Looking Ahead 2014: Week 16
Mike Schmidt
2015-01-16
Looking ahead at the best schedules in fantasy hockey for Week 16.
Every fantasy squad needs a little bit of help in one or more categories. Since making a trade involves giving up one or more fantasy assets to acquire some help, fantasy owners tend to gravitate to the waiver-wire for instant (and less costly) production. With that in mind, here are some widely-available players who can make a difference in a particular fantasy-relevant category.
Goals: Jimmy Hayes, RW, Florida (Available in 96 percent of Yahoo leagues) – Hayes is by no means a versatile all-around hockey player, but he is adept at putting the puck in the net. Over the course of the past 86 games, the 25-year-old power forward has scored 24 goals and registered a shooting percentage of .162, all while averaging around 12 minutes of ice time per game. Is he versatile or productive enough to be a fixture in fantasy lineups for an extended period time? Absolutely not. Can he be a useful bench option and short-term injury replacement? No doubt. If Hayes is good enough for Florida's top power play unit, he is good enough to find his way onto fantasy rosters in deep formats.
Assists: Anton Stralman, D, Tampa Bay (Available in 54 percent of Yahoo leagues) – No longer eligible to appear in the Jeff Schultz Memorial Trophy power rankings because of the inevitability of a 30-point season, Stralman has been a great source of assists in his inaugural campaign with the Lightning. Now in his eighth year in the league, Stralman has only once totaled more assists in a season than the 18 he has racked up through 45 games in 2014-15. That stat is only surprising until one remembers he mans the top power play unit alongside a talented fellow defenseman in Victor Hedman and a bevy of offensive-minded forwards. Stralman has been, is and will continue to be a useful fantasy blueliner this season. Add the man.
Carolina 1.00 – one game – TOR
Nashville 1.00 – one game – MTL
Monday, January 19 to Sunday, January 25
Best Bets
Los Angeles 2.11 – two games – CGY and SJS
Toronto 2.10 – two games – CAR and OTT
San Jose 2.05 – two games – both at home
Vancouver 2.04 – two games – FLA and TBL
Chicago 2.01 – two games – ARI and PIT
Steer Clear
New Jersey 0.90 – one game – SJS
Buffalo 0.00 – no games – N/A
Dallas 0.95 – one game – BOS
Arizona 0.81 – one game – CHI
Edmonton 0.95 – one game – WAS
Tuesday, January 20 to Monday, January 26
Best Bets
Chicago 2.01 – two games – ARI and PIT
Boston 1.85 – two games – DAL and COL
Pittsburgh 1.84 – two games – CHI and WPG
Ottawa 2.04 – two games – NYR and TOR
Anaheim 1.21 – one game – CGY
Steer Clear
Buffalo 0.00 – no games – N/A
Carolina 0.00 – no games – N/A
Florida 0.00 – no games – N/A
New Jersey 0.00 – no games – N/A
New York Islanders 0.00 – no games – N/A
Wednesday, January 21 to Tuesday, January 27
Best Bets
Anaheim 2.25 – two games – CGY and VAN
Calgary 2.12 – two games – ANA and BUF
Columbus 2.10 – two games – WPG and WAS
Pittsburgh 2.05 – two games – CHI and WPG
Colorado 1.94 – two games – BOS and NSH
Steer Clear
New Jersey 0.00 – no games – N/A
St. Louis 0.00 – no games – N/A
Chicago 0.86 – 1 game – PIT
San Jose 0.89 – 1 game – LAK
Boston 0.90 – one game – COL
Thursday, January 22 to Wednesday, January 28
Best Bets
Pittsburgh 2.11 – two games – WPG and WAS
Washington 1.85 – two games – CBJ and PIT
Calgary 1.26 – one game – BUF
Philadelphia 1.16 – one game – ARI
New Jersey 1.10 – one game – TOR
Steer Clear
Boston 0.00 – no games – N/A
Ottawa 0.00 – no games – N/A
San Jose 0.00 – no games – N/A
St. Louis 0.00 – no games – N/A
Chicago 0.81 – one game – LAK