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.

This is the last Looking Ahead of the season, hopefully you all enjoyed this column because I had a blast writing it. If you’ve made it to the finals or are in the hunt in roto in this last week, hopefully this helps.

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

Sean Couturier, C, Philadelphia (Available in 92 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – Ever since Valtteri Filppula arrived in Philadelphia at the trade deadline, Couturier’s had a slightly more sheltered role in Philadelphia which has led to loads of offensive success: 3G-8A in his last 10 games, and his advanced metrics look even better. At 5v5 since March 1^st, the Flyers have had 40 Scoring Chances For vs. only 17 SCA with Coots on the ice, which has led to 12 goals. Even though he’s generally lauded for his checking – a fair comment, as Couturier still started only 25.27% of his shifts in the offensive zone – the big centre is producing points now, and seeing loads of ice time while doing it (over 19 minutes/game on average in his last five games).

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

Joel Eriksson Ek, C, Minnesota (Available in 99 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – As the season ends, it’s time for keeper leagues to look towards next year, and the crop of available rookies or surprises to come – Joel Eriksson Ek is just that, especially in peripheral leagues. Although he’s only played in 10 games to this point, the former first round pick managed 8G-8A while on loan to Farjestad of the SHL, and had some NHL production book-ending his time in Sweden. “Ek-Ek” (trying to get that nickname to stick for next season) has potted 3G-3A in his 10 games with the Wild, but also added 1.7Hits/game – all of this coming in a fourth-line role. Look for that to expand next season as he slots into the top-nine.

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

Brayden Point, C, Tampa Bay (Owned in 8 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – In general, a player on a “Love ‘Em” team won’t show up as an Odd Man Out, but Point’s recent value has fully come from his new injury-aided role in Tampa. With the probable returns of Steven Stamkos and Tyler Johnson – as early as Sunday – that moves Point back down the depth chart at even strength, and more importantly the power play. Over his last ten games, Point only saw less than 20 minutes once, but when he gets pushed down either to second-line winger or third-line centre, expect Point’s ice time to hover in the 15-16 minute/game range.

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

Minnesota – After struggling horrendously over the previous ten games, only picking up one win and two OTL, the Wild finally got off the schneid against the Senators on Thursday night. Even missing Zach Parise, Minnesota took Ottawa to the woodshed, which could be a harbinger of what’s to come over the next ten days; excluding one tough game with playoff implications against Nashville, Minnesota gets to beat up on Colorado twice and ends the season in Arizona – not many better medicines for an ailing team.

Tampa Bay – Steven Stamkos and Tyler Johnson both look to return very soon as the Lightning try to squeeze into the playoffs, and with six games left and three points out, it couldn’t come at a better time. Steven Stamkos is only 85% owned in Yahoo! which could be a nice bonus for last second fantasy players, and if he makes it back in time, he’ll get some opportunities to put points on the board; the Lightning face off against the fourth, 10^th and 11^th worst teams in the league in terms of Goals Against, and will also see the Bruins who take the sixth-most penalties. Chances abound!

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

Calgary– The Flames only have four games left after tonight – not something uncommon as the season wraps, but it’s Calgary’s opponents who give pause: after playing Los Angeles at home on Wednesday, the wildcard-bound Albertans have to play against Anaheim and San Jose twice, and Los Angeles once more. They finish their season on a cold power-play streak – going three for three against Colorado doesn’t count – with 10 goals going back to February 1^st (71 opportunities, 14% conversion).

Winnipeg – Winnipeg finds itself here for the second week in a row, mostly based on the fact that the Jets only have four games remaining. In a lost season, they’ll get to play the (possibly Erik Karlsson-less) Ottawa Senators, which given Ottawa’s struggles of late, is actually the only enticing matchup left for the Jets. Winnipeg faces three teams beyond the Sens who are fighting for playoff positioning, in St. Louis, Nashville and Columbus.