Fantasy Hockey 2025-26: Weekly Strength of Schedule and Streaming Targets — Week 3

Finding an edge in fantasy hockey often comes down to maximizing your man games — and targeting players with favourable matchups. Our Fantasy Hockey Strength of Schedule tool helps you do precisely that.

Each week, we evaluate every NHL team’s upcoming slate using three key factors:

• Games Played: More games mean more opportunities for fantasy points.
• Strength of Schedule (SOS): Based on opponent difficulty, the higher the score, the easier the matchups.
• Light Nights: Nights with eight or fewer NHL games, when it’s easier to fit extra players into your active lineup.

By combining these three components, the tool highlights which teams — and streamers — are best positioned for fantasy success this week.

If you’re looking for a full breakdown of every team’s upcoming schedule, check out our Fantasy Hockey Strength of Schedule Tool — updated daily to show which teams have the most games and valuable light-night matchups each week.

Week 3 Strength of Schedule

Week 3 Streaming Targets

Buffalo Sabres (#1 SOS, 3 Light Nights)

The Buffalo Sabres are my favourite team to target for streamers this week. They’ve got one of the most streamer-friendly schedules in the league — second only to Calgary — and they also offer a few strong individual streaming options worth a look.

Zach Benson (LW – 18% Rostered)

Benson missed the first few games of the season with an upper-body injury but has been on fire since rejoining the lineup. He recorded four assists in his season debut and added another in his second game. The 20-year-old is seeing a significantly expanded role compared to his first two seasons, skating on the top line and top power-play unit while averaging nearly 17:30 TOI per game. With that kind of usage, Benson could be headed for a Year 3 breakout and may soon be more than just a Week 3 streaming option.

Josh Doan (RW – 10% Rostered)

Doan was one of the key pieces the Sabres acquired in the JJ Peterka trade this summer, and he’s made an immediate impact in Buffalo. After starting the season on the third line and second power-play unit, Doan has already earned a promotion to the top-six and top power-play. He’s picked up five points (2G, 3A) in his last two games and is generating elite shot volume, ranking second in the NHL in SOG/60 (14.6) among players with at least 70 minutes played. He’s also contributing 1.4 hits per game, adding extra value in banger leagues. Doan is a top streaming target for Week 3.

Jason Zucker (LW – 7% Rostered)

Zucker is your prototypical streaming option, not someone you’ll hold all season, but a reliable short-term contributor. He’s opened the year with three goals, one assist, 13 shots, and nine hits. Those numbers don’t leap off the page, but his averages of 2.6 SOG and 1.8 hits per game provide a steady floor, and we know he’s capable of chipping in offensively. Over his last 78 games in a Sabres uniform, Zucker has produced a solid 24 goals and 33 assists (57 points), making him a dependable plug-and-play option when the schedule lines up.

Jiri Kulich (C – 1% Rostered)

Kulich is the definition of a high-risk, high-reward streamer. He’s already gone from top-line center to potential scratch this season but currently finds himself back between Tage Thompson and Benson. Dating back to last year, that line has produced well together, averaging 3.03 xGF/60. Kulich’s shot is his calling card, and he ranks second on the Sabres in individual expected goals (1.89) so far this season, a sign that the production should start coming soon.

New Jersey Devils (#2 SOS, 3 Light Nights)

New Jersey also has a strong streaming schedule this week, but they lack high-upside players to stream.

Dawson Mercer (C/RW – 13% Rostered)

Mercer has had a strong offensive start, with three goals and two assists (five points) through his first five games. That said, he’s been a bit fortunate to get there — shooting 37.5% with an on-ice shooting percentage of 22.7. Still, he’s skating on the second line with Nico Hischier and Timo Meier and getting top power-play minutes, so the opportunity is definitely there. Even if some regression is coming, it might not hit right away, making him a solid short-term streaming option.

Arseny Gritsyuk (1% Rostered)

Gritsyuk is more of a deep-league or dynasty streaming option this week. The talent is undeniable, but his current role limits his immediate fantasy upside. He’s averaging just 13:39 TOI per game over his last four but has still managed three assists and eight shots in that span.

The 24-year-old Russian winger posted 44 points (17G, 27A) in 49 KHL games last season, so there’s clear offensive potential once he settles into the NHL and earns a bigger role. According to Sportslogiq, Gritsyuk ranks fourth on the Devils in Offence-Generating Plays per 60, trailing only Jack Hughes, Hischier, and Jesper Bratt — an encouraging sign for what’s to come.

Minnesota Wild (#3 SOS, 3 Light Nights)

The Wild have the third-ranked schedule this week and are one of just five teams with at least three “Light Night” games. However, their offence is heavily concentrated among a few key players, which makes them a tricky team to target for streaming. There just isn’t much secondary production to bank on right now.

Marco Rossi (C – 29% Rostered)

Rossi is a much more appealing streaming option when he’s skating with Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy — which he wasn’t in their last game. It’s no surprise his 5v5 on-ice xGF/60 drops from 3.03 when playing with them to just 2.49 without.

The bigger issue is that the Wild have been the NHL’s worst 5v5 offence so far. They’re being completely carried by their league-leading 38.5% power play, and Rossi isn’t on the top unit. Until Minnesota’s even-strength play improves, I’d only consider streaming Wild players who are on PP1.

Vladimir Tarasenko (LW/RW – 15% Rostered)

Tarasenko is part of the Wild’s top power-play unit, which is worth mentioning given how hot that group has been. The veteran winger has five points (1G, 4A) in his last five games, with all four assists coming on the power play.

That said, he ranks 5th out of 5 in Offence-Generating Plays (per SportsLogiq) on that top unit, so he’s clearly not the focal point in a group that also features Kaprizov, Boldy, and Zeev Buium. Tarasenko could continue to chip in this week — especially in leagues that count PPP — but his value is limited since his production is almost entirely power-play dependent.

Ryan Hartman (C/RW – 7% Rostered)

Without top power-play deployment, Hartman profiles as more of a low-ceiling streamer, but his peripheral production makes him worth a look in certain formats. He’s averaging 5.2 shot attempts and 3.3 shots on goal per game this season, while also bringing his usual physical edge — averaging over one hit per game for his career.

He’s provided a decent floor in banger leagues and has chipped in offensively with two goals in six games, making him a serviceable short-term option even if the upside isn’t huge.

Winnipeg Jets (#6 SOS, 3 Light Nights)

The Jets are in a very similar spot to the Wild right now. Their 5v5 offence has been underwhelming, and most of their production is coming almost entirely from the power play. As a result, the number of viable streaming options from Winnipeg is pretty limited at the moment.

Nino Niederreiter (LW/RW – 6% Rostered)

Niederreiter is a solid banger-league streaming option this week. He’s off to a nice start with five points (2G, 3A) in five games, while averaging 2.4 shots and 2.0 hits per game.

He doesn’t offer much high-end offensive upside, but he’s carved out a steady role in Winnipeg’s middle-six and on PP2, giving him reliable category coverage and making him worth a look in multi-cat formats.

Jonathan Toews (C – 5% Rostered)

Toews is coming off a two-assist performance vs. Nashville on Saturday, marking his first multi-point game since January 19, 2023. The question is whether it’s a feel-good blip or a sign of things to come — and right now, it looks more like the former.

His underlying numbers in that game weren’t encouraging, and his season metrics have been rough overall: a 37.0 CF% and an on-ice xGF/60 of just 1.6. He likely needs more time to get fully up to speed before being a realistic fantasy option. For now, he’s only a deep-league stream if you’re banking on Saturday’s outing being the start of something bigger.

Alex Iafallo (C/LW/RW – 2% Rostered)

While the upside is still somewhat limited, I actually prefer Iafallo over Toews this week. Like Minnesota, the Jets’ 5v5 offence has struggled, but their power play has been one of the league’s best.

Since Cole Perfetti’s injury, Iafallo has stepped onto Winnipeg’s top power-play unit and made the most of it — posting three power-play points (1G, 2A) in five games. His value hinges on that PP1 role, but as long as he’s there, he’s a better short-term streaming option than Toews.

Calgary Flames (#8 SOS, 4 Light Nights)

The Flames are an interesting streaming case this week.

The good: They’re the only team with four “Light Night” games, which gives you a big scheduling advantage for lineup flexibility.

The bad: They’ve been the worst offensive team in the NHL by a wide margin — averaging just 1.64 goals per 60, which is half a goal less than the next-worst teams.

So, while you can easily fit their skaters into your lineup all week, the real question is: will it even be worth it if they can’t find the back of the net?

Jonathan Huberdeau (C/LW – 37% Rostered)

Huberdeau made his season debut on Saturday and wasted no time making an impact. He scored a power-play goal, registered three shots and five attempts, and logged 18:48 of ice time.

Could his return spark some much-needed offence in Calgary’s top-six? Possibly. The Huberdeau–Kadri–Farabee line was easily the Flames’ best trio that night — controlling 75% of the shot attempts and posting a team-high 0.48 xGF at 5v5. It’s a small sample, but hopefully a positive sign of things to come for the Flames’ top unit.

Blake Coleman (C/LW/RW – 22% Rostered)

Coleman is really only a viable option in deeper or extended formats, but he brings steady category coverage that makes him valuable in those leagues. He’s averaging 2.5 shots on goal per game this season (right in line with his 2.4 career average in Calgary) and adds 2.5 hits per game for solid multi-cat production.

He’s shown offensive upside before (30 goals in 2024), but given how poor Calgary’s offence has been, it’s tough to bank on that level of scoring right now.

Matt Coronato (RW – 17% Rostered)

Coronato is one of the few players the Flames truly need offence from, and he’s been doing his part early on. He’s got two goals and one assist so far, and it’s not for a lack of effort — he’s fired 12 shots on goal and a whopping 35 shot attempts through six games, averaging 5.8 attempts per game.

That kind of shot volume ranks inside the NHL’s top 30, and it’s one of the few reliable things about Calgary’s offence right now. There’s still real long-term upside with Coronato, and maybe this is the week he starts to turn those chances into more consistent production.

Joel Farabee (LW/RW – 2% Rostered)

I don’t think it’s necessary to dig too deep into Calgary’s roster, but if you’re determined to get a four-game streamer into your lineup in deep leagues, Farabee is the best bet.

As mentioned, the Huberdeau–Kadri–Farabee line looked great on Saturday, and if that chemistry carries over, Farabee could pick up a couple of points this week. He’s averaging 1.7 shots and 1.3 hits per game, so even if the offence doesn’t pop, he offers a serviceable floor in extended formats.