A tough decision can be made easier with these charts showing you the best five and worst five schedules for upcoming seven-day periods. Some of you used them last year but for the benefit of new readers here is a refresher. The number next to the team indicates the ‘multiplier’ to use on a player’s point-per-game pace to give you an idea how many points to expect for that week.

By the time February begins, the league will be back in the swing and gearing up for a busy month that includes the Trade Deadline. This month, I've also included a number in brackets which indicates how many games that team will have played at the end of February. It gives an early signal of which teams will have a heavier schedule down the stretch, and also kind of surprised me that there just isn't that much time left in the 2011-12 season. Watching New York and Boston (60 GP at end of moth) duke it out for first in the East should be fantastic, as well as the ever fascinating race in the Central.

16 Games: Dallas (64)

15 Games: Anaheim (63), St. Louis (64)

14 Games: Chicago (64), Florida (62), Los Angeles (64), Montreal (63), Long Island (62), San Jose (61), Tampa Bay (62), Toronto (63), Vancouver (63), Washington (62), Winnipeg (64)

13 Games: Boston (60), Buffalo (62), Columbus (62), Detroit (63), Edmonton (63), Minnesota (62), Nashville (63), New Jersey (61), New York (60), Philly (61), Pittsburgh (62)

12 Games: Calgary (62), Colorado (63), Ottawa (64), Phoenix (62)

11 Games: Carolina (62)

February Trade Suggestion

If last month's suggestion had you moving any of the once prominent Florida trio for either Pavelski or Marleau then you absolutely came out ahead. While the two Sharks didn't have exceptional months by any means, Flash, Weiss and Versteeg combined for only ten points and a minus-19 in the month of January.

I think it's pretty obvious who you should be dealing and targeting if you want to take advantage of the games played difference in February. A few months back Eric Staal was the guy I suggested you go after; now with only 11 games in the month he is a definite sell. If Eric Staal can't get you one of Getzlaf or Perry (15 games) or Jamie Benn (16 games), then I would just hold off on the deal as the Canes play 16 games in March.