Fantasy Hockey Head-to-Head Primer: Let the Fantasy Playoffs Begin

It’s going to be a busy week. As the fantasy playoffs get underway, in head-to-head leagues matchups matter more than ever. With 10 games on Tuesday, 11 games on Thursday and a whopping 15 games on Saturday, managers should ensure that they aren’t forced to bench quality players on those nights and use the light slates on Wednesday and Friday to play some catchup.

Only the Jackets and Leafs get a light week with two games apiece, and half the league will play the usual maximum of four games. That means there will be plenty of back-to-backs, and pay close attention to some backups that might fly under the radar, including Jonathan Quick, Joonas Korpisalo (more on them below), Lukas Dostal and Akira Schmid.

Of the six teams who play all of their games this week on the road, the Knights get the short straw with plenty of travel, facing opponents with the Atlantic, Metro and Central Divisions. Meanwhile, the Penguins and Lightning get a chance to reset with all four of their games played at home.

Here’s your Week 21 schedule breakdown.

Legend:
P% = season points percentage
Opp. P% = opponents’ season points percentage
Diff. = difference between P% and Opp. P%

Pick players from teams at the top of the schedule matrix to maximize games and matchups. Green is good. Red is bad. All advanced stats courtesy naturalstatrick.com. All positions and rostered percentages are courtesy of Yahoo fantasy.

Top 10 Weekly Bangers (< 50 percent rostered on Yahoo, on teams with at least four games this week):

Blocked Shots (BkS/GP):

1. Alec Martinez, D, VEG (3.19)

2. Brayden McNabb, D, VEG (2.43)

3. Ryan McDonagh, D, NSH (2.23)

4. Mario Ferraro, D, SJ (2.02)

5. Marcus Pettersson, D, PIT (2.00)

6. Connor Murphy, D, CHI (1.98)

7. Ryan Graves, D, NJ (1.98)

8. Chris Tanev, D, CGY (1.98)

9. Travis Hamonic, D, OTT (1.90)

10. Jacob Middleton, D, MIN (1.89)

Hits (Hits/GP):

1. Liam O’Brien, LW/RW, ARI (3.92)

2. Keegan Kolesar, C/RW, VEG (3.80)

3. Tanner Jeannot, RW, TB (3.78)

4. Jeremy Lauzon, D, NSH (3.64)

5. Marcus Foligno, LW/RW, MIN (3.61)

6. Jamie McBain, C, ARI (3.48)

7. Jarred Tinordi, D, CHI (3.35)

8. Josh Archibald, LW/RW, PIT (3.33)

9. Sammy Blais, LW/RW, STL (3.22)

10. Paul Cotter, C/LW, VEG (3.20)

Goalies:

Cam Talbot and Mads Sogaard, Senators

The Sens' acquisition of Jakob Chychrun means they’re going for it, and they should, seeing how successful they’ve been over the past few weeks. That meant Talbot stayed put, and together with Sogaard, they formed quite the battery, earning five straight wins. Talbot figures to be the 1A, but D.J. Smith will likely continue to rotate if both goalies continue to win. Keep rolling the Sens goalies until further notice, and despite the upcoming five-game road trip, only one opponent – the Oilers – should be cautioned against.

Thatcher Demko, Canucks

Demko’s been brilliant since his return, guiding the Canucks to a 2-1-0 record and a .937 SP. The Canucks' defense remains poor, but Demko can cover many of their mistakes. With no pressure to win and home dates against the Ducks and Sens coming up, as well as a cushy schedule for the rest of the season, Demko’s fantasy value has significantly increased.

Jonathan Quick, Golden Knights

Admittedly, it was weird seeing Quick in a gold jersey, but it was also a good sign that he earned a win in his Knights debut, making 25 saves and surviving a three-goal barrage from the Habs. It’s pretty clear, though, that Quick is not really a threat to steal the starting job from Adin Hill. From a fantasy standpoint, he is nothing more than a streaming option.

Joonas Korpisalo, Kings

Korpisalo didn’t see much work in his Kings debut, but he made a strong impression nonetheless, stopping 24 of 26 shots, including all five he faced on the power play. It’s too early to say what kind of rotation the Kings will implement, but for now, assume Pheonix Copley is still the 1A option. If you have room on your roster, Korpisalo is a worthwhile stash in case it becomes a 50-50 split.

Short-Term Streamers (< 50 percent rostered on Yahoo)

Thomas Novak, C, Predators

The Preds' lineup now features a mishmash of veterans, prospects and minor league call-ups, but Novak continues to be a consistent presence in their top six. He’s been scoring at an impressive clip, with 23 points in 29 games and averaging about 15 to 16 minutes per game. There’s not a whole lot of upside, especially Cody Glass competing for ice time as well, but if Novak gets hot again – he has only one helper in his past three games following a five-game point streak – he’s worth a short-term gamble.

Tyler Bertuzzi, LW/RW, Bruins

Bertuzzi’s a great stylistic fit for the Bruins and registered an assist in 16:31 TOI in his debut. Playing on a line with Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic caps his fantasy value at even strength, but note he’s also playing PP2 with Coyle and David Krejci. With just four goals in 30 games, Bertuzzi’s fantasy value this season has been very muted. Until he shows he can put up points consistently, there are better options on the waiver wire at a deep position.

Mid-Term Holds (< 50 percent rostered on Yahoo):

Ivan Barbashev, C/LW, Golden Knights

Barbashev scored two goals Sunday against the Habs, extending his point streak to three games. He’s been a wonderful addition to the Knights and currently plays on the top line with Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault. We know Barbashev has some offense after scoring 60 points last season, and with more ice time and a role in the power play, he’s a solid pickup for the rest of the season.

Max Domi, C/LW/RW, Stars

Domi slots in as their second-line center, taking some pressure off rookie Wyatt Johnston and Tyler Seguin. He didn’t score a point in his Stars debut, though he did manage to put two shots on goal and played three minutes on the power play. Although he won’t be the focal point of the offense like he was in Chicago, it’s offset by having better linemates and more quality opportunities.