Fantasy Hockey: Weekly Strength of Schedule and Streaming Targets — Week 6
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 6 – Strength of Schedule
Week 6 – Streaming Targets
This week there are only two teams that play three games on lighter nights (Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks). The St. Louis Blues and Ottawa Senators play Monday and Wednesday to start the week, so they could also be used as early-week streaming options.
Los Angeles Kings
Phillip Danault (C – 25% Rostered)
The Kings’ entire second line is under 25% rostered and has played extremely well this season, averaging 3.2 xGF/60 and 34.0 SCF/60. After being held pointless in his first three games of the season, Danault has picked up 12 points (5G / 7A) in his last 14 games. Danault plays massive minutes (18:34 TOI/gm) and is a top streaming option this week.
Trevor Moore (LW/RW – 19% Rostered)
Moore has scored two goals and nine assists (11 points) in 17 games this season and has averaged 3.1 SOG/gm. His shot volume makes him an ideal streaming target and his 3.8 SH% on the season suggests that goals should start to pour in–career 8.6 SH%.
Viktor Arvidsson (LW/RW – 17% Rostered)
Arvidsson has tallied nine points (3G / 6A) in his last 10 games. Over that stretch, he’s averaging 2.7 SOG/gm and is a solid fall-back option if Moore isn’t available.
Arthur Kaliyev (LW/RW – 11% Rostered)
Kaliyev plays a limited role, skating on the fourth line and second power-play unit. Still, he’s managed to maintain solid shot volume and has picked up eight points (3G / 5A) in his last 10 games. Kaliyev has a terrific shot and has already tallied three PPG on the season. He’s a great deep-league streaming target that could chip in some power-play points this week.
Chicago Blackhawks
Max Domi (C/LW/RW – 22% Rostered)
The Blackhawks’ top line is the only line worth targeting. Domi continues to play next to Patrick Kane and he’s registered 10 points (4G / 6A) in 14 games this season. He’s averaging a career-high 18:02 TOI/gm, and you’ll be able to get him into your lineup three times this week, although the matchups aren’t great (CAR, STL, & PIT).
Philipp Kurashev (LW/RW – 0% Rostered)
Kurashev is the third member of the top line and enters the week with six points (2G / 4A) in 14 games this season. He’s upped his shot volume in recent games, averaging 2.5 SOG/gm in his last eight games. Kurashev is 0 percent rostered, so he’s an option in the deepest of leagues.
Ottawa Senators
Jake Sanderson (D – 41% Rostered)
Thomas Chabot is expected to miss the entire week with a concussion, so Sanderson will be on the Senators’ top-pair and top power-play unit. His usage should be massive, and he has tallied six assists and 1.9 SOG/gm in his last 10 games.
Shane Pinto (C – 18% Rostered)
Pinto leads the Senators with eight goals in 14 games, and while his NHL-high 29.6 SH% is not sustainable, he’s a great streaming option. He’s skating on the second line with Alex DeBrincat and Drake Batherson, an ideal spot to produce this week. Their Monday/Wednesday matchups vs. the Islanders and Sabres are the fifth and 17th-easiest matchups of the week.
St. Louis Blues
Ryan O’Reilly (C – 38% Rostered)
O’Reilly had a slow start to the season, scoring just one goal with no points in his first 10 games. Maybe he’s starting to turn a corner, as he’s picked up two goals and one assist (three points) in his last three games. O’Reilly still plays big minutes at 5v5 and the top power-play unit and averaged 71 points (24G / 47A) per 82 games over the last four seasons, so he has upside for the first three days of the week.
Ivan Barbashev (C/LW – 17% Rostered)
Barbashev has played better recently, scoring one goal with three assists (four points) in his last six games. Barbashev is averaging over 15 minutes per game and has seen career-high (2:19) usage on the power-play. He’s averaging just 1.5 SOG/gm, so don’t expect a lot of go goal-scoring.
Brandon Saad (LW – 3% Rostered)
Saad has scored goals in back-to-back games after being held pointless in his first five games of the season. Saad is skating on a line with O’Reilly at 5v5 and was bumped to the top power-play unit in Vegas. His usage is great, but his offensive upside is limited–he has a career-high of 53 points.