Looking Ahead 2014: Week Nine
steve laidlaw
2014-11-28
Which teams have the best schedule for Week Nine.
There are no guarantees in fantasy hockey, but a pair of tried and true strategies will always pay off in the long haul:
- Bet on the best combination of talent and opportunity to achieve the desired level of production you are looking for from your roster. Talent means nothing without opportunity, and vice-versa.
- Focus on the process by which you make roster decisions, as opposed to the results they yield. Long-term success is not attainable without the knowledge of why you were successful in the short term.
With that in mind, let's take a look ahead at some teams and players to target or avoid in the coming week or so:
Love 'Em (These squads are the best bet to produce for fantasy owners)
Detroit – Nothing portends fantasy success quite like playing five of seven games at home between Friday, Nov. 28 and Sunday, Dec. 5.Oh, and then the squad travels to North Carolina to take on an overmatched and underwhelming Hurricanes squad a day later. No team in the entire league has a more enviable schedule over the next week or 10 days than the Red Wings. This bodes quite well for the squad's workhorse netminder Jimmy Howard, who's save percentage currently stands at an impressive .920 through 18 starts.
Tampa Bay – This is a really, really good team… that plays Buffalo twice in three days between Dec. 2 and Dec. 4. What more needs to be said? Well, the Lightning also play five games between Nov. 28 and Dec. 6. Lean on any and all fantasy-relevant Tampa Bay players in the short term.
Leave 'Em (These squads will leave fantasy owners sorely disappointed for the immediate future)
Winnipeg – The Jets travel to Boston to take on an extremely solid Bruins squad on Friday, Nov. 28. Their next game is not until Wednesday, Dec. 3, and they only play three games between Nov. 28 and Dec. 6. It's not unreasonable to suggest fantasy owners should bench all of their Jets, especially in 10-team or 12-team weekly leagues. There is no matchup-proof players like Sidney Crosby or Claude Giroux on this team. Andrew Ladd (of all people) leads the Jets in scoring with 16 points in 24 games. Look elsewhere for fantasy production.
Steer Clear
New York Rangers 2.00 – two games – TBL and DET
Minnesota 2.05 – two games – MTL and ANA
Winnipeg 2.10 – two games – EDM and COL
Carolina 2.15- two games – NSH and WAS
Edmonton 2.00 – two games – ARI and WPG
Monday, December 1 to Sunday, December 7
Best Bets
Tampa Bay 4.30 – four games – NYR, BUFx2 and CBJ
Detroit 4.25 – four games – FA, DAL, NYR and CAR
Ottawa 4.11 – four games – NYIx2, PIT and VAN
Florida 4.11 – four games – CBJx2, DET and BUF
San Jose 4.09 – four games – PHI, BOS, CGY and EDM
Steer Clear
Philadelphia 2.57 – two games – SJS, ANA and LAK
New York Rangers 2.00 – two games – TBL and DET
Nashville 2.78 – three games – CAR, STL and CHI
Minnesota 2.05 – two games – MTL and ANA
St. Louis 2.80 – three games – CHI, NSH and NYI
Tuesday, December 2 to Monday, December 8
Best Bets
Carolina 4.36 – four games – all at home
Detroit 4.25 – four games – three at home
Ottawa 4.11 – four games – NYIx2, PIT and VAN
Pittsburgh 4.32 – four games – three at home
San Jose 4.09 – four games – PHI, BOS, CGY and EDM
Steer Clear
New York Rangers 1.90 – two games – DET and PHI
Columbus 2.04 – two games – both on road
Edmonton 2.04 – two games – WPG and SJS
Minnesota 2.05 – two games – MTL and ANA
Colorado 2.14 – two games – both on road
Wednesday, December 3 to Tuesday, December 9
Best Bets
San Jose 4.14 – four games – BOS, CGY and EDMx2
Chicago 4.04 – four games – STL, MTL, NSH and NJD
St. Louis – 4.01 – four games – CHI, NSH, NYI and FLA
Winnipeg 4.00 – four games – three at home
New Jersey 3.94 – four games – TOR, WAS, CAR and CHI
Steer Clear
Arizona 1.84 – two games – LAK and BOS
New York Rangers 1.90 – two games – DET and PIT
Boston 1.95 – two games – both on road
Philadelphia 2.57- three games – all on road
Nashville 2.69 – three games – STL, CHI and COL
Thursday, December 4 to Wednesday, December 10
Best Bets
Toronto 4.47 – four games – three at home
Detroit 4.15 – four games – three at home
San Jose – 4.14 – four games – BOS, CGY and EDMx2
New Jersey 3.94 – four games – TOR, WAS, CAR and CHI
Vancouver 3.85 – four games – PIT, TOR, OTT and MTL
Steer Clear
Philadelphia 1.71 – two games – both on road
Arizona 1.84 – two games – LAK and BOS
New York Rangers 1.90 – two games – DET and PIT
Boston 1.95 – two games – both on road
Colorado 2.15 – two games – DAL and MTL
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