Looking Ahead 2014: Week 15
Mike Schmidt
2015-01-09
Looking Ahead at the best schedules in fantasy hockey for Week 15.
With roughly half of the NHL season in the rear-view mirror, there's no better opportunity than right now for a one-man, one-round, 10-team mini-mock draft. It should be noted that these rankings are based on points-only scoring (and Yahoo position eligibility).
Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh – The next time the 27-year-old Crosby will fail to be a point-per-game player over a full season will be the first time in his 10-year-career in which he will not be a point-per-game player. Actually, forget points per game. Crosby is almost an assist-per-game player, as he has racked up 527 helpers in 587 career contests. With his concussion issues long behind him, Crosby is the safest spectacular player in fantasy hockey.
Evgeni Malkin, C/RW, Pittsburgh – Fantasy owners can expect Malkin to miss some time over the course of the season, but there's no arguing he's an elite all-around playmaker who shares time on Pittsburgh's top power-play unit with a fair number of other high-end offensive weapons, including the aforementioned Crosby, veteran winger Chris Kunitz and defenseman Kris Letang. Few players in the NHL are more talented than Malkin, and virtually no one in the league is afforded a better opportunity to provide production.
Steven Stamkos, C/RW, Tampa Bay – Goals are kind of his thing. Stamkos is virtually peerless when it comes to his ability to maintain a high shooting percentage over a long period of time. Tampa Bay's 24-year-old franchise center has shot .172 over the course of six-plus seasons, and he's someone who averages well above three shots on goal per game for his career. A 45-goal campaign seems like a worst-case scenario for Stamkos in 2014-15. That fact catapults him into the top three.
Florida 4.14 – four games – EDMx2, WPG and COL
Edmonton 4.06 – four games – FLAx2, STL and TBL
Washington 4.00 – four games – COL, PHI, NSH and DAL
Steer Clear
New Jersey 1.66 – two games – both on road
Calgary 1.95 – two games – both on road
Pittsburgh 2.05 – two games – MIN and NYI
Chicago 2.21 – two games – MIN and WPG
New York Islanders 2.85 – three games – NYR, PIT and MTL
Monday, January 12 to Sunday, January 18
Best Bets
Detroit 4.31 – four games – BUFx2, STL and NSH
Philadelphia 4.30 – four games – TBL, WAS, VAN and BUF
Arizona 4.20 – four games – SJS, CGY, MIN and WPG
Winnipeg 4.12 – four games – FLA, DAL, CHI and ARI
Dallas 4.12 – four games – OTT, WPG, WAS and CHI
Steer Clear
Chicago 2.21 – two games – WPG and DAL
New Jersey 1.66 – two games – both on road
New York Islanders 2.85 – three games – NYR, PIT and MTL
Calgary 1.95 – two games – both on road
Edmonton 2.85 – three games – all on road
Tuesday, January 13 to Monday, January 19
Best Bets
San Jose 4.51 – four games – three at home
Florida 4.30 – four games – three at home
St. Louis 4.25 – four games – all at home
Detroit 4.31 – four games – BUF, STL, NSH and BUF
Philadelphia 4.24 – four games – WAS, VAN, BUF and NYI
Steer Clear
Chicago 2.21 – two games – WPG and DAL
New Jersey 2.57 – three games – all on road
Calgary 2.76 – three games – all on road
Edmonton 2.85 – three games – all on road
Tampa Bay 2.96 – three games – BOS, EDM and COL
Wednesday, January 14 to Tuesday, January 20
Best Bets
Philadelphia 5.19 – five games – WAS, VAN, BUF, NYI and PIT
Minnesota 4.24 – four games – BUF, ARI, CBJ and DET
Detroit 4.22 – four games – STL, NSH, BUF and MIN
Montreal 4.11 – four games – CBJ, OTT, NYI and NSH
Washington 4.10 – four games – PHI, NSH, DAL and EDM
Steer Clear
New Jersey 2.57 – three games – all on road
Calgary 2.76 – three games – all on road
Colorado 2.85 – three games – all on road
Winnipeg 2.91 – three games – two on road
Boston 2.95 – three games – NYR, CBJ and DAL
Thursday, January 15 to Wednesday, January 21
Best Bets
San Jose 4.36 – four games – all at home
Minnesota 4.24 – four games -BUF, ARI, CBJ and DET
Philadelphia 4.24 – four games – VAN, BUF, NYI and PIT
Detroit 4.22 – four games – STL, NSH, BUF and MIN
Chicago 4.22 – four games – WPG, DAL, ARI and PIT
Steer Clear
New Jersey 1.76 – two games – both on road
Edmonton 2.99 – three games – all on road
New York Islanders 2.99 – three games – PIT, MTL and PHI
Nashville 3.00 – three games – WAS, DET, and MTL
Buffalo 3.05 – three games – MIN, PHI and DET
Related Posts
UPCOMING GAMES
| Jan 22 - 19:01 |
 N.J
| vs |
 BOS | |
| Jan 22 - 19:01 |
 TOR
| vs |
 CBJ | |
| Jan 22 - 21:01 |
 COL
| vs |
 WPG | |
| Jan 22 - 22:01 |
 L.A
| vs |
 FLA
| |
Starting Goalies
Top Skater Views
| Players | Team | |
|---|---|---|
| DARREN RADDYSH |
 T.B | |
| LANE HUTSON |
 MTL | |
| MIKE LUNDIN |
 | |
| KAAPO KAKKO |
 SEA | |
| PAVEL DOROFEYEV |
 VGK
| |
Top Goalie Profile Views
DAL
WSH
NYR
LINE COMBOS
| Frequency |
 OTT Players
| |
|---|---|---|
| 10.3 | BRADY TKACHUK SHANE PINTO DRAKE BATHERSON | |
| 9.1 | ZACK OSTAPCHUK MATTHEW HIGHMORE MICHAEL AMADIO | |
| 8.8 | TIM STUTZLE CLAUDE GIROUX ADAM GAUDETTE | |
DobberHockey Podcasts
Keeping Karlsson: May the Schwartz Be With You
Elan and Brian see new sides of Jaden Schwartz and Kaapo Kakko, get hopeful for Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, Tomas Hertl and Jason Robertson, and take a moment to sympathize with Eric Comrie.
Fantasy Hockey Life: Western Conference Buys and Sells
Victor and Jesse make the rounds of the Western Conference with an argument on opne buy and one sell for each team. We talk Jackson LaCombe, Mason McTavish, Martin Pospisil, Nazem Kadri, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Matthew Savoie, Drew Doughty, Kevin Fiala, William Eklund, Thomas Bordeleau, Shane Wright, Chandler Stephenson, Tom Willander, Jake DeBrusk, Victor Olofsson, Noah […]
Keeping Karlsson: Matchup Maximizer Week 16
Elan looks at the schedule for the upcoming week of NHL action and recommends some players with good schedules that you should consider streaming in to win your head to head matchups.
Keeping Karlsson Short Shifts – The Wilkes-Jarry Penguins
Elizabeth and Lewis are back to take listeners through a host of power play changes that are giving managers the opportunity to get exposure to great players off the waiver wire, including Philly, Jersey, and Tampa talk. They also cover Jarry’s AHL demotion, Cooley’s ascension to the top-line and powerplay, and injuries to Tavares and Hintz. The duo wrap up with some hot and cold streak deep dives, including discussion of the Red Wings crazy powerplay success in the last ten games, whether Erik Gustafsson is rosterable or an overperforming illusion, Fantilli’s continued success, Merilainen as Hamburglar 2.0, and whether Schenn’s success and Neighbours’ lack thereof are likely to continue.
Keeping Karlsson: Leaving Letang
Elan and Brian find a couple volume and potential starters showing up midseason, consider whether Jake Walman really is on the league’s longest hot streak, and encourage you to pause the pod for a Columbus 1C stepping onto one of the NHL’s best lines.