Apr 4, 2022
Fantasy Hockey Lookahead: Potential Week 24 Streamer Options
Week 24 is another busy one with 53 games across the board. The busiest days are the standard Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights, each with double-digit games. The rest of the nights will have five games or less, save for Sunday which has a modest seven.
Week 24 is another busy one with 53 games across the board. The busiest days are the standard Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights, each with double-digit games. The rest of the nights will have five games or less, save for Sunday which has a modest seven.
Unfortunately for some managers, the Chicago Blackhawks and Vegas Golden Knights will play just twice this week. With most fantasy leagues in win-or-go-home mode, it’s time to cut bait with all but the fantasy studs from those teams. You need man-games now.
On the flip side, it’s another full-house with 12 teams playing four times each, giving us plenty to choose from when streaming.
Let’s look at the best team schedules for this crucial Week 24:
St. Louis Blues
The Blues have the best schedule on paper this week. To begin the week, they have a pair of very favourable matchups against the Arizona Coyotes and Seattle Kraken. They also play three of their four games off nights, allowing us to slide them into our lineups easily.
The Coyotes and Kraken are giving up the fifth and ninth most goals per game this season respectively. They also have the 3rd and 4th worst penalty kill percentages.
The Blues' offence has been on fire over their last 12 games scoring 4.17 goals per game, second to only the Edmonton Oilers over that span.
Boston Bruins
Boston’s week kicks off with a bang with back-to-back games against the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Wings are the worst defensive team this season giving up 3.86 goals per game, with a league-worst 72 per cent penalty kill, while the Jackets are giving up the 3rd most goals per game. Boston should score early and often.
Stream the Bruins for their Monday and Tuesday games and move on after that. They have two days off before taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals on Friday and Sunday, not the greatest matchups.
Tampa Bay Lightning
If it’s off-night streamers you need, look no further than the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bolts will play all four of their games on off nights this week, the only team to do so.
They don’t necessarily have the best matchups, but that shouldn’t deter anyone. They’re still scoring the seventh most goals per game this season.
Top Streamers and Waiver adds:
C, W, Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues (16 per cent rostered, up 3 per cent)
Robert Thomas has 25 points over his last 20 games, yet he’s still available in 85 per cent of leagues. He’s centering the top line alongside Pavel Buchnevich and Vladimir Tarasenko and sees a healthy amount of time on the second power play unit. Despite his low shot total and lack of hits, his point total (especially the 42 assists) is enough to help out rosters during the Blues’ favourable schedule this week.
W, Brandon Saad, St. Louis Blues (7 per cent rostered)
For those in deeper leagues who still want to get a piece of the Blues, give Brandon Saad a chance. He’s been fairly productive for a good stretch now with 25 points over his last 32 games, a 64 point pace over a full 82 games. He’s been even better of late with three goals and eight assists over his last 12 games, just shy of a point-per-game player during that span. He’s locked into his role on the second line with a red-hot David Perron and Ryan O’Reilly. Saad is available almost everywhere.
C, W, Erik Haula, Boston Bruins (3 per cent rostered, up 2 per cent)
Erik Haula was moved to a line with David Pastrnak and Taylor Hall on Jan. 1 and has been quietly productive since. He has 11 goals and 19 assists in the 40 games since, one more point than Patrice Bergeron over that span, who’s played five fewer games. The Hall-Haula-Pastrnak trio has been red hot of late, combining for 27 points over their last six games, with Haula contributing four goals and 10 points during that span. The hot streak should continue on Monday and Tuesday with the Bruins facing the Wings and Blue Jackets. Get Haula on your rosters for the beginning of the week.
W, Jake Debrusk, Boston Bruins (5 per cent rostered, up 1 percent)
Jake Debrusk has been playing in David Pastrnak’s old spot on the top line alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. He’s scored in four straight games, adding a pair of assists, and now has 12 goals over his last 20 games. That’s a 49 goal pace. He’s red hot, he’s playing prime minutes on Boston’s potent top line, and he’s available in 95 per cent of fantasy leagues.
C, W, Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning (66 per cent rostered, up 1 per cent)
The Bolts are a good streaming option since they play all four of their games on off nights, unfortunately a good chunk of their top six are rostered pretty much everywhere. Anthony Cirelli is still available in a third of leagues and should help out this week. He has six points over his last five games and is up to a modest 38 points in 63 games. If you’re in a league that counts face-offs, he’s elite in that category as well.
W, Kailer Yamamoto, Edmonton Oilers (16 per cent rostered)
Kailer Yamamoto has been on fire of late with seven goals and 15 points over his last 12 games. Playing alongside a 50 goal scorer in Leon Draisaitl will help. Yamamoto won’t see the top power play unit, but he’s productive on the second group with four power play points over the last 12 games. The Oilers only play three times this week, but they get matchups with the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings. The Oilers are also on fire as a team scoring a league-high 4.40 goals per game over the last month. You’ll want a piece of that.