As fantasy hockey GMs navigate the stretch run and fantasy playoff season, optimizing lineups on a nightly basis is essential in giving squads the best shot possible at taking home that top prize. During this portion of the NHL campaign, as pretending clubs fade and contenders flex their muscle with playoff positioning in the balance, having an eye on what clubs have the easiest remaining schedule and those who don't can mean a big difference in getting the most out of fantasy rosters.

Decisions on what players and goaltenders are in the lineup or not at this time of year can mean make or break, which is why knowing some of the smaller details like what teams have the easiest run of opposition can be a difference maker when it comes to starting the right piece over another.

With that in mind, we're taking a look at the top 10 teams with the best remaining schedule in terms of ease of opponents (based on teams' projected points) during the final month of the NHL schedule.

10) Edmonton Oilers – The Oilers slow start to the season has been erased by much better play at both ends of the ice, as Edmonton's slowly climbed the standings since the firing of Jay Woodcroft on November 12. More consistency from Stuart Skinner, defensive schemes rectified, and elite-level production we all expect from Connor McDavid has the Oilers eyeing another push at the Cup.

Games against the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes (twice), Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, and Buffalo Sabres to wrap up the season will surely help this Edmonton group to not only produce big offensive numbers (great for fantasy owners), but also position itself nicely for a deep playoff run.

9) Nashville Predators – There's been no hotter team over the past month than the Nashville Predators – that's a fact. The Preds are currently rolling three balanced lines, getting sensational performances from Roman Josi on an nightly basis, and have a reinvigorated Juuse Saros holding down the blue paint, all resulting in Andrew Brunette's bunch to be sitting in fairly strong position as the top wild-card seed in the Western Conference.

A relatively solid schedule to wrap up the campaign also plays into the Preds being an interesting team to mine for fantasy gold down the stretch. Nashville has matchups against the San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Arizona Coyotes, New Jersey Devils, and Pittsburgh Penguins. A pesky, well-balanced team with a pretty good-looking schedule could be a problem come the first round.

8) Carolina Hurricanes – If there was one team on this list that already had a ton of good vibes flowing both on and off the ice it's the Hurricanes. A big return from a health scare for starting netminder Freddie Andersen, major pickups at the deadline in Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov, and wins in eight of the last 10 games have this Carolina group feeling it at the most critical time of year. Sprinkle in their ease of schedule and the Hurricanes immediately become one of those teams that you should target in terms of deploying their fantasy pieces on a nightly basis.

Rod Brind'Amour's men have remaining meetings against the likes of the Blackhawks, Blue Jackets (twice), Canadiens, Penguins, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Islanders.

7) Dallas Stars – Considering how shaky and relatively up-and-down Jake Oettinger has been this season in the Stars' crease, it's downright impressive that Dallas still finds itself tied for the Central Division lead along with the Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche, as all three clubs currently sit in a dead heat with 91 points. However, this Stars group is built to win in the postseason: a balanced three-line attack with a lineup loaded with young talent and seasoned veterans, a strong blue line anchored by a No. 1 stud in Miro Heiskenan, and a good goaltending duo in Oettinger and Scott Wedgewood.

Dallas has all the pieces to be a winner and some of their remaining games will also go a long way in helping this team secure a top spot in the Central. Among others, the Stars face the Sharks, Blackhawks, Coyotes (twice), Sabres, Penguins, and Seattle Kraken (twice). 

6) Tampa Bay Lightning – Don't ever sleep on a team that's been to three Stanley Cup Finals in five years, that would be a mistake. Even though the Lightning have been a fairly inconsistent bunch over the course of the 2023-24 campaign, they're still one of the best teams on home ice, they own the most-lethal power-play in the NHL that's clicking at over 28 percent, and they have wins in seven of 10. Like we said, stay up.

Tampa is talented top-to-bottom, well coached, and flaunts more postseason experience than any other on-ice product heading into the spring. They will be a tough out for any first-round opponent, especially if they can capitalize on a good schedule that features games against the likes of the Sharks, Ducks, Blue Jackets, Senators, Canadiens, and Sabres and head into the playoffs on a heater.

5) St. Louis Blues – If you're a fantasy GM that was lucky – or smart – enough to draft or pick up Jordan Binnington this season you deserve a couple stick taps. The enigma that has been Binnington over the past couple of seasons has seemingly found his Cup-level form once again, as the 30-year-old Canadian is having one of the best campaigns of his career (24-18-3, .913 save percentage, three shutouts) while carrying the Blues into playoff contention. As it stands, St. Louis sits four points adrift of the Vegas Golden Knights for the final western wild-card spot, so their relatively easy schedule over the next few weeks could mean the difference in the Blues punching their postseason ticket or not.

However, two meetings against the Sharks and games with the Blackhawks, Ducks, Sens, Kraken and Flames will make the Blues fantasy pieces viable options for production that should not be ignored.

4) Minnesota Wild – Speaking of teams on the bubble, a cold start turned red-hot has a once written-off Wild club in the mix for a wild-card spot out west. Currently one point back of the Blues and still with the Knights and Preds to catch, there's no denying Minny has its work cut out over the next few weeks and will need continued elite-level production from Kirill Kaprizov who's currently riding a seven-game streak. The Wild's schedule will surely help the situation, as Minnesota has matchups against the likes of such bottom-feeding teams as the Sharks (twice), Blackhawks, Ducks, and Sens, as well as winnable meetings against Kraken and Blues to wrap up the season.

3) Calgary Flames – What a weird couple of years it’s been for the Flames. Without getting too far down the depressing rabbit hole of rapid roster turnover, trades of major pieces, and players openly unhappy with the on- and off-ice product, it's really hard to put a finger on what this Flames' team is. That also plays into their fantasy pieces and how to deploy them down the stretch. Although, names like Dustin Wolf, Nazem Kadri, Yegor Sharangovich, and Blake Coleman should all continue to produce with Calgary facing off against the likes of the Sharks (twice), Ducks (twice), Blackhawks, Coyotes, and Sabres to round out the year.

2) L.A. Kings – If there is any team with the best shot at improving their standing and going on a run to wrap up the 2023-24 season based on their ease of schedule it's the Kings.

Even though the Oilers have two games in-hand and a five-point cushion, the Kings would be wise to push for that second spot and home-ice advantage in the first round, as Edmonton is one of the tougher buildings to play in – especially come playoffs. The Kings have struggled at times to put the puck in the back of the net and haven't clicked offensively like last year, but upcoming tilts with the Blackhawks (twice), Ducks (twice), Wild (twice), and Sharks could go a long way in helping rectify those issues ahead of springtime hockey.

1) Seattle Kraken – The Kraken's season is cooked, but that doesn't mean fantasy GMs should ignore the advantageous schedule the club has remaining that could result in some very productive games and major fantasy output. Seattle has been disappointing basically all year long, so be wary of how hard you lean on the likes of Joey Daccord, Jared McCann, and others, even with their remaining schedule against the likes of the Ducks (thrice), Sharks (twice), Coyotes (twice), Habs, and Sabres.