Fantasy Hockey: Weekly Strength of Schedule and Streaming Targets — Week 21

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 21 – Strength of Schedule

Week 21 Streaming Targets

• SOS = Strength of Schedule Rank (1 good, 32 bad)
• Light = No. of games on Lighter days (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun)
• DR = Defensive Ranking (1st = Best Defensive Team, 32nd = Worst Defensive Team)

Nashville Predators (SOS: #1 | Light: 2)

Nashville is on a west coast road trip this week, leading to the best overall schedule. They will face Vancouver, Arizona, Los Angeles and Anaheim, with two games on light days.

• Tommy Novak (C – 7% Rostered)

The Predators traded away a couple of forwards and are still dealing with injuries to Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen. Novak has been one of the primary beneficiaries of the purge, playing in the top-6 and top power-play unit recently. Novak is on a heater, having picked up 12 points (5G / 7A) in his last eight games. He’s not going to maintain a 41.7 SH%, but the 2015 third-round pick was over a point-per-game in the AHL (11G / 15A in 25 games) before being called up, so he should be able to maintain solid offensive numbers.

• Cody Glass (C/RW – 1% Rostered)

Like Novak, Glass is in the top-6 and on the top power-play unit right now. Dating back to mid-January, Glass has picked up four goals and nine assists (13 points) in his last 20 games. He’s more of a playmaker than a goal-scorer, so his upside is limited in leagues where goals are more valuable than assists.

Minnesota Wild (SOS: #3 | Light: 2)

The Wild have four games this week, with two games on light days (@ WPG and @ ARI). They’re also heating up, having won eight of their last nine (8-0-1).

• Ryan Hartman (C/RW – 30% Rostered)

Hartman has been skating on the top line with Kirill Kaprisov and Mats Zuccarello and has picked up seven points (3G / 4A) in his last eight games. The trio has outstanding underlying numbers, averaging 3.0 xGF/60 and 33.9 SCF/60 at 5v5, so Hartman is one of the highest-upside streaming options this week.

• Marcus Johansson (LW/RW – 2% Rostered)

Johansson was recently acquired from the Capitals and has landed on the second line with Joel Ericsson Ek and Matt Boldy. In his first two games with the Wild, Johansson has one assist and six shots on goal. Johansson has averaged just 16 goals per 82 games throughout his 13-year career, so he’s not much of a goal-scoring threat but could pick up a few assists and shots on goal this week.

Chicago Blackhawks (SOS: #4 | Light: 3)

The Blackhawks obviously do not have the most talented roster, but they do have a friendly streaming schedule this week. They have the fourth-best schedule, including three games on light days. With the Blackhawks trading off many parts prior to the deadline, they have plenty of low-owned options in their top-6 and top power-play unit.

• Tyler Johnson (LW/RW – 2% Rostered)

Johnson is averaging around 17 minutes per game and has 12 points (4G / 8A) in his last 18 games. Johnson is averaging a few shots per game and may not crush your plus/minus as much as you might think–he’s a plus-1 in those 18 games.

• Lukas Reichel (C/LW – 1% Rostered)

Reichel is one of the Blackhawks’ top prospects and was recalled after the trade deadline. In two games since, he’s picked up one assist and three shots in two games. In 17 career games, he’s scored one goal and four assists while averaging 1.5 shots per game. With limited competition for minutes, he should play around 16 minutes per game on the top line and PP2.

• Andreas Athanasiou (LW/RW – 1% Rostered)

Athanasiou has picked up two goals and one assist in his last four games, averaging over 18 minutes per game. Dating back to the middle of January, Athanasiou has 10 points (5G / 5A) in his last 19 games. His usage has skyrocketed since the deadline, making him a streaming target in deep leagues.

Winnipeg Jets (SOS: #6 | Light: 3)

The Jets have three games on light days this week, making them one of the best teams to target for streamers.

• Nino Niederreiter (LW – 21% Rostered)

Niederreiter played on the top line with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor on Saturday and has occupied a spot on the top power-play unit. He’s arguably the best streaming target of the week. Niederreiter has two assists, six shots in three games since joining the Jets, and six points (4G / 2A) in his last six games overall.

Anaheim Ducks (SOS: #9 | Light: 3)

The Ducks’ offence has picked up recently, averaging 3.11 goals per game in their last 18 games–20th best in the NHL over that stretch. So, suddenly they don’t seem to be the worst team to target.

• Mason McTavish (C/LW – 14% Rostered)

McTavish has had a strong second half of the season, picking up nine points (4G / 5A) in his last 11 games. McTavish has been centring a line with Troy Terry and has been a fixture on the Ducks’ top PP all season, so he’s a good mix of skill and usage on a team with games on three games on light days.

• Frank Vatrano (LW/RW – 10% Rostered)

Vatrano will never be a long-term fantasy asset, but he’s always a solid streaming target, thanks to his excellent shot volume. On the season, he’s averaging 2.9 shots per game, so he offers a solid floor in points leagues. He’s been pretty productive recently, registering 13 points (8G / 5A) in his last 16 games.