Fantasy Hockey: Weekend Streaming Targets – Week 4
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 15 games on Saturday and just two each on Friday and Sunday, so we’re going to target the skaters playing on those two quieter nights. Unfortunately, our options are limited as there’s just one team playing on both Friday and Sunday.
New Jersey (@ STL on Fri, @ CHI on Sun)
It’s the second consecutive week the Devils are rocking the Friday/Sunday schedule. As I highlighted last week, their wealth of elite offensive talent doesn’t leave us with a lot of production to sift through on the wire. Still, Nico Hischier’s upper-body injury does open up some additional opportunity and ice time for the Devils’ depth forwards this weekend.
While technically neither Dawson Mercer (C/RW – 30% owned) nor Erik Haula (LW – 21% owned) moved up the Devils lineup as a result of Hischier’s injury, they did see a sizable increase in ice-time in the first game in Hischier’s absence. Haula played 17 minutes, up from an ATOI of 14:25 through his first six games of the season, and Mercer was up over 21 minutes after averaging 16:10 through his first six games. Haula is the clear choice if you have the option of picking between the two this weekend. He’s off to a red-hot start, posting five goals and one assist through his first seven games while firing 19 shots on goal despite the limited ice time. He’s centring Mercer and Curtis Lazar at 5v5 while also figuring in on the team’s second power-play unit. Stay in the flames and roll with the red-hot Haula this weekend. He is my number-one streaming target.
Given the increase in ice time we saw last game, Mercer is a viable option this weekend, even with his dreadful start to the year. Pointless on the season, shot volume continues to be a glaring issue for Mercer. He has just six shots on goal through eight games. This will hopefully be the only time this season that I’m recommending a player that’s pointless in their last eight games, but because we’re limited to just a single team to stream from, the talent Mercer flashed as a rookie last season combined with the increased ice-time and opportunity means he’s worthy of a flier this weekend.
Ondrej Palat (LW – 4% owned) is the only other name worthy of a mention. Still, even in deeper leagues, I’d feel better off picking a more productive and reliable skater who will only add one game to your lineup instead of rolling the dice twice with Palat. He’s playing under 15 minutes a night, has zero goals, two assists, and only 12 shots on goal on the season, and any upside he offered at 5v5 went out the window when Michael McLeod filled in for Hischier to center Palat and Jesper Bratt on the second line.
Goaltenders
There’s just one team with the Thursday/Friday back-to-back this week, and that is the star of this weekend’s streamers, the New Jersey Devils.
The Devils were in Minnesota on Thursday before travelling to St Louis on Friday. The Devils went with Vitek Vanecek on Thursday, which should open up a start for Akira Schmid (40% owned) against the Blues on Friday. Schmid has struggled to the tune of an .863 SV% through his first three games of the season, but he and the Devils will be large favourites in St. Louis on Friday, even on the tail-end of a back-to-back. He’s an excellent bet if he’s available in your league and you’re eager to pick up an extra win heading into the weekend.
Kicking us off with the Friday/Saturday schedule this weekend are the Sabres, where Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (33% owned) will face the Flyers on Friday, setting up Devon Levi to take on the Maple Leafs on Saturday. Luukkonen has played terrific in the last week and a half, going 3-1-0 with a 2.60 GAA, .926 SV% and one shutout. He makes for a strong option on Friday with the Sabres as -154 favourites.
Next up we’ve got the Flyers, who as I just mentioned, have the Sabres on Friday before taking on the Kings on Saturday. Philadelphia recalled Cal Petersen (0% owned) as Carter Hart continues to deal with what the team is calling a middle-body injury. The injury opens up a start for Samuel Ersson (3% owned) in Buffalo on Friday. He has struggled this season and is a much riskier option than both Schmid and Luukkonen. Tread carefully.
One last Friday/Saturday back-to-back to cover, and that is the St. Louis Blues. They do have a difficult matchup against the Devils on Friday, but then they get to host the Canadiens on Saturday. If you are for some reason in need of a start on Saturday’s 15-game slate, Joel Hofer (3% owned) will make for a great spot start, with Binnington going against New Jersey on Friday. Hofer owns a .913 SV% through two games this season and would be a slight favourite at home on Saturday night.
Finally, we have two teams playing on Saturday and Sunday. First up are the Golden Knights, but Adin Hill (86% owned) and Logan Thompson (70% owned) are only going to be available in the shallowest of leagues. If whichever one of them draws Sunday start in Anaheim is somehow available in your league, they would obviously make for a tremendous spot start.
The other team with the Saturday/Sunday back-to-back is the Chicago Blackhawks, who host the Panthers on Saturday before welcoming the Devils on Sunday. It’s an absolutely dreadful matchup, but with just two games on Sunday’s slate, there’s a very good chance that Arvid Soderblom (3% owned), who is projected to get the start, will be the only starting goalie on free agents in your league. So, if you’re chasing goalie categories on Sunday, he very well might be your only option. Godspeed if that’s the case.