Fantasy Hockey: Weekend Streaming Targets – Week 13
Our Weekend Streamers series aims to help you steal your matchup by getting the most value possible out of the limited transactions in your fantasy league. Every Friday morning, we will break down the teams and skaters with the most streamer-friendly schedules over the weekend. We will also look at the best spot starts in goal each weekend, highlighting the widely available goaltenders that could provide the boost and edge you need to win your matchup.
This weekend features three games on Friday, 12 on Saturday, and four on Sunday, so as per usual, we are going to target the skaters playing on those two quieter nights. We have four teams to choose from this week, so let’s get into it. Happy streaming!
Anaheim Ducks–vs. WPG (Fri), vs. DET (Sun)
Trevor Zegras (C) – 46% owned
The Ducks are dealing with a rash of injuries right now, leaving us with only a couple of viable options below 50% ownership. Starting us off in shallower leagues is Zegras. Zegras has been slow to round into form following a six-month absence due to a lower-body injury, but the shot production he’s flashed in the five games he’s played since his return suggests better production is on the way. He has just one goal and two assists over that span but has managed to register 13 shots on goal. He continues to receive heavy minutes on the Ducks’ first line and power-play unit, leaving him with plenty of upside this weekend.
Alex Killorn (LW/RW) – 21% owned
Killorn recently received a “demotion” to the Ducks’ second line, but there are far worse places to be in Anaheim’s lineup at 5v5 than on the wing of Mason McTavish, which is where Killorn is expected to line up this weekend. The pair have formed a rare formidable duo at even strength for Anaheim, averaging 30 scoring chances and 14 high-danger chances per 60. Killorn comes into the weekend with a goal, five assists and 16 shots on goal in his last eight games. He doesn’t offer the greatest upside in the world, but he’s a good bet to add to your point totals this weekend considering his exposure to McTavish and the Ducks’ top power-play unit.
Chicago Blackhawks–@ NJD (Fri), vs. CGY (Sun)
Philipp Kurashev (C) – 3% owned
It shouldn’t come as any surprise that we’re going to spend very little time talking about the Blackhawks this weekend, but their injury-plagued lineup is forcing them to lean even more heavily on the Connor Bedard line, which is freeing up plenty of ice-time for his line-mate, Philipp Kurashev. Given the difficulty of the matchups and Chicago’s overall lack of goal-scoring, Kurashev is far from my top recommendation this weekend, but I do think he can provide some sneaky value in deeper leagues. Skating alongside Bedard at 5v5 as well as Chicago’s top power-play unit, Kurashev has seen his ice-time skyrocket to just under 19 minutes a night across his last six games, and he’s parlayed that into a goal, four assists, and 11 shots on goal. It’s not the most exciting streaming option, but it certainly has its merits in deeper leagues. As is always the case with Chicago players, you need to weigh the risk of the potential damage Kurashev can do to your plus/minus if your league accounts for it.
Washington Capitals–vs. CAR Friday, vs. LAK Sunday
Max Pacioretty (LW) 34% owned
The Capitals offer us plenty of viable streaming options this weekend, including a 35-year-old Max Pacioretty, who is fresh off making his season debut against the Devils on Wednesday. Given the fact that Pacioretty has played just six games across the last two seasons, it may take some time for him to build up his ice-time and claim a prominent role in this Capitals’ offense, but I wouldn’t fault anyone for taking a chance on him this weekend if they’re feeling a bit lucky. He saw just 11 minutes of ice-time in his debut, but given Washington’s lack of quality options upfront, you can expect that number to climb sooner than later.
Dylan Strome (C) 29% owned
Strome had the honour of centering Pacioretty on the Capitals’ third line on Wednesday, and we do expect that pair to stick together over the weekend. Strome has cooled off of late after a red-hot start to the month of December, compiling just two points across his last six games, but his usage still makes him a reasonable streaming option this weekend. Though it’s not as potent of a unit as it once was, Strome is currently skating with Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals’ first power-play unit in addition to his role as Pacioretty’s centre at 5v5.
Evgeny Kuznetsov (C) 12% owned
Kuznetsov may be having a season to forget, but he has recently moved up to centre Ovechkin and Tom Wilson on the Capitals’ first line, while also skating with the first power-play unit. He’s averaged over 20 minutes of ice-time and registered seven shots on goal during that three-game span, which culminated in a two-point performance against the Devils on Wednesday. He could make for a worthy punt this weekend if those short-term trends in his usage continue.
Anthony Mantha (RW) 7% owned
Mantha’s usage still leaves a lot to be desired, but the run he’s been on of late is too good to ignore. The former Red Wing has tallied four goals, three assists, and 22 shots on goal in his last eight games, all while playing just 14 and a half minutes a night. Hopefully that strong run of play warrants him some additional minutes and opportunities this weekend, because for the time being he’s still limited to a role on the second-line and power-play unit. He is a great option in deeper leagues this weekend and could be a worthy pivot in shallower formats if you want to stay in the flames and ride the hot hand.
Winnipeg Jets–@ANA (Fri), @ ARI (Sun)
Nino Niederreiter (RW) – 28% owned
Niederreiter continues to fire the puck on net at an elite rate despite limited usage. While he’s currently skating on the Jets’ third line and second power-play unit, he’s still managed to register 19 shots on goal in his last six games, piling up four goals over that stretch. He doesn’t have the highest ceiling given his limited role on this Jets’ team, but he is a decent bet to add to your goal totals this weekend, and is a cheap source of shots on goal if you’re in a format that rewards them.
Cole Perfetti (C/LW) – 22% owned
While he continues to have a hard time etching out major minutes in a crowded top-six, Perfetti is a damn good hockey player when he’s not serving as retribution fodder for Ryan Hartman. Like Niederreiter, Perfetti continues to find ways to rack up shots on goal despite his limited role, firing 20 shots on goal across his last seven games. He’s been unfortunate not to convert on any of those 20 shots, but he has still managed to compile four assists over that stretch. Another player whose upside is capped by his ice-time and usage, but he’s been productive enough to present himself as a viable streaming option this weekend.
Goaltenders
Remarkably, there is just one team playing a back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday this weekend, so if you’re looking to steal your matchup on the final day of the week with a spot start in goal, you’ll want to act quickly to secure the services of Calgary backup Daniel Vladar (2% owned). The Flames are in Philadelphia on Saturday before travelling to Chicago to take on the basement-dwelling Blackhawks on Sunday. Vladar got the surprise nod for Thursday’s game against the Predators, which all but guarantees it will be Jacob Markstrom between the pipes for the front-end of this weekend’s back-to-back, leaving an incredibly favourable matchup for Vladar on Sunday.
Vladar has struggled on the whole this season, but he has looked better in his last three appearances, posting a .928 SV% along with a 2-0-1 record over that span. His recent form suggests he may not be as big of a risk to your splits as you might think, and of course, you can’t beat the matchup with the Flames expected to be heavy favourites on the moneyline come Sunday. Though his owned percentage currently sits at just 2%, you can expect that to skyrocket come Sunday morning, so it’s best to move early and roster him as soon as possible if you have the roster spot to burn.