Looking Ahead 2014: Week 16

Mike Schmidt

2015-01-16

MarianHossa

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

UPCOMING GAMES

Apr 06 - 12:04	NYI	vs	WSH
Apr 06 - 15:04	MIN	vs	DAL
Apr 06 - 17:04	OTT	vs	CBJ
Apr 06 - 17:04	DET	vs	FLA
Apr 06 - 18:04	BUF	vs	BOS
Apr 06 - 18:04	CHI	vs	PIT
Apr 06 - 19:04	NSH	vs	MTL
Apr 06 - 22:04	VAN	vs	VGK