he’ll remain on the top line, but he’s not a long-term option anyways.

Filip Zadina (LW/RW – 1% Rostered)

Zadina is only a target in the deepest of leagues. He’s yet to pick a point this season, recording just nine shots in six games. Erne bumped him out of the top-6 over the weekend, so he’s not a high-upside option, but you’ll get a few extra games out of him if the other players on this list aren’t available.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Nick Robertson (LW – 19% Rostered)

Robertson dropped down the depth chart over the weekend, playing just 7:17 ATOI on Saturday and Sunday. The Maple Leafs don’t play until Wednesday, so wait to see their practice lines once they get back to Toronto before adding Robertson. The Maple Leafs are struggling right now, so there’s a chance he’s bumped back into the top-6. If he does, it would be good to get him in your lineup on Wednesday and Sunday. If he’s still going to play just seven minutes in the bottom-6, leave him on the wire.

Alexander Kerfoot (C/LW/RW – 10% Rostered)

Kerfoot saw some time with Auston Matthews and John Tavares this week, picking up three assists in his last three games. He doesn’t shoot a lot (1.5 SOG/gm) but can pick up assists when he’s playing in the top-6. Toronto’s top options are highly owned, so you must dig deep for streaming targets.

Calle Jarnkrok (C/RW – 1% Rostered)

Speaking of digging deep, Jarnkrok is only an option if he moves into the top-6 at practice or you’re in an extremely deep league. He has two goals and now assists in 10 games, averaging just 1.3 SOG/gm. Still, he’s playing regular minutes and sees some PP2 time.