As we rapidly approach the end of the season, we’ve reached the point where your leagues are about to be decided. In roto leagues, it’s very straightforward to finish the season. You need to max out your starts and be sure to target the categories that you can move up in the standings. In head to head leagues, everything your team achieved over the first five months gets thrown out the window once the playoff starts. Today, I’m going to highlight some key things that you need to do in order to maximize your chances of winning. Let’s get to it!
VOLUME IS EVERYTHING
If you have to decide between two players on the bottom of your roster, definitely go with a player who plays an extra game. In each of the next two weeks, every team plays either three or four games, so it’s not a drastic difference, but it’s one you can make up with proper streaming. There are three days with 12+ games this week, but four days with five or less games. That is where you need to be streaming. Additionally, in the second last week of the season, the Islanders, Jets, and Capitals only play two games. For skaters, I don’t think I would hold anyone on the Islanders at that point, and only the superstars on the other teams. Every extra game that you have from your players helps you on the margins. The Playoff Manifesto covers everything you need to know with regards to light days and back to backs.
IF A PLAYER IS INJURED, DROP THEM UNLESS THEY’RE A SUPERSTAR
This ties to “volume is everything,” but it’s worth acknowledging in a separate area. Josi missed Sunday’s game against the Rangers, but I wouldn’t consider dropping him while he’s day to day. If you were in a deep league and have Marcus Pettersson, who left the last Penguins game with an injury, I would drop him right away because the difference between him and whatever is on the wire is minimal, so assure yourself of the volume. There is no reason to stash anyone that is injured at this point unless they’re on IR. Make use of every spot on your roster to maximize games.
EARLY IN THE WEEK, DO NOT SIT A GOALIE EVEN IN A BAD MATCHUP
I get the fear of running your third goalie out there on a Monday in a bad matchup. That said, I think you have much more to gain than you can lose. In a best case scenario, you get a great start and get an early leg up on your opponent. In a worst case scenario, it actually becomes easy for you to manage. If that happens, you get as many goalie starts as you can to try to win the wins categories, and hopefully make up the ratios. Tonight, the Red Wings host the Panthers. Could Husso (or whoever starts) get shelled? Absolutely. He could also make 40 saves on 43 shots and steal a win. I wouldn’t even consider sitting goalies to preserve my ratios under Saturday at the earliest.
SAVE A MOVE FOR SUNDAY
Ideally, you’ll be winning your matchup easily and can make a move on Sunday to set up for the next matchup. It’s more likely that your matchup will be in the balance, and you want to make sure that pickup targets whatever categories are close. You can also use that move to block your opponent from streaming a goalie if it comes to that too.
Three Point Challenge: We will do Tuesday’s games. You can’t select McDavid, Draisaitl, Pastrnak, Kucherov, Thompson, M. Tkachuk, Marner, MacKinnon, Robertson, or Pettersson. I’ll go with Buchnevich against the Red Wings.
That’s all for now guys. Be sure to ask any questions, leave any comments, or give any suggestions below. I’ll be back on Wednesday recapping the action from the next two nights. Good luck to everyone, thanks for reading, take care!
