Week 21 Fantasy Hockey Start 'Em & Sit 'Em (Mar. 14-Mar. 20)
The NHL trade deadline draws ever closer as Week 21 signs of progress (Mar. 14 - Mar. 20). First off, it is day-by-day games played time.
- Monday (Mar. 14) -- 1
- Tuesday (Mar. 15) -- 11
- Wednesday (Mar. 16) -- 4
- Thursday (Mar. 17) -- 10
- Friday (Mar. 18) -- 6
- Saturday (Mar. 19) -- 11
- Sunday (Mar. 20) -- 6
Again, note the more "normal" three days of chaos - better known as Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Anyway, it's team game breakdown time.
Teams Playing Four Games: Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Stars, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals.
Teams Playing Three Games: Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, Winnipeg Jets.
Teams Playing Two Games: Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Seattle Kraken, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning.
In Week 21, the focus starts to spread back again to a Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday form.
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Fantasy Hockey Forwards To Start In Week 21
C Matt Duchene, Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators offensively start with Matt Duchene and Filip Forsberg. Both can be plugged into lineups this week once again. Both the center and winger have 30+ goals this season already. Forsberg has helped Duchene enjoy a career offensive renaissance. Some have asked can Duchene keep shooting at 19.5%? That is a valid question. The answer is he could come close. The center has shot around 17% in Ottawa and enjoys mostly 13-14% averages throughout the majority of his career. Again, with Forsberg on his side and Roman Josi on the blueline, the opportunities will keep coming. That means to get him and Forsberg in your lineup this week!
C Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens
The "Suzuki Tsunami" of fantasy points continues for the center, Nick Suzuki. There is little reason to believe that it won't extend into the following week. He has five goals and four assists in his previous five games to bring him up to 43 points on the season. Magically, the center is shooting about a half shot more per contest over last year and is now right at last season's pace for points. Just imagine if a different voice had come into the locker room sooner. Alas, we digress. However, with Montreal playing three more times in Week 21, Suzuki has to start. There is no question.
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Fantasy Hockey Forwards To Sit In Week 21
W David Perron, St. Louis Blues
So, the schedule has slowed down David Perron. Right now, it is the only thing that might be able to accomplish that feat. Perron has power-play goals in consecutive games and 18 shots on goal in his past three contests. Who does he think he is? Alex Ovechkin? The soon-to-be 34-year-old forward is turning the clock back again when St. Louis needs it most. The Blues have one plus-matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Unfortunately, they also play the Pittsburgh Penguins this week. That could make starting Perron a bit risky. Finally, St. Louis does not play until Thursday.
W Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings
Other players have vanished and could go in this space. Few have disappeared quite like Adrian Kempe. Mind you, the Los Angeles Kings' winger has 25 goals on the season. He is still racking up all the top minutes including a significant amount of power-play time. Since a two-goal performance in Anaheim on Feb. 25, Kempe has not recorded a point. That is a span of nine games. Worse, his shot and chance volume has been cut down by about a third. During the first few games of the slump, he was getting opportunities. Now, Kempe is not even generating much offense in the offensive zone. That is a problem.
Not sure who to start this week? Use our fantasy hockey Start / Sit Tool!
Fantasy Hockey Defenseman To Start In Week 21
D Noah Dobson, New York Islanders
The New York Islanders play four times again in Week 21. Noah Dobson keeps developing before our very eyes. In some ways, he reminds some of Devon Toews with a little more offensive potential. Even in a Barry Trotz system, Dobson is thriving while providing improving peripheral statistics. Over the past four games, the New York Islanders' defender had three or more shots on goal while averaging two blocks a game. He has five assists over his past five contests too. The fact that New York plays a heavy schedule only helps his cause. Dobson will only keep getting better as March marches on.
Fantasy Hockey Defenseman To Sit In Week 21
D Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning only plays twice this week after coming off a road trip through the "Northwest Passage." Typically, that first game home after a long road "bender" can result in a clunker for some fantasy players. Is that a risk worth taking as the fantasy playoffs approach? With a plethora of teams playing three of four games more spread out, it may just be wise to look elsewhere. Hedman does have 15 goals and 58 points in 59 games on the season. However, frequency plays a role here. The win against Vancouver was nice but again, that rust possibility weighs heavy for Week 21.
Fantasy Hockey Goalie To Start In Week 21
G Jacob Markstrom, Calgary Flames
The back and forth with certain goaltenders is almost just how elite are the elite class. At FantasySP, the idea is yes we could mention Igor Shesterkin in perpetuity but that is not how this works. Jacob Markstrom enjoyed a stellar, albeit easy week, for the Calgary Flames. He had three wins including a 19-save shutout against the Detroit Red Wings. Calgary plays three times this week which is kind of in that sweet spot. Markstrom is approaching 30 wins on the season and 10 shutouts (28 wins, nine shutouts). He has gone 4-0-1 in his past five starts. Aside from that Detroit win, he beat Tampa Bay, Minnesota, and Edmonton. That is not too bad.
Fantasy Hockey Goalie To Sit In Week 21
G John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
It is pretty sobering given all the options lately that could go right in his slot. Unfortunately, for all the great saves John Gibson makes, he just allows too many goals. That makes him almost "fantasy non-grata." Besides, the Anaheim Ducks only play twice in Week 21. As the fantasy hockey playoffs draw closer, there seem to be fewer and fewer goalies people can trust. Gibson's save percentage is down to .906 on the season. The Anaheim goaltender is 2-8 since that "Olympic Break" of sorts and has yielded three or more goals in every start. Simply, if one has not cut bait with Gibson, it is okay to do so now.
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