Fantasy Hockey Playoff Strength of Schedule (Week 22 to 24) & Streaming Options
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 throughout the Fantasy Hockey Playoffs (Week 22 to 24)
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.
Playoffs Strength of Schedule Summary (Weeks 22 to 24)
If you’re looking to add players with a good schedule all the way through the playoffs rather than streaming them week-to-week. The Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild and Carolina Hurricanes have the most consistently good schedules. Each week ranks in the top half of the league for all three of those teams.
Calgary Flames
The issue with the Flames is that they only have two light-night games throughout the entirety of the Weeks 22 to 24 playoffs, which may make it challenging to get them into your lineup.
Jonathan Huberdeau (C/LW – 47% Rostered)
Huberdeau won’t be available in most competitive leagues, but if he’s available in your league, he’s the best pickup from the Flames. Huberdeau enters week 22 with 13 points (6G / 7A) in his last 14 games, averaging 2.1 SOG/gm and 20:42 TOI/gm. Huberdeau has been a force on the power play as of late, ranking in the top 20 of the NHL in power-play points since February 1st.
Matt Coronato (RW – 4% Rostered)
If Huberdeau isn’t available, Coronato should be. He hasn’t been all that productive lately, with just two goals and one assist in his last 10 games since the 4Nations break, but he has really good shot volume. Coronato as averaged 4.1 shot attempts per game during that stretch and is third on the Flames in ixG (2.55). Coronato plays big minutes in the Flames’ top-6 and PP1 and has gone on big runs at times this season.
Minnesota Wild
The issue with the Minnesota Wild is that they are having a difficult time scoring goals as a team. Since the 4Nations break, they rank dead last in the league with 1.79 GF/60. Their lack of goal-scoring depth makes them tricky to target in Fantasy Hockey because they don’t have many quality options available on the waiver wire.
Mats Zuccarello (RW – 50% Rostered)
The chances of Zuccarello being available in competitive leagues are very low, but he’s been solid in March, scoring two goals with two assists (four points) in seven games. More importantly, his shot volume has perked up in that stretch, averaging 2.7 SOG/gm compared to 2.1 SOG/gm in his first 47 games. His usage is up nearly two minutes per game lately, as well. He averaged 19:24 in his first 49 games but has played 21:29 TOI/gm in his last five.
Marco Rossi (C – 39% Rostered)
Rossi has done his best to keep his production up despite Minnesota’s lack of goal-scoring. Since the break, he’s tied for third on the team with six points (2G / 4A) in 11 games while also ranking second on the team in ixG (3.53).
Carolina Hurricanes
Logan Stankoven (C/RW – 23% Rostered)
Since joining the Hurricanes, Stankoven has one goal and one assist in four games and is third on the team in ixG (1.4). He’s bounced around the lineup a bit but seems to have found a home on the third line with Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook. The early results have been strong, as they’ve generated 13 scoring chances and seven high-danger chances in just over 24 minutes together at 5v5. The Staal line plays a lot and usually dominates puck possession, so Stankoven should still have offensive success despite being on the “third line.”
Taylor Hall (LW – 5% Rostered)
Hall is starting to heat up. He’s scored two goals with three assists (five points) in his last five games. The veteran winger was recently moved to the Hurricanes’ top power-play unit, giving him even more potential upside. Widely available, Hall could end up being a league-winning type pickup if he’s able to stay hot atop the Hurricanes’ lineup.
Jackson Blake (RW – 1% Rostered)
Blake is more of a deep-league target, but he’s got some standard league appeal as well. He’s been skating on the top line with Sebastian Aho and on the top PP unit as well. Unfortunately, it hasn’t led to much success lately, but he possesses solid shot volume and is worth a look while he’s playing over 17 minutes per game, like he has since the trade deadline when Mikko Rantanen was shipped to Dallas.