Fantasy Hockey: Weekly Strength of Schedule and Streaming Targets — Week 23

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 23 – Strength of Schedule

Week 23 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)

Colorado Avalanche (SOS: #2 | Light: 4)

In a crucial week in Fantasy Hockey, the Avalanche have the perfect streaming schedule, playing games on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Their week is also loaded with good matchups, giving them the second-easiest schedule.

J.T. Compher (C/RW) – 37% Rostered

Compher hasn’t been overly productive in recent weeks, picking up just two points (1G / 1A) in his last nine games. Still, Compher is playing huge minutes (20:10 ATOI) in Colorado’s top-6 and top power-play unit. Given his usage, Compher is likely the top streaming option this week, and hopefully, he can get back to the production we saw from him in mid-January to late February. He had a stretch of 18 games, picking up 18 points (5G / 13A).

Evan Rodrigues (C/LW/RW) – 30% Rostered

While Compher plays the big minutes, Rodrigues is in an attractive spot in the lineup. He’s currently skating on a line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen but was moved back to the second power-play unit. Rodrigues has posted six points (3G / 3A) in his last nine games, averaging just 14:42 TOI/gm and 2.3 SOG/gm. His shot volume is typically very strong, giving him a solid floor, especially in points leagues.

Samuel Girard (D) – 26% Rostered

If neither forward is available, Girard could chip in some offence this week. Since January 24th, Girard has posted 18 points (2G / 16A) in 23 games. He’s playing huge minutes (22:30 ATOI) and is one of three defensemen deployed on the second power-play unit. He’s not a high-ceiling play, but the Avalanche’s schedule makes him one of the more attractive options this week.

Pittsburgh Penguins (SOS: #12 | Light: 2)

If the Avalanche are scooped up, another way to approach this week is to stream the Penguins or Oilers for their games on Monday and Wednesday. You can then move on to skaters who play Friday/Sunday to maximize your games played.

Bryan Rust (RW) – 46% Rostered

Rust is on an eight-game goalless drought, posting just one assist during that time. Still, he’s skating on the second line with Evgeni Malkin and Jason Zucker and on PP2. Zucker-Malkin-Rust has been very productive this season, averaging 3.02 GF/60. They average 36.9 Scoring Chances For/60, so they should have a good chance of being productive this week.

Jason Zucker (LW) – 42% Rostered

Zucker has no points in his last three games but scored 11 goals in 13 games before that. He obviously wasn’t going to maintain a 27.5 SH%, but those numbers highlight the type of output you could get from Zucker on Monday (vs. OTT) and Wednesday (@ COL).

Mikael Granlund (C/RW) – 10% Rostered

Granlund plays in a much more defensive role than Rust and Zucker, but he’s still playing sizeable minutes (16:38 ATOI) and sees PP2 time. He has just one goal and one assist in eight games since being acquired by the Penguins. He’s a pass-first player, so his shot volume and floor aren’t that reliable. However, there aren’t many streaming options this week, so Granlund is your best secondary option in Pittsburgh.

Edmonton Oilers (SOS: #17 | Light: 2)

Kailer Yamamoto (RW) – 3% Rostered

Yamamoto has basically skated in the Oilers’ top-6 with either Leon Draisaitl or Connor McDavid his entire career. It hasn’t translated into much offence, as he’s averaged just 17 goals and 22 assists (39 points) per 82 games thus far. Still, there’s probably no better spot for a streaming target to skate than next to Drasaitl or McDavid. Most recently, he was with Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and on the second power-play unit. Yamamoto has 11 points (7G / 4A) and 46 shots (2.0 SOG/gm) while playing 16:45 ATOI in 23 games since the Christmas break.

Warren Foegele (LW) – 1% Rostered

There’s nothing about Foegele’s usage that is very appealing. He averages just over 13 minutes per game, but he’s been very efficient. In his last 25 games, Foegele has collected 15 points (8G / 7A) while averaging a solid 2.4 SOG/gm. If you see him move back up into the top-6 prior to Monday’s game, he becomes the top target in Edmonton.

Arizona Coyotes (SOS: #20 | Light: 3)

The only other team besides Colorado that plays on Friday and Sunday is Arizona, making them the go-to for late-week streaming if the Avalanche aren’t available. The Coyotes have plenty of streaming targets and I would pick them up in this order:

Nick Schmaltz (C/RW) – 33% Rostered
Barrett Hayton (C) – 30% Rostered
Lawson Crouse (LW/RW) – 21% Rostered
Juuso Valimaki (D) – 17% Rostered
Matias Maccelli (LW) – 3% Rostered
Jack McBain (C) – 6% Rostered