One week to go! Taking a look at the favorable and unfavorable NHL schedules and how best to optimize your lineup

 

Dobber here, pinch-hitting for Mike who is away. My apologies for not being as thorough as he is, but it's the final week and there really isn't as much to say. So I'll do my best.

 

The good…

Great news for owners of Leafs: they have the most favorable schedule over the next week. 

Bad news for owners of Leafs: you don't exist.

I kid of course. I'm sure the odd fantasy owner has the odd Maple Leaf, especially those in daily leagues who can take advantage of the hot play of some of the kids. Right now, taking a quick look at the Hot/Not tool (here) and clicking the header of the 'team' column to sort by team, you can instantly see two Toronto players there – Nazem Kadri and Connor Brown (one of the aforementioned 'kids'). With four games between Friday and Thursday, and four games left between Sunday and Saturday (three at home), Brown makes a good waiver wire add…(Editor's note: Brown was sent to the Marlies)

The Rangers, who also have a favorable schedule for fantasy hockey, have four players on the 'Hot' list, including J.T. Miller who could still be sitting on the wire for you. The Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals are a couple of other teams to focus on when scouring for last-minute help.

 

The bad…

Those in Friday to Thursday leagues will be sitting their Buffalo players. They play just two games during that span with both of them on the road. Looking at the Hot/Cold tool and this time setting the drop option to 'Cold', it's pretty clear we should be benching Rasmus Ristolainen and Evander Kane (who's done anyway with an injury) this week. The latter has just one point in his last four games while the former has just one in six. The Wild and the Oilers also have weak schedules.

 

Here are the remaining games in the season, as of Friday morning:

Washington	6		Vancouver	5
Anaheim	6		Winnipeg	5
NY Islanders	6		Arizona	5
Philadelphia	6		Colorado	5
Detroit	5		Calgary	4
Pittsburgh	5		New Jersey	4
Chicago	5		Montreal	4
NY Rangers	5		Carolina	4
Florida	5		Buffalo	4
St. Louis	5		Ottawa	4
Tampa Bay	5		Minnesota	4
Toronto	5		Dallas	4
Columbus	5		Nashville	4
Los Angeles	5		San Jose	4
Boston	5		Edmonton	3

 

 

 

Friday, April 1 to Thursday, April 7                                                                                            

Best Bets                                                                                            

Toronto 4.41 – four games – three at home                                                                                          

New York Rangers 4.26 – four games – three at home                                                                                     

Washington 4.23 – four games – COL, ARI, NYI and PIT                                                                                    

St. Louis 4.21 – four games – BOS, COL, ARI and CHI                                                                                          

Chicago 4.21 – four games – three at home                                                                                          

 

Steer Clear                                                                                         

Buffalo 1.95 – two games – both on road                                                                                               

Edmonton 2.15 – two games – CGY and VAN                                                                                       

San Jose 2.71 – three games – two on road                                                                                           

Dallas 2.82 – three games – two on road                                                                                

Carolina 2.84 – three games – CBJ, BOS and MTL                                                                                

 

 

Saturday, April 2 to Friday, April 8                                                                                            

Best Bets                                                                                            

Toronto 4.41 – four games – three at home                                                                                          

New York Rangers 4.26 – four games – three at home                                                                                     

Philadelphia 4.21 – four games – OTT, PIT, DET and TOR                                                                                  

Columbus 4.13 – four games – CAR, NYR, TOR and BUF                                                                                   

Tampa Bay 4.05 – four games – NJDx2, NYI and NYR                                                                                         

 

Steer Clear                                                                                         

Minnesota 2.06 – two games – WPG and SJS                                                                                        

Edmonton 2.15 – three games – CGY and VAN                                                                                    

San Jose 2.71 – three games – two on road                                                                                           

Winnipeg 2.75 – three games – two on road                                                                                         

Dallas 2.82 – three games – two on road                                                                                

 

 

Sunday, April 3 to Saturday, April 9                                                                                          

Best Bets                                                                                            

Toronto 4.30 – four games – FLA, CBJ, PHI and NJD                                                                                           

Chicago 4.26 – four games – three at home                                                                                          

New York Rangers 4.21 – four games – three at home                                                                                     

Philadelphia 4.15 – four games – PITx2, DET and TOR                                                                                        

Columbus 4.13 – four games – NYR, TOR, BUF and CHI                                                                                     

 

Steer Clear                                                                                         

Edmonton 2.10 – two games – VANx2                                                                                     

Carolina 2.84 – three games – two on road                                                                                            

Calgary 2.86 – three games – LAK, VAN and MIN                                                                                

Washington 2.95 – three games – NYI, PIT and STL                                                                                            

Dallas 2.96 – three games – ANA, COL and NSH                                                                                   

 

 

Monday, April 4 to Sunday, April 10                                                                                        

Best Bets                                                                                            

New York Islanders 5.07 – five games – TBL, WAS, NYR, BUF and PHI                                                                                        

Toronto 4.30 – four games – FLA, CBJ, PHI and NJD                                                                                           

New York Rangers 4.21 – four games – three at home                                                                                     

Columbus 4.13 – four games – NYR, TOR, BUF and CHI                                                                                     

Philadelphia 4.06 – four games – DET, TOR, PIT and NYI                                                                                   

Steer Clear                                                                                         

Edmonton 2.10 – two games – VANx2                                                                                     

Dallas 2.15 – two games – COL and NSH                                                                                  

Minnesota 2.21 – two games – SJS and CGY                                                                                          

Winnipeg 2.71 – three games – all on road                                                                                            

Colorado 2.79 – three games – two on road                                                                                          

 

 

Tuesday, April 5 to Sunday April 10                                                                                          

Best Bets                                                                                            

Washington 4.24 – four games – three at home                                                                                  

Philadelphia 4.06 – four games – DET, TOR, PIT and NYI                                                                                   

New York Islanders 4.02 – four games –  WAS, NYR, BUF and PHI                                                                                

Anaheim 4.00 – four games – WPG, LAK, COL and WAS                                                                                   

New Jersey 3.47 – three games – three at home                                                                                

 

Steer Clear                                                                                         

St. Louis 1.80 – two games – CHI and WAS                                                                                             

Edmonton 2.10 – two games – VANx2                                                                                     

Dallas 2.15 – two games – COL and NSH                                                                                  

Minnesota 2.21 – two games – SJS and CGY                                                                                          

Tampa Bay 2.71 – three games – all on road                                                                                          

 

 

Wednesday, April 6 to Sunday, April 10                                                                                 

Best Bets                                                                                            

Philadelphia 4.06 – four games – DET, TOR, PIT and NYI                                                                                   

Toronto 3.14 – three games – two at home                                                                                          

New York Islanders 3.12 – three games – two at home                                                                                    

Washington 3.10 – three games – two at home                                                                                  

Columbus 3.08 – three games – TOR, BUF and CHI                                                                                             

 

Steer Clear                                                                                         

Minnesota 1.05 – one game – CGY                                                                                            

St. Louis 1.80 – two games – CHI and WAS                                                                                             

Tampa Bay 1.81 – two games – both on road                                                                                        

Carolina 1.89 – two games – MTL and FLA                                                                                              

Colorado 1.89 – two games – DAL and FLA                                                                                             

 

 

Thursday, April 7 to Wednesday, April 10                                                                                             

Best Bets                                                                                            

New York Islanders 3.12 – three games – two at home                                                                                    

Philadelphia 3.11 – three games – two at home                                                                                  

Washington 3.10 – three games – two at home                                                                                  

Anaheim 3.00 – three games – LAK, COL and WAS                                                                                             

San Jose 2.26 – two games – both at home                                                                                           

 

Steer Clear                                                                                         

Edmonton 1.00 – one game – VAN on road                                                                                           

Minnesota 1.05 – one game – CGY                                                                                            

St. Louis 1.80 – two games – CHI and WAS                                                                                             

Tampa Bay 1.81 – two games – both on road                                                                                        

Detroit 1.85 – two games – two on road