All fantasy owners need help in the short term AND the long term. The Looking Ahead feature identifies one player to plug into lineups in the short term, a second to invest in for the long term, a third to bench for the coming week, and a fourth who will struggle to meet expectations for some time. All players discussed are selected based on their upcoming schedule. Stats in this article updated through November 15^th       

The Immediate Fix (Grab this guy and use him for the next several days)

Denis Malgin, RW, Florida (Available in 100 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – Playing on the top line with Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau is a great spot to be in, and the young forward paid off in his second game on that line, scoring once on two shots. His TOI will need to pick up for him to be viable, but he did score 4G-10A in 13 games in the AHL before Evgenii Dadonov went down with injury so he should be able to take advantage for the next little while.

The Building Block (Buy now, sit back and enjoy the production)

Reilly Smith, LW, Vegas Golden Knights (Available in 71 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – Because both William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault are owned in 64% of leagues, they can’t be listed here, but their linemate is somehow owned a full 35 percent less and should be added immediately. Smith is averaging 18:06 per game, is Yahoo’s 131^st-best non-goalie, and has put up 6-13-19 in 23 games. Since his second year, his shooting percentage has settled between 9-14%, so his current 13.3% isn’t something out of the ordinary, and he also adds 0.4BLKs/1HIT per game for leagues with peripherals.

The Odd Man Out (His short-term value is cause for concern)

Patrick Maroon, LW, Edmonton (Owned in 52 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – Maroon was a revelation for the Oilers last season, hitting a career-best 27G-42PT season on a cheap contract, playing beside McDavid. Unfortunately for Maroon owners, getting relegated to the Oilers’ second line will destroy his value; half of Maroon’s points this season have McDavid attached, and he’s only put up four points in eight games without McDavid. With the Oilers having a soft schedule, points-only leagues should leave Maroon off to the side.

The Anchors (They’ll do nothing but disappoint even over the long haul)

Jimmy Howard, G, Detroit (Owned in 67 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – This is the second time this season that a Red Wings goalie has been written up as a disappointment, but it’s very deserved. Detroit has struggled defensively all season, allowing 32 shots against per game, and the eighth-most high-danger chances at 5v5 (sixth-most all situations). That’s a bad omen for Howard, especially in leagues that don’t take Save% into account. In his last five starts, Howard has allowed 20 goals with no wins, and although he eats starts, shallow leagues should be able to find a better keeper on the waiver wire.

Love ‘Em (These squads are sure to pay dividends in the coming days)

Florida – Although Evgenii Dadonov got hurt which throws a wrench into one of the best lines in the league, the Cats have seven games in this period including some juicy-looking matchups against Colorado, Winnipeg – who are terrible on the PK – and Detroit. It would be a good time to look at using some of the secondary scoring from the Panthers.

Dallas – The Stars have been pretty up & down to date, but have a great section of games to try and get back to their goal-scoring ways thanks to playing seven times. Unfortunately, they don’t all come against soft opponents, but playing Chicago, Colorado, Vegas and the Rangers could help them open the floodgates.

St. Louis – With seven games upcoming, the Blues will look to continue their goal-scoring ways against some teams that struggle defensively: they get Montreal (fifth-most GA), Buffalo (third-most), and Detroit (16^th in GA but sixth-worst shots against). The Blues have put up 20 goals in their last five – including getting shut out by Nashville – and have scored four or more in 13 of their 25 games.

Leave ‘Em (These squads will leave fantasy owners sorely disappointed in the short term)

Edmonton – The Oilers have probably been the league’s biggest disappointment this season, and this upcoming slate of games probably won’t help that distinction: a three-game road trip (including a back-to-back) against Montreal, Toronto and Columbus, and two other games against Philly and Calgary. As they continually juggle line combinations trying to find magic, it’s hard to trust anyone beyond McDavid.

Detroit – Detroit appears here yet again, with five games but against some tougher defensive teams: Boston with the Bergeron line will be effective in neutralizing the fantasy-relevant ‘Wings, St. Louis, and a Montreal team that tilts the ice very well. Most of the games are at home and there are no back-to-backs, but there are better options to zone in on.

Toronto – The Maple Leafs have been hot & cold over their last five (not including their game against the Oilers which is yet to play as of writing), putting up only four goals in three of those games but putting five and four against Carolina and Calgary respectively. They only have five games during this next stretch, finishing off their Western road trip against Vancouver and featuring stops in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.