Operator: “911 … what is your emergency?”
Caller: “I need some assistance – I am at risk of not making my fantasy hockey playoffs!”
It is time to settle in and look at your roster depth during the mid weeks of the fantasy season. With things the way they are, you should have solid backups in key positions you can plug into your lineup with short notice. An outbreak or schedule change can devastate your lineup for a week, forcing you out of the playoffs if you are close. Goalie needs to be one deeper than your starters, usually three or four total. Same with defensemen, you should be one or two skaters deeper than your starting two or three. Then you can plug and play with those weekend surprises that leaves you thin. Now is also a good time to look at your playoff schedule and go for the best teams or exposure to the best players on the best teams.
Taking calculated chances playing the waiver wire while watching favorable schedules can win leagues. Waiver wire considerations: (Ownership in Fantrax leagues)
| Forward | Team | Own | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Schmaltz | ARI | 58 | Steady producer with good linemates |
| Jean-Gabriel Pageau | NYI | 48 | Coming on for Isles, goals in streaks |
| Anders Lee | NYI | 77 | Sniper lining the scoresheet |
| Evgenii Dadonov | OTT | 63 | Finding his goal touch again |
| Mattias Janmark | CHI | 20 | Exposure to Kane and DeBrincat |
| Defense | Team | Own | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicolas Beaudin | CHI | 22 | Hawk rookie scoring early in career, pp time |
| Travis Dermott | TOR | 8 | Keep an eye on him, good exposure |
| Calen Addison | MIN | 18 | Effective with ice time as other Dmen get healthy |
| Goalies | Team | Own | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Nedelijkovic | CAR | 21 | Considered the #1 ahead of Reimer, wins bonus |
| Kaapo Kahkonnen | MIN | 43 | With Talbot not at full go, clear pick for starts |
** Updated Sunday Feb. 21 **
Schedule advantage for week 7:
Mon 2-22 thru Sun 2-28
- *5 games 1 team: BUF
- 4 games 15 teams: ARI, CAL, CAR, CHI, CBJ, COL, DAL, DET, FLA, LAK, MIN, NYI, NAS, PIT, TB
- 2 games 2 teams: VAN, WPG
- (All other teams 3 games)
Schedule advantage for Week 8:
Mon 3-1 thru Sun 3-7
- 4 games 18 teams: ANA, BUF, CAL, CAR, COL, FLA, MIN, NYI, NYR, NJ, OTT, SJ, STL, TB, TOR, VAN, VEG, WPG
- 2 games 1 team: DET
- (All other teams 3 games)
Looking ahead to the fantasy playoffs, the best schedules for the final 3 weeks of Fantrax play are: TOR, BUF, MON, SJ, BOS, CBJ, NYR, PIT, WAS Worst: ANA, NAS, EDM, STL
Dave Schneider can be contacted by email at daveytrane1@yahoo.com Feedback welcome!