This article is part of our Schedule Analysis series.
Four Aces
As always, you will want to temper expectations from players on teams with two games (Chicago, Minnesota, New Jersey) and bank on those with four games this week. Here are those seven teams ranked on strength of schedule:
1. Arizona Coyotes
Despite spending all four on the road (11-18-2), the Coyotes are set up for a big week. Outside of some struggles against Vancouver (1-2, 7:8 GF:GA), the 'Yotes are ripping up their three opponents this season, outscoring Colorado, Calgary and Edmonton by a combined score of 25-14, including four power play goals against Calgary and Edmonton each.
2. Boston Bruins
While spending eight of your next 11 games on the road usually means bad times on the horizon, that logic does not apply to one of the NHL's best road (21-7-3) teams. Set aside some issues with Tampa Bay (1-2, 7:11 GF:GA) and the B's have owned their opponents, including a 2-0 series lead over their Atlantic rival Florida, who sits just ahead of Boston in the standings. If all goes well on this Florida swing, they could be atop the division standings by week's end.
3. Buffalo Sabres
One of four teams (Boston, San Jose, Tampa Bay) beginning the week on a back-to-back, the Sabres will split their time with two on the road and two at home. Although they bring a modest 4-2 record against this week's opponents, three of which surround them at the bottom of the Eastern standings. This team is gaining steam.
Four Aces
As always, you will want to temper expectations from players on teams with two games (Chicago, Minnesota, New Jersey) and bank on those with four games this week. Here are those seven teams ranked on strength of schedule:
1. Arizona Coyotes
Despite spending all four on the road (11-18-2), the Coyotes are set up for a big week. Outside of some struggles against Vancouver (1-2, 7:8 GF:GA), the 'Yotes are ripping up their three opponents this season, outscoring Colorado, Calgary and Edmonton by a combined score of 25-14, including four power play goals against Calgary and Edmonton each.
2. Boston Bruins
While spending eight of your next 11 games on the road usually means bad times on the horizon, that logic does not apply to one of the NHL's best road (21-7-3) teams. Set aside some issues with Tampa Bay (1-2, 7:11 GF:GA) and the B's have owned their opponents, including a 2-0 series lead over their Atlantic rival Florida, who sits just ahead of Boston in the standings. If all goes well on this Florida swing, they could be atop the division standings by week's end.
3. Buffalo Sabres
One of four teams (Boston, San Jose, Tampa Bay) beginning the week on a back-to-back, the Sabres will split their time with two on the road and two at home. Although they bring a modest 4-2 record against this week's opponents, three of which surround them at the bottom of the Eastern standings. This team is gaining steam.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning
Ben Bishop has started on back-to-back nights just twice this season, so we're betting Bishop goes against Philly in their first of two matchups this week against the Flyers and Andrei Vasilevskiy makes his career debut against the B's on Tuesday. The Lightning should mop up the Jackets and complete a 3-0 series win in Columbus on Sunday.
5. San Jose Sharks
The Sharks will play 11 of their remaining 14 games at home (12-14-3) in March, including two visiting Eastern Conference opponents to end the week.
6. Detroit Red Wings
Playing three of four and three opponents scraping the bottom of the league seems like a good week ahead, but of their opponents this week, it's only the Maple Leafs (2-0, 6:1 GF:GA) the Red Wings have had a handle on this season.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs
If coming in on a five-game losing streak isn't enough to avoid the Maple Leafs this week, how about their combined 1-4-3 record against this week's opponents? At least the William Nylander era has begun and that provides small excitement for fantasy owners and Leafs fans alike to focus in on. Otherwise, it's time to head to the links.
Three of a Kind
Two teams playing three contests this week with the strongest and weakest strengths of schedule:
Hold'Em
Colorado Avalanche
While the Avs have had their problems with Arizona (0-1-1, 3:6 GF:GA), they should cinch wins against both Anaheim and Winnipeg.
Fold'Em
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes are 1-3 and are being outscored 14-7 by this week's opponents.
The Flop
Highlighting possible trends to take advantage of each day of the upcoming week:
Monday:Tuukka Rask has man-handled (14-2-1, 1.28 GAA) the Florida Panthers in 17 games, including a 3-1 win back in December.
Tuesday: With four teams beginning the week on back-to-backs, you may have a few strong options to stream backup tenders Tuesday. Here's how they have fared against their likely opponents:
• James Reimer: 4-0 (1.64 GAA) in five games against Edmonton
• Andrei Vasilevskiy: no career experience versus Boston
• Jonas Gustavsson: 5-0-4 (2.17 GAA) in nine games against Tampa Bay
• Chad Johnson: yielded five goals in his only career start against his former employer, the Rangers
Wednesday: Chicago has outscored St. Louis 11-8 and leads the season series 2-1. After beginning the season in a scorer's matchup (6-5 OT win for St. Louis) in November, these two teams have tightened up the defense. I'm expecting a low-scoring game in one of the two these two have remaining in the regular season.
Thursday: The special teams haven't exactly been quiet in three previous meetings between the Sabres (2-9 on power play) and Canadiens (3-8) this season. They have combined for 25 goals this season, including a 7-2 Montreal rout in October. It could be another busy night for the official scorer's sheet, but this is no longer a one-sided matchup as these two teams head in very different directions. Andre Markov has seven points against Buffalo while Marcus Foligno, Ryan O'Reilly and Cody Franson each have four points in three games against the Habs.
Friday: Another divisional rival matchup for the Hawks, regardless of fantasy impact, this should be a great game to watch. Chicago and Dallas have taken turns beating each other up, with the Stars winning their first contest 4-0 at home, then the Blackhawks 5-1 victory in Chicago. Dallas leads the series 2-1 on the heels of their 4-2 win in Chicago. There's little doubt Corey Crawford starts for Chicago, but the Stars will be on the front end of back-to-back games. Although Antti Niemi was yanked in his last start against the Hawks, my bet is Niemi gets a shot at redemption as Kari Lehtonen has been the strongest goalie (1-0-1, 0.99 GAA) against St. Louis this season.
Saturday: It may seem like Washington imploded in an early season 5-0 loss to San Jose back in October, but two goals were late-game empty netters. Regardless, what are the chances San Jose has a 3-0 lead late in the third? Unlikely considering the Caps are a very different team at this stage in the season. However, the two teams combined for a whopping 20 goals in their two previous meetings last season, so the scoring may be robust regardless of which team wins in the end.
Sunday: As previously mentioned, the Red Wings have handled the Leafs quite well and that was prior to the fire-sale and recent losing streak. The dearly departed Dion Phaneuf has the Leafs only goal against Detroit this season while Justin Abdelkader has three goals and four points in the two previous contests.
