Fantasy Hockey 2024-25: Weekly Strength of Schedule and Streaming Targets — Week 3

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 combined that weekly schedule with a Team Defense Score I created using key defensive metrics to find which teams/skaters have the best schedule this week.

How it Works:

Team Defensive Ratings are given on a scale of 0-100, with 0 being the best possible defensive team and 100 being the worst.
SCORE: The sum of all the Defensive Ratings the team will face this week.
AVG Opponent: The Average Defensive Ratings that the team will face this week.
The strength of the Schedule is determined by the sum of defensive ratings because we want players who play the most games but also have the easiest matchups.
Light Nights: A night in the NHL with eight or fewer games.

Week 3 – Strength of Schedule

Week 3 Streaming Targets

New Jersey Devils

The Devils are one of five teams with four games this week and one of four teams with at least two “light night” games. They grade out with the easiest schedule, playing two mediocre matchups (TBL and NYI) and two outstanding matchups (DET and ANA).

Paul Cotter (C) – 22% Rostered

Cotter has enjoyed a solid start to his career with the Devils, scoring five goals with one assist in eight games. He’s been extremely fortunate with his finishing, converting on 33.3 percent of his shots on goal. That rate will come crashing down eventually, but he’s not a bad short-term option if he’s playing up in the Devils’ lineup. Last week, he was promoted to Jack Hughes’ wing but was demoted midway through Saturday’s game in favour of Ondrej Palat. I would monitor the Devils’ practice lines on Monday before using a roster spot on Cotter. If he’s on the fourth line, he carries no fantasy value and the other Devils on this list would be better streaming options.

Dawson Mercer (C/RW) – 10% Rostered

Mercer is in a great spot in the Devils’ lineup. He’s playing over 18 minutes per game while skating with Nico Hischier and Timo Meier at 5v5 and on PP2. This deployment hasn’t led to much production, though. He has three points (2G / 1A) and 10 shots on goal through eight games. Mercer has missed the net a lot more than usual, though. On average, he’s hit the net on 60 percent of his shot attempts; this year, he’s hitting the net on just 40 percent. So there’s hope that his shot volume and goal-scoring will increase.

Stefan Noesen (LW/RW) – 8% Rostered

Noesen has quietly put together a point-per-game start to the season, scoring two goals with six assists (eight points) in eight games. Impressively, seven of his eight points have come at even strength while playing on the third line with Erik Haula and Tomas Tatar. Noesen has been known more for his power-play production and he’s on the top PP unit in New Jersey, making him an interesting streaming option this week.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs are one of five teams with four games this week and one of two in action on Monday night. All four of their matchups are either average-to-good matchups, so they should be able to generate plenty of offence this week.

Matthew Knies (LW) – 28% Rostered

Knies has seen a drastic increase in usage this season, going from 13:41 ATOI to 17:44. He hasn’t produced like a first-line winger yet, but the sample size is too small to be concerned about. Knies, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have been absolutely dominant at 5v5, averaging 55 scoring chances and 19 high-danger chances per/60. Knies has been a little unfortunate, shooting just 7.7 percent with a 9.2 on-ice SH%. Both those rates will increase over time, and Knies is a good streaming candidate this week and a buy-low option if he’s already rostered in your league.

Bobby McMann (LW) – 6% Rostered

McMann was promoted to the Maple Leafs second line last week and scored two goals on four shots, averaging 15:12 TOI/gm. His playing time was up nearly four minutes from week one. Since last year, McMann has scored at a 25-goal, 175 SOG pace while averaging just 11:40 TOI. With those rates, he’d be a threat for 220-plus shots and 30-plus goals at 15 minutes per night. He’ll also chip-in in banger leagues, where he’s averaged over two hits per game over the last 60 games. McMann is a worthwhile streaming option with potential long-term value as long as he’s on a line with Max Domi, William Nylander, and PP2.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers are another team with four games and two “light night” games. Their week includes a home-and-home with the Capitals and a back-to-back vs. the Wild and Canadiens. It’s tough to pinpoint streaming targets on the Flyers because their lineup has fluctuated frequently.

Morgan Frost (C) – 5% Rostered

One of the players with a consistent role thus far has been Frost, who has operated in the top-6 and top power-play unit through five games. Frost is playing more and shooting more than ever, making a breakout highly likely in 2024-25. He’s on-pace of 262 SOG (his previous career-high is 155), a number that could make him a 25-to-30 goal scorer this season. Frost has also picked up three assists in five games despite an awful 7.1 on-ice SH%. If he can get locked up with some of the Flyers’ high-end wingers like Matvei Michkov, Travis Konecny and/or Owen Tippett for a long period, he should set career-highs in helpers, too. There’s enough long-term upside here to give Frost a tryout this week in a good streaming setup.