Fantasy Hockey: Weekly Strength of Schedule and Streaming Goals – Week 22 – Daily Faceoff

If you identify the players with four games each week and populate your roster with those players, you can increase your chances of winning your fantasy hockey game. That’s why our weekly planner tool is so useful!

I took the 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.

• SOS = Strength of Schedule Rank (1 good, 32 bad)
• Light = number of games on brighter days (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun)
• DR = Defensive Rating (1st = Best Defensive Team, 32nd = Worst Defensive Team)

Columbus Blue Jackets (SOS: #1 | Light: 2)

The Blue Jackets have the easiest schedule of the week, but they only have two games on an easy day, so it may be more difficult to get them into your lineup. They also don’t have many quality stream targets, so your options are limited.

• Boone Jenner (C – 36% rated)

Jenner is playing huge minutes at the top of the Blue Jackets’ lineup with Johnny Gaudreau. Even with the team last in the NHL, Jenner has quietly scored 30 goals, 26 assists per 82 games this season. In the last month, he has picked up 11 points (6G / 5A) and 51 SOG (3.9 SOG/gm) in 13 games. His consistent use on the top line and top power-play unit and his excellent shot volume make Jenner a great streaming target.

Vancouver Canucks (SOS: #2 | Light: 1)

The Canucks have the second easiest schedule this week, but only one game on an easy day, so go over your schedule before adding any Canucks and make sure you can accommodate them on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

• Anthony Beauvillier (LW/RW – 16% rated)

Beauvillier has found new life in Vancouver after being traded for Bo Horvat. He had just 20 points (9G / 11A) in 49 games with the Islanders, averaging 15:47 TOI/gm. In Vancouver, he’s found a spot next to Elias Pettersson at 5v5 and on the power-play, and he’s turned that into 13 points (6G / 7A) in 16 games while playing 18:44 ATOI. Given his current role, Beauvillier is among the top streaming targets this week, but fitting him into your lineup can be difficult. Dual-wing selectability should help.

Colorado Avalanche (SOS: #3 | Light: 2)

The Avalanche have the third-easiest schedule and two games on light nights this week. These two games come Monday and Wednesday, so you can drop them for a player playing Friday/Sunday (ANA, BUF, CBJ, STL & WSH are teams with this schedule) if you have enough pickups to make it work.

• JT Compher (C/RW – 35% listed)

Compher hasn’t done much lately, going pointless with just nine SOG in the last five games. However, he continues to play big minutes (19:38 ATOI) in Colorado’s top-6 and top power-play unit, so he must at least be considered this week. He was hot from mid-January to late February, posting 20 points (6G / 14A) in a 21-game stretch, so there’s a chance he returns a lot of value this week.

• Evan Rodrigues (C/LW/RW – 17% rated)

Rodrigues has had a super inconsistent season. At his best, he is one of the best streaming targets in the NHL. At worst, he’s useless in fantasy hockey. In their last game, Rodrigues skates on the top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen and was also on the top power-play unit. This makes him not only the best streaming target on his team, but perhaps the best overall. Whether that role will stick … remains to be seen.

Washington Capitals (SOS: #10 | Light: 3)

The Capitals rank a little further down the list in strength of schedule (10th), but their three games on easy nights make them easy to slot into your lineup this week.

• Tom Wilson (RW – 42% rated)

Wilson has been decently productive since his season debut on January 8, with 10 points (7G / 3A) in 18 games. He averaged just 15:41 TOI/gm in his first 15 games, but has seen his usage increase (19:29 ATOI) in the last three games, skating on the top line with Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov. That kind of use can be hard to find in a streaming target, so Wilson is appealing.

• TJ Oshie (C/RW – 34% rated)

Oshie has been very solid over the last month, picking up 13 points (7G / 6A) in his last 12 games. It’s going to be tough for him to continue shooting 26.9%, but his shot volume has room to return to normal — he’s averaging just 1.3 SOG/gm in his last seven games. He should continue to skate in the top-6 and on the top power-play unit without much fear of demotion.

Buffalo Sabers (SOS: #22 | Light: 4)

The Sabers have a tough schedule this week, but they are the only team in the league with games on all four light nights. So you won’t have any problem getting them into your lineup; whether or not their players are worth streaming in tough matches is a decision you have to make.

• Jack Quinn (LW/RW – 9% rated)

Quinn played wonderfully when he was on the Sabres’ top line, but was relegated to the second line for the last couple of games. He has played 14:05 ATOI in the last two games, so his usage may not be huge this week. Still, the second line of Quinn, Dylan Cozens and JJ Peterka has been productive this season, and he continues to skate on the second power-play unit.

• Jordan Greenway (LW – 2% Roster)

Greenway is an interesting name because, on the one hand, he only has eight points (3G / 5A) this season. On the other hand, he currently skates on the top line with Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner. In two games on that line, he has one goal on two shots while averaging 16:04 TOI/g. He’s probably best picked up in banger leagues, where he can at least help with his 1.8 hits per game.

• JJ Peterka (LW/RW – 1% roster)

Peterka is in the same boat as Quinn, he plays in the top-6 and on PP2, but his TOI is average (14:37 ATOI). In his last six games, Peterka has four points (1G / 3A) while averaging 3.0 SOG/g.