Fantasy Hockey: Weekly Strength of Schedule and Streaming Targets — Week 13
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 13 – Strength of Schedule
Week 13 Streaming Targets
Week 13 in the NHL sees a lighter schedule than usual, with just 42 games across the NHL. That’s the fewest since the opening week of the season, where just 36 games were played. As a result, you should be able to focus on who has the easiest schedule more than who is playing on lighter days. Tuesday (11 games) and Thursday (10) are still busy, but you should have at least one empty roster spot.
Washington Capitals
The Capitals have four games this week and the easiest schedule of the 32 teams. They’ll play three out of four at home, including two games against the Blue Jackets, who rank as the 26th easiest matchup according to our defensive metrics. Check ahead to make sure you can fit Capitals’ skaters into your lineup because they play on three of the four busiest nights this week.
Dylan Strome (C/RW) – 24% Rostered
Strome had a really good run on the top-line with Alex Ovechkin but was bumped to the second line over the weekend, but was still able to score one goal on four shots in the blowout win over the Canadiens. Most importantly, Strome remains on the Capitals’ top power-play unit and that’s where he does most of his damage. So far this season, 38 percent of his goals and 43 percent of his points have come on the power-play. It’s unclear what that top unit will look like when Tom Wilson and Nicklas Backstrom return, but for now, Strome remains a great streaming target.
Conor Sheary (LW/RW) – 14% Rostered
Sheary may eventually lose his top-line role to Wilson but it would be tough to bump him right now, given how well he’s playing. Sheary has picked up seven points (1G / 6A) in his last four games and 15 points (4G / 11A) in his last 15 games. He provides reasonable shot volume with consistent usage and will be a threat to continue to put up points this week with the Capitals’ cushy schedule.
Marcus Johansson (LW/RW) – 3% Rostered
Johansson is a deep-league streaming target only and the most likely to lose PP1 time when the Capitals get their reinforcements back. However, as of Monday, he remains on the top power-play unit and comes into the week with six points (3G / 3A) in his last six games.
Boston Bruins
The Bruins week opens with a fairly tough (9th most difficult) matchup vs. the Penguins in the Winter Classic but it gets much better from there. They go out west to take on the Kings (17th), Sharks (23rd) and Ducks (32nd) in their remaining three games.
David Krejci (C) – 25% Rostered
Krejci has had a really nice return to the NHL, picking up 27 points (10G / 17A) in his first 31 games. He’s done so despite putting up pretty sub-par metrics on a line with David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha. However, if you look at the raw numbers, Krejci plays a massive role in the Bruins’ top-6 and he’ll likely continue to flirt with a point-per-game as long as he’s tied to Pastrnak’s hip, and the Bruins remain one of the highest scoring teams (7th) in the NHL.
Pavel Zacha (C/LW/RW) – 9% Rostered
Zacha’s career with the Bruins got off to a pretty sluggish start, posting only eight points in his first 15 games. However, he’s been much more productive as of late, posting 15 points (3G / 12A) in his last 21 games–a 59-point per 82-game pace. He’s found a home in their middle-6, bouncing between the Krejci and Charlie Coyle line. He’s certainly not a volume shooter or a goal-scorer, but he should chip in a few assists this week.
Charlie Coyle (C) – 6% Rostered
Like Zacha, Coyle had a bit of a slow start. Coyle had just 10 points (6G / 4A) in his first 24 games but matched that total with 10 points (3G / 7A) in his last 14 games. With Coyle, you’ll get a consistent 16 minutes per game with two shots and the occasional point. He’s a deep-league target only and gets an added boost in leagues that count face-off wins–he’s t-58th in total wins but top-25 in FO%.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto has the third-easiest schedule of the week but don’t have many streaming targets because their top players are very highly rostered. Michael Bunting would be the clear and obvious target if he’s available in your league, but he’s climbed to 63 percent rostered.
Calle Janrkrok (C/LW/RW) – 16% Rostered
If Bunting is gone, Jarnkrok is the only top-6 player available on the wire. Skating on a line with John Tavares and Mitch Marner, Jarnkrok has been hot as of late. The 31-year-old Swede has picked up four goals and six assists (10 points) in his last nine games.