What’s poppin’, Razzpimples?
If you’re new to this column or have no idea what the Friday/Sunday split is, it’s a simple yet effective way to maximize your weekly output no matter the format of your league. Typically — and it’s not always the case — heavy game loads are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, whereas Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays are lighter. Streaming players on those lighter days is almost a necessity to ensure you’re getting the most of each week, but this column focuses on just Fridays and Sundays. Reason being is that you get more bang for your waiver add buck in picking up a guy who will play those two days and will almost always be able to slot into your starting lineup without having to sacrifice someone else to the bench.
Let’s do it to it.
Note: All Rostered% numbers and position eligibilities via Fantrax. All line deployment projections via Left Wing Lock.
Well, I’m cheating this week. There’s no Friday/Sunday split since Sunday is Christmas Eve and no one will play. Instead, I figured I’d highlight the four teams who play both Friday and Saturday: the Bruins, the Blackhawks, the Red Wings, and the Rangers. Only eight teams total play on Friday. Then, we have a jam-packed Saturday, so it might be next to impossible to really capitalize on these streams given you might have to end up benching one for a starter. Oh well, I’m doing my best!
Boston Bruins (FRI @WPG|| SAT @MIN)
James van Riemsdyk always seems to do this: ghosts the league for weeks or months and then out of nowhere goes on a heater that forces your attention on the fact that, yes, he still plays in the National Hockey League. JVR has an assist in four straight and also has a goal and is averaging about 3 SOG in that span.
Charlie Coyle has cooled off considerably but is still worthy of a stream given his favorable deployment. More of a categories guy since he chips in with hits and FOW.
Chicago Blackhawks (FRI vMTL|| SAT @STL)
Philipp Kurashev is not very exciting, I’ll admit, but his kind of ES and PP TOI isn’t always on the waiver wire. I guess he’s on the wire cuz he’s not good enough to be held in just about any format imaginable; however, with so few games in play on Friday, he’s worth a look at the very least. Missed the last game with an illness, so check up on his status if you’re looking for a piece of that action. Had a PPA in over 20 minutes of ice time back on Sunday.
Connor Murphy and Jason Dickinson are the guys to snag if you need extra peripherals to stuff your categories before the week is up.
Detroit Red Wings (FRI vPHI|| SAT @NJ)
J.T. Compher is back in action, thus streamable. Also one of those dudes with big ol’ tasty ES and PP minutes. Worth throwing a dart at. Extra useful in category formats.
Jake Walman is good for one thing: blocks. If you need a little help there, then have at it.
New York Rangers (FRI vEDM || SAT vBUF)
Will Cuylle is good for one thing as well: hits. I tried my ding dang darndest to find more from NYR (alas, Blake Wheeler, thou art useless now), but everyone worth any kind of a flip is too widely rostered. Cuylle has a lotta hits on the year, though, so maybe you need an extra push to cap off the week.
That’s all for this week! Thanks for reading. Leave me a comment below so I feel all warm and fuzzy.
I specialize in bullpens, and I also do some fantasy hockey as well here at Razzball. Find me on Elon’s Disaster: @jkj0787. DMs are always open for questions, comments, concerns, complaints, etc. Odds are good I’m drinking black coffee, dark beer, or some form of bourbon at any given time of day.
