Fantasy Hockey: Weekend Streaming Targets
Our Weekend Streamers series aims to help you steal your matchup by getting the most value possible out of the limited transactions in your fantasy league. Every Friday morning, we will break down the teams and skaters with the most streamer-friendly schedules over the weekend. We will also look at the best spot starts in goal each weekend, highlighting the widely available goaltenders that could provide the boost and edge you need to win your matchup.
With 15 games on the docket for Saturday, we’ll be targeting the teams playing on the weekend’s quieter slates on Friday and Sunday. With just two games on each of those nights, our options are minimal, but thankfully, we have one team playing on both Friday and Sunday.
Calgary Flames
The Flames head to Columbus on Friday to take on the Blue Jackets before travelling to Detroit to face the Red Wings on Sunday. Calgary may not be one of the highest-scoring teams in the league, but their depth up front gives us plenty of viable options this weekend.
Andrew Mangiapane (LW/RW) – 52% Owned
In the likely owned category, we have Mangiapane, who could also offer some long-term value. That’s why, if he is available, he is my top recommendation for the weekend. Mangiapane is currently skating on Calgary’s first line alongside Elias Lindholm and Jonathan Huberdeau at 5v5, as well as the Flames second power-play unit. Mangiapane’s shot totals still leave plenty to be desired, with just four shots on goal through four games, but he’s been red-hot from a production standpoint to open the year with two goals and two assists to his name. We’d like to see that shot volume improve and for his time on ice to continue to grow if he is going to fulfill his potential as a long-term solution for your fantasy team. Still, he’s a great bet to get on the scoresheet either way this weekend, given his exposure at 5v5. If the shot totals and usage start to improve, then great, you’ve got a nice piece for the bottom of your roster. If those underlying numbers fail to improve over the weekend, you can cut bait with him on Monday morning after getting plenty of value out of him as a streamer this weekend.
Backlund has yet to get on the scoresheet this season, but his usage will continue to make him a viable streaming target whenever the schedule lines up for the Flames. Backlund took a major step forward in his shot volume last season, and that has continued into this year despite the slow start. He’s registered 15 shots on goal already through just four games. He’s playing just over 19 minutes a night in all situations. While he may not have as much upside as Mangiapane, he offers a very stable floor, particularly in leagues that reward shots on goal as a category.
Matt Coronato (RW) – 7% Owned
The No.13 overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft, Coronato is one to keep an eye on this season and another solid streaming option this weekend. The 21-year-old is skating alongside Backlund and Blake Coleman at 5v5 and Calgary’s second power-play unit. While he has just one goal and one assist to show for it, the nine shots on goal are nothing to scoff at. Given his age, draft pedigree, and the upside he offers, Coronato would be my third choice behind Backlund and Mangiapane this weekend because, like Mangiapane, Coronato could offer some sneaky season-long value if he’s able to continue to move up the Flames depth chart. And like Mangiapane, you can give Coronato a two-game tryout this weekend and decide Monday morning if he’s worth holding onto, depending on how his usage evolves over this weekend’s pair of games.
Moving down the list, we have Dillon Dube. He is a player whose underlying numbers and raw production in a limited role suggest he’s worthy of more minutes, but that hasn’t happened yet this season. He’s playing under 15 minutes a game, which obviously caps his upside. But just like last season when he logged 18 goals and 45 points across a full 82 games, Dube has produced in that limited role this season, with a goal and two assists to show for his efforts through the first four games. He is a worthy addition this weekend if Coronato, Backlund and Mangiapane aren’t available.
Blake Coleman (C/RW – 7% owned) and Adam Ruzicka (C – 1% owned) are two more names to mention for deeper leagues. Like Backlund, Coleman gets some nice usage at 5v5, and his underlying numbers have been promising, but a lack of power-play time limits his upside. He is still an excellent bet this weekend if you’re chasing shots and hits. Ruzicka was moved to PP1 on Thursday and is getting a chance to skate on the second line alongside Nazem Kadri and Dube and has four points in as many games this season. Still, a lack of shot volume (five SOGs) and minutes suggests he’s been rather fortunate to produce at the clip he has through the opening four games. Don’t bet on that continuing without a drastic increase in usage. I’m streaming him in only the deepest of leagues this weekend.
And if you’re in a banger league chasing hits this weekend and you’re beaten to the punch on Coleman, Nikita Zadorov (D – 12% owned) can be a worthy punt in the right format.
Goaltenders
Elvis Merzlikins (CBJ) – 26% Owned
Merzlikins is a viable option on Friday’s small slate should he get the nod against the Flames. Keep in mind that means you’ll be handcuffing yourself if you plan on streaming some of the Calgary skaters listed above, but we’ll have to make do with what’s available, given the limited number of games on Friday and Sunday. Merzlikins is off to a tremendous start to the season with a .950 SV% through his first two starts, so he can still potentially provide quite a bit of value to your splits, even if it is in a losing effort on Friday.
James Reimer (DET) – 6% Owned
The Red Wings are in Ottawa on Saturday before hosting Calgary on Sunday. Conventional wisdom suggests the starter Ville Husso starts the first game of the back-to-back, making Reimer the expected starter on Sunday. It’s essential to remember that Detroit has three goalies on the roster. Still, we should expect Reimer to get the nod over Alex Lyon, given the former’s shutout performance over the Blue Jackets on Monday. Again, if you’re streaming Calgary skaters, you’re putting yourself in another handcuff here, but Reimer and the Red Wings should be no worse than a coin flip to pick up the win at home on Sunday.
Semyon Varlamov (NYI) – 8% Owned
And finally, we get to what, in a vacuum, projects to be the number one spot-start in goal this weekend in Varlamov. The only issue here is it will likely come on Saturday’s 15-game slate. The Islanders are home to the Devils on Friday before travelling to Buffalo on Saturday. Assuming standard protocol here, Varlamov should get the second game. He’s more than a viable option in Buffalo, but given the 15-game slate, you’ll likely have two better options already rostered. On the off chance you have an open starting goalie spot on Saturday, Varlamov is worth the addition.
