-
Sean Allen, ESPN.com Special Reporter
As Week 23 of the fantasy season begins, fantasy playoffs begin in many leagues. The final game of the regular season is scheduled to be played just one month from now.
Time is running out.
This week starts with a light Monday, followed by a busy Tuesday and a light Wednesday with NHL games. All teams manage to stay in the contest until the beginning of the week, except for the Florida Panthers.
If you need a boost early in the week, the Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabers, Minnesota Wild, and Toronto Maple Leafs will all play twice before Wednesday, while the Sabers, Wild, and Leafs will all play twice. Please note that we are on a road trip and everyone is on hold. -Two back set.
Resources: Goalie Depth Chart | Daily Lines | Predictions | Free to Play | Player Evaluators | Most Added/Removed | Draft Lobby Mock | How to Watch on ESPN+
stock up
Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Minnesota Wild (81.7% available): As another week begins, he's still a fantasy headline, with Fleury taking the reins of the Wild's quest to make the playoffs. But be careful of your schedule. The Wild have back-to-back games against the Anaheim Ducks and Kings on Tuesday and Wednesday, so Filip Gustafsson will likely face Fleury in Tuesday's soft matchup. All told, with 14 games left, the Wild will play the Sharks and Kings twice, as well as the Blackhawks, Ducks and Kraken. Both teams are in the top 10 in fantasy points per game (FPAPG) by opposing goaltenders.
Nick Schmaltz, C/W, Arizona State Coyotes (72.7% Available): Widely available, playing in the team's best position, and on a recent point streak, Schmaltz would be a great addition to any fantasy team in the future. He has scored 2.32 fantasy points per game (FPPG) in his past 10 games, compared to a season mark of 1.71.
Daniil Milanov, D, Calgary Flames (99.5% available): With the playoffs all but out of sight, the Flames opted to go “all in” on Miromanov to test him for the future. He has been top of the game on the power play over the last three games against both Mackenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson, scoring two goals and averaging 9.2 fantasy points (3.07 FPPG) in those games.
Seth Jarvis, W/C, Carolina Hurricanes (30.6% available): The depth chart has been kind to Jarvis with all the changes in Carolina. He slots into the top line with Sebastian Aho and Jake Guentzel while also adding to their advantage. He has scored in three consecutive tournaments.
Brett Leeson, W, Anaheim Ducks (99.8% available): With Adam Enrique leaving at the trade deadline, Leason took over the top-six role previously occupied by Enrique. He's been spending time with Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano, and some nights he's making the most of it. That said, he's only marginally useful in fantasy, making him a streaming option for deep leagues at best.
out of stock
Be careful with elite goalkeepers: we are talking about both conor hellebike and Igor Shesterkin And this warning is especially harsh for those in fantasy leagues where head-to-head playoffs have begun. Yes, Hellebuyck and Shesterkin got you here, but this is a terrible week for them schedule-wise.
Shesterkin and the New York Rangers will face the Winnipeg Jets, Boston Bruins and Panthers, who are currently ranked first, third and fifth overall. Rangers currently sit second in the table but have a tough road ahead of them this week.
In a not-so-bad schedule, the Jets and Hellebuyck play the Rangers, then the New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, and Capitals, all on the road. Hellebuyck should be fine, but consider this a warning that it's going to be a tough week.
streamer special
Matt Roy, D, Los Angeles Kings (38.6% availability): The Kings begin the week with a set against the Blackhawks and Wild. Even though Roy has been playing great lately, he is still a decent contender in fantasy leagues. See if you can add him to the lineup. In the last 12 games, he has had 30 hits and blocked 38 shots giving him 2.41 FPPG.
Darren Radish, Democrat, Tampa Bay Lightning (99.2% Available): Locking in with Victor Hedman at even strength and backing him up on the secondary power-play unit, Radish has potential thanks to his offensive touch. Additionally, his four-game week for the Lightning includes the Kings, Ducks, Sharks, and Golden Knights, making it a favorable battle for fantasy.
Yanni Gould, C, Seattle Kraken (97.3% available): With a week coming up that includes the Coyotes, Sabres, Canadiens, and Golden Knights, the Kraken could benefit from streaming with a group from the top six. Gould has put up a modest 9.1 fantasy points (1.82 FPPG) in his last five games.
Bowen Byram, D, Buffalo Sabers (32.4% availability): Starting the week with the Kraken and Canucks without Thatcher Demko is a decent spot for the Sabers. Despite posting a goose egg and minus-3 points on Saturday, Byram is still an overall revelation for the Sabers: 3 goals, 2 assists, and 11.4 fantasy points (2.28 FPPG) in 5 games. .
Timothy Liljegren, D, Toronto Maple Leafs (94.6% available): Mitch Marner's absence may affect Liljegren more than any of the Leafs' forwards. Pontus Holmberg was promoted to the top line along with Auston Matthews, but it was Liljegren who replaced Marner as the top power play unit on the blue line. The Leafs begin this week against the Flyers and Capitals.
Connor McMichael, C, Washington Capitals (99.0% available): Playing on the top line with Alex Ovechkin and TJ Oshie, McMichael has yet another ministerial streak, scoring points in three straight games. The Capitals have four games per week, no back-to-back sets, and three of those games are at home, so it's a pretty good schedule. Depending on the size of the league, McMichael, Hendrix Lapierre, and Tom Wilson could all be worth keeping an eye on in the lineup.
