I’m going to do the second half of the Playoff Manifesto today. If you missed Part One, you can check it out here. Let’s get right to it!
NASHVILLE PREDATORS (4,4,3,3)
This schedule is right up there for best in the league. Fourteen games is as good as it gets. They close each week with a back-to-back. The only nitpick is that there are no games on light days, but few things are perfect. Josi and Forsberg can both push for best player in the fantasy playoffs if things break right. Ryan Johansen and Tanner Jeannot are both elite streamers in the stretches where Nashville has three games in four nights.
NEW JERSEY DEVILS (3,3,4,3)
The first two weeks are rough with only three games each week and no back-to-backs. There are no games on light days either. The one plus is that they finish with six games in nine days, with four juicy matchups and potentially a fifth if Carolina is playing for nothing in their last game of the season. Yegor Sharangovich is definitely their best streamer right now coming off a hat trick.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS (3,4,4,3)
In terms of the games played and when they are, this is a very good schedule for their holds and streamers. There’s a back-to-back in all four weeks, and the one in week two contains a game on a light day against Montreal when there are only two games total on the slate. The problem is that there aren’t many juicy matchups on the schedule and the team doesn’t have many streaming options right now. Jean-Gabriel Pageau had a hat trick on Sunday, but I don’t have much faith in him going forward. Maybe Anthony Beauvillier, Oliver Wahlstrom, or Kyle Palmieri get on a roll before we can use them for streaming.
NEW YORK RANGERS (3,3,3,3)
Twelve games is quite ugly, and no weeks with four games is also rough. They do play on two light days, and they go against Philly and Montreal in those games, which will be great streaming spots. Frank Vatrano and Andrew Copp are definitely their two best options. Obviously we hold all of their stars, but even Jacob Trouba becomes fringy given the lack of volume.
OTTAWA SENATORS (4,3,4,3)
Fourteen games are great for the studs, and there’s some appealing parts of the schedule for streaming, especially week three. In week three, they have two back-to-backs, including a light day. The matchups that week are the Kraken, Canucks, Blue Jackets, and Canadiens. Pretty damn good. The problem is that they don’t have the best streaming options. Tim Stutzle is obviously a great choice, but after that, we’re looking at guys I like but aren’t doing much lately e.g. Alex Formenton.
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (3,4,3,3)
Pretty good streaming schedule which is what’s important since I wouldn’t hold a single player on their team right now. In week one, the matchups are good. In week two, there are two back-to-backs, with a light day and then closing the week with a home and home with Buffalo. There’s not much week three, but then in the final week, they play on Monday against Chicago, which is the only game of the day. They also play on Wednesday which is another light day. Outside of the obvious like Atkinson, Kevin Hayes and James van Riemsdyk are both solid options.
PITTSBURGH PENGUIINS (4,3,3,2)
This schedule is terrible in every way imaginable. There are only twelve games, there are no games on light days, and there’s only two back-to-backs. At least they both are on Saturday and Sunday, but the week one matchups are both tough. Streaming wise, week three closing with Detroit and Philly is a great target, but that’s it. The Pens put Jeff Carter on the wing last game with Malkin and Rickard Rakell which makes him a nice target for that back-to-back. Rakell is a step above that, but I don’t think I’d hold him given the weak schedule.
SAN JOSE SHARKS (3,4,4,3)
The volume is nice for the few holds that they have. Streaming wise, they close weeks 2-4 with a back-to-back, but there’s no light days and streaming options are limited right now. Logan Couture hasn’t been doing much so I’d lean towards streaming him, and I’d add Alexander Barabanov to the list, but that’s it.
SEATTLE KRAKEN (3,3,4,3)
It’s a shame somebody else didn’t have this schedule, because it’s one of the best streaming schedules in the league. Seattle has four back-to-backs, and they also play on four light days. You can use guys for the back-to-back and then let them go. The problem is that the matchups on the light days are pretty tough. Dunn is the only player I’d hold, but there are a few different streaming options. Jared McCann would be at the front of the list as Seattle could push to try and get him 30 goals.
ST. LOUIS BLUES (4,4,4,2)
Very nice schedule. They start off playing tonight on a light day against Arizona. There’s a back-to-back in each of the first three weeks, with some amazing matchups in week three. After the last Sunday of the season, you can cut bait with almost all of your Blues since their two games are on the two busiest days, the first of which is against Colorado. You’d be better off getting players who play on different days. However, there’s plenty of reason to hold their guys the first three weeks to get twelve games. The main streaming target would be Brayden Schenn with Brandon Saad being my second choice.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (4,3,4,3)
The good news is this schedule is best for the holds getting 14 games. Streaming wise, this is pretty ugly. They play every other day until they close week three with a back-to-back. The only light day is tonight against Toronto. I’m not really targeting anybody on Tampa Bay to stream. They loaded up the top line with Kucherov, Point, and Stamkos which hurts everybody else’s value. If I had to pick one guy, it would be Alex Killorn since he’s still on the first power play unit.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (4,4,4,2)
The Leafs open with a back-to-back, although it’s a brutal one on the road against the Florida teams. They close week two and three with back-to-backs, but this is mostly a good schedule for their holds. I can go either way with Michael Bunting right now, and Ilya Mikheyev would be my first choice to stream otherwise. After their second last game against Detroit, you can get rid of everyone but Matthews and Marner as their last game is on the 15 game slate.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS (3,2,4,3)
One of the worst schedules in the league. They do have three games in four nights this week, but then they have a two game week in week two, including three days off in a row. There’s another three games in four stretch in week three, but that’s the extent of it. In week two, after the Thursday game, I’d probably only hold Miller, Hughes, and Demko through the three days off. Again, volume is everything when it comes to head to head playoffs, and they simply don’t have it. Outside of the obvious guys, the only guy I’d consider for streaming is Tanner Pearson.
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS (2,3,3,3)
And this schedule is even worse than Vancouver’s. They do play on two light days, but there’s only one back-to-back, and eleven games is awful. In roto, you just hold guys like normal, but in head to head, I’d be very aggressive when it came to cutting bait with Vegas players. They have two stretches where they have three off days in a row, and a couple other times with two days off. Evgenii Dadonov is definitely the best streamer they have at the moment.
WASHINGTON CAPITALS (3,3,4,3)
On the surface, this looks like an awful streaming schedule. They close week one with a back-to-back, then they play every other day until they finish the season with a back-to-back. However, the Capitals play on two light days in week three, one of which is against the Coyotes. For those in deep leagues, Marcus Johansson is a solid streamer since he’s been on the first line. Anthony Mantha would be my first choice streaming wise. I’m only targeting him when he has the two consecutive games on light days.
WINNIPEG JETS (3,4,3,2)
Absolutely glorious streaming schedule in week two. The Jets play on three light days in week two, including one day when the only game is the Jets against the Canadiens. There’s also a two game slate that they’re in during that week, and they play on a light day in the last week of the season. Twelve games is disappointing for their holds (although it’s nice to have them play on light days), but it’s great for Paul Stastny and even Zach Sanford. After they play Carolina on Thursday in week 3, they have two days off before Colorado and two days off after. Honestly, I might only hold Connor through that stretch of one game in five days. Be aggressive!
List of Light Days (four games or less except the last Wednesday of the season when there are five):
Light day: 4/4 ARZ @ STL, CAL @ LA, BOS @ CBJ, TOR @ TB
4/11 WIN @ MTL
4/13 NYR @ PHI, MTL @ CBJ, SEA @ WIN, LA @ COL
4/15 NYI @ MTL, WIN @ FLA
4/20 DAL @ EDM, CHI @ ARZ, WSH @ VGK, COL @ SEA
4/22 OTT @ CBJ, SEA @ MIN, COL @ EDM, WSH @ ARZ
4/25 PHI @ CHI
4/27 MTL @ NYR, PHI @ WIN, VGK @ CHI, ARZ @ DAL, LAK @ SEA
Three Point Challenge: We’ll do Tuesday’s games this week. No McDavid, Draisaitl, Huberdeau, Gaudreau, Matthews, Kaprizov, Tkachuk, Kadri, Rantanen, or Connor. I’ll go with Marchand against the Red Wings.
That’s all for now guys. I’ll be back on Wednesday recapping the action of the last two nights. As always, feel free to ask any questions, leave any comments, or give any suggestions below. Thanks for reading, take care!
