2024-25 Fantasy Hockey Week 21 Primer and Pickups: Trade Deadline Fallout; Fantasy Playoffs Begin

With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, the real games begin. It was the most interesting deadline in recent memory with major moves as teams in the Central and Atlantic Division engaged in an arms race, led by the Stars acquiring Mikko Rantanen, the Avs acquiring Brock Nelson and the Panthers acquiring Brad Marchand.

(Note Monday’s episode of the Sleepers and Keepers fantasy hockey podcast will cover all the significant trade deadline deals. The episode will be available at 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET.)

Fantasy hockey playoffs will also begin this week or next week, depending on your league settings. As we move ahead in the coming weeks, I’ll be posting schedules so you may plan ahead. Note most fantasy leagues will end a week before the NHL season to ensure that teams wishing to rest their players for their playoff runs will not affect fantasy lineups.

Note on-nights are the usual busy Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and off-nights are the less busy Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Schedule

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. Points percentages are as of the conclusion of Saturday’s games.

Season-long adds (< 50% rostered on Yahoo)

Logan Cooley, C, Utah (43% rostered)

Utah has a fantasy manager’s dream schedule right now with four games and only on off-nights. Cooley has been quiet in three straight games but that surely won’t last as Utah’s top playmaking center. Matchups against the Ducks, Kraken and Canucks are attractive.

Adam Fantilli, C, Blue Jackets (31% rostered)

No word on when Sean Monahan will return, but I’ve been saying for quite a while that I don’t expect Fantilli’s production to drop much even when Monahan returns. Fantilli scored two goals against the Rangers on Sunday and remains their 1C. Tough schedule this week but I think Fantilli and Cooley are the only remaining top centers who have ROS value.

Dylan Cozens, C, Senators (29% rostered)

I’m going out on a limb and saying Cozens should be rostered for the rest of the season in multi-category leagues. He had a brilliant debut with the Sens, notching an assist with five faceoff wins and nine (!) hits. I think leaving the Sabres will do him a lot of good, and if you’re thinking ahead to next season, he has 30-goal, 200-hit potential.

Karel Vejmelka, G, Utah (36% rostered)

Utah announced Sunday that Connor Ingram entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and will be out indefinitely, thrusting Vejmelka into the starting job with Jaxson Stauber likely serving as the backup. Utah’s still very much in the playoff race and Vejmelka’s fantasy value increases due to the quantity of starts. Utah has eight games remaining on off-nights.

Spencer Knight, G, Blackhawks (29% rostered)

Knight has two wins and .951 SP in two starts for the Blackhawks – that’s super impressive considering he’s been shelled and the Hawks offense doesn’t provide a lot of support. I don’t expect this run to continue, but after dealing Petr Mrazek to the Red Wings – not sure what Steve Yzerman is thinking there, but I digress – it’s paved the way for Knight to take the starting job right now. Knight’s fantasy value increases as a puck stopper with the potential for a high volume of saves but still not a great option for wins. The Hawks have 18 games remaining with nine of them on off-nights.

Mid-term holds (< 50% rostered on Yahoo)

JJ Peterka, LW/RW, Sabres (48% rostered)

Not sure why Peterka was being dangled at the deadline but he’s been excellent for the Sabres lately and he’s the least of their problems right now. His seven-game points streak was snapped in a 4-0 loss to the Panthers but the Sabres play Monday and Wednesday, providing managers with a good streaming option on those off-nights.

Ryan Donato, C/LW/RW, Blackhawks (41% rostered)

Donato was featured in this space last week and he has not disappointing, stretching his points streak to eight games. He could’ve been dealt at the deadline but that may not have improved his fantasy value because he might’ve played a lesser role on a better team. He’s centering L2 with Teuvo Teravainen on his wing and plays PP1 with Connor Bedard.

Boone Jenner, C/LW, Blue Jackets (33% rostered)

Unsurprisingly, Jenner’s scoring has slowed but he remains an excellent option for muti-category leagues. His goals will surely come soon to go with his faceoff wins and hits. I’d like to see him with two scoring wingers than just Kent Johnson, and that may still change.

Jonathan Drouin, LW/RW, Avalanche (22% rostered)

Drouin’s the type of fantasy player you pick when he’s hot and then drop when he’s cold. He’s hot right now with three goals and five points in his past five games and the addition of Brock Nelson is a big upgrade over Casey Mittelstadt, not to mention he still plays with Nathan MacKinnon on the power play. The Avs play four times and do not face a stingy opponent until Sunday against the Stars.

Morgan Geekie, C/LW/RW, Bruins (16% rostered)

The Bruins are out of it but they’ll continue to lean on their top line. Geekie is not your typical top-six talent but has been a mainstay on David Pastrnak’s opposite wing. He was held without a point against the Lightning in a shutout loss but won five faceoffs and delivered a hit and a block for multi-category value.

Luke Hughes, D, Devils (49% rostered)

Hughes is worth rostering as long as Dougie Hamilton is out of the lineup. He’s taken over duties on PP1 and scored seven assists in his past seven games. Hughes has little value outside of points; he doesn’t block a lot of shots nor does he hit. Don’t worry about the lack of Jack Hughes since the Devils power play should still have enough weapons to be effective.

Filip Hronek, D, Canucks (44% rostered)

As long as Quinn Hughes is out, Hronek is the Canucks’ top option. When Hughes is in the lineup, it feels like Hronek defers too much, but he’s perfectly capable of being a temporary No. 1. He’s notched two assists in consecutive games and the Canucks play four games in Week 21.

Alex Vlasic, D, Blackhawks (12% rostered)

Don’t discount the bad teams until the end of the season. The departure of Seth Jones opened up more ice time for Vlasic, especially on the power play. I think Vlasic provides modest fantasy value in multiple categories.

Jake Allen, G, Devils (18% rostered)

Given Jacob Markstrom’s recent struggles and the Devils’ lack of significant moves at the deadline following a season-ending injury to Jack Hughes, I do wonder if they’re quietly waving the white flag. It’s just not their season. Allen allowed just one goal on 24 shots (.958 SP) to snap the Devils’ three-game losing streak and may see more action down the stretch. He’s a trusted veteran, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts one of their two remaining home games in Week 21.

Short-term streamers (< 50% rostered on Yahoo)

Ivan Barbashev, C/LW, Golden Knights (37% rostered)

Based on the schedule matrix, the Knights have one of the easiest schedules in Week 21 and rank No. 1. They’re on the road for all four games but play a weekend back-to-back, making Barbashev an ideal pickup later in the week should you need some goals and hits. The only drawback is Barbashev is not playing with Jack Eichel and Mark Stone right now.

Ryan O’Reilly, C, Predators (35% rostered)

The Preds’ recent scoring surge has been a nice surprise. O’Reilly is centering Steven Stamkos – who’s been on fire lately – at even strength and on the power play, scoring two goals and three assists in his past three games. The big bonus is the Preds’ insanely easy schedule this week with the Sharks and Ducks.

Fabian Zetterlund, LW/RW, Senators (24% rostered)

Zetterlund will likely make his Sens debut Monday night and it’ll be interesting to see where he slots into the lineup. He has the skill to be a top-six winger and the Sens have the ability to score goals in bunches. I like the Sens’ schedule early in Week 21 with a back-to-back against weak defensive teams and then Thursday at home against the Bruins, who were big sellers at the deadline.

Oliver Bjorkstrand, RW, Lightning (18% rostered)

I think the early returns for Bjorkstrand has been really good, and he’s the type of reliable two-way winger who can anchor a third line with Yanni Gourde. He scored a goal in his Lightning debut and added four shots and four hits in two games. He’s a good streaming option if you’re looking to fill those categories, and his offensive ceiling is now higher with the Lightning than with the Kraken.

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