We’ve reached that point of the season where, if a team is out of playoff position, they’re likely not headed to the postseason come April. American Thanksgiving may not have quite as much impact in Fantasy leagues as it does in the NHL, but there are still some things to consider. For starters, if a player isn’t performing nearly as well as expected in an advantageous situation (like, say, Brady Skjei in Nashville), it may be time to move on for more reliable contributors or open up another streaming slot on your roster.
Then there are other players–like Roope Hintz or even Kevin Fiala–that are worth hanging onto. Neither is lighting the world on fire, but Hintz centers such a strong line in Dallas that the points will have to come eventually. In Fiala’s case, he’s a goal scorer, and we all know goal scorers are streaky. He’s in a slump right now but should start finding the back of the net again at some point, though seeking a trade for someone more consistent isn’t the worst idea either.
Right, with that out of the way, this week’s fantasy guide! Guess what? This week stinks! From a fantasy perspective, at least, with massive gamedays on Wednesday and Friday to accommodate American Thanksgiving. The question for managers this week is less about who to stream, and more about who to start and who to bench with so much overlap. The good news is that 75-percent of teams are four-game streamers this week, so you should be able to get the most out of your roster. To save ourselves some time, we won’t highlight a player from each team this week–just the best ones available–and also recommend avoiding players on the Oilers and the Leafs, as each team only plays twice this week. As for light nights, the condensed schedule means there aren’t many, but there should still be a player or two to take advantage of.
Four-Game Streamers
Can you name an NHL team? They probably have a four-game streamer available this week. Honestly, take your pick, but here are a few names worthy of consideration should they be available in your format. If you need some more inspiration, check out some past Fantasy Guides here on BSH–many of the players named there would be sound pickups for this week, as well.
Will Cuylle, LW, New York Rangers | 28.1% ESPN
The injury to Filip Chytil has taken some of the scoring oomph from the Rangers’ third line, but Cuylle’s performing well enough in his own right to have fantasy value. His shooting percentage will absolutely come down, but he blocks shots and hits, too, so bangers leagues should definitely give him some thought. If Chytil returns, that would only add to Cuylle’s value–and it’s hard to find excess value on a contending team like the Rangers.
Jonas Brodin, D, Minnesota Wild | 13.6% ESPN
Brodin missed a couple games with an upper-body injury, but he’s back in a top-four role on a Wild team that’s still rolling. He might chip in a point here and there, but Brodin’s best quality is his shot blocking–he does a lot of that, and it adds up to relevant fantasy value.
Valeri Nichushkin, LW, Colorado Avalanche | 43.3% ESPN
It’s been a slow start for Nichushkin in his return to the Avalanche lineup, but he’s a top-six lock for them and has a chance to work his way from the second power play unit onto the first. He’s hovered around a point-per-game for three straight seasons and, barring any shenanigans that keep him out of the lineup, should build up fantasy value as the season rolls along. Playing alongside star players is a boon for even the deepest of depth options, and Nichushkin–a good player in his own right–is in a great position to put up some points.
Cam York, D, Philadelphia Flyers | 42.9% ESPN
All signs point to a York return any day now, which is great for the Flyers (they are our team, after all!) and managers who need some defensive depth. York might not provide much offense to start with (power play duties elude him for now), but he’s turned himself into a shot blocking machine; if your league values that, you could do a lot worse.
Simon Edvinsson, D, Detroit Red Wings | 9% ESPN
The Red Wings have struggled this season, but Edvinsson has looked pretty good on the top pair next to Mo Seider. He isn’t getting any power play time (that belongs to Seider and…Erik Gustafsson??), but he chips in some offense at even strength and blocks shots, which makes him a solid depth defenseman. Plus, he plays on one of the few light nights this week!
Light-Night Specials
Due to the condensed schedule, there aren’t really any light nights: Boston, Montreal, and Vancouver each have two, and a handful of teams have one. To spread the wealth, we’ll highlight a player from each of the teams with two light nights, and a smattering of guys on teams with one light night (see Simon Edvinsson above).
Brandon Carlo, D, Boston Bruins | 29.2% ESPN
There is very little value to be found in Boston right now, but Carlo blocks enough shots to have some value in most fantasy formats. He hasn’t registered a point in November though, so don’t look for any kind of offensive impact here.
Kirby Dach, RW, Montreal Canadiens | 3.5% ESPN
Montreal’s going through it and, as a result, has shaken up the lineup somewhat: Dach is playing on the top line with Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky. The Habs aren’t very good, but Dach is in a position to get some fantasy points in a top-line role and time on the first power play unit. Whether it translates to actual scoring remains to be seen, but there’s potential here.
Conor Garland, RW, Vancouver Canucks | 18.9% ESPN
Vancouver’s really going through it: Brock Boeser remains out after an ugly hit to the head a few weeks ago, and now JT Miller will be on indefinite leave as he attends to personal matters. That’s not great for the team, but it does open two top-six and first-unit power play spots for otherwise overlooked depth players. Garland is skating on the second line and first unit at time of writing, though this could change–in which case, keep an eye on Kieffer Sherwood.
Alex Vlasic, D, Chicago Blackhawks | 28.7% ESPN
Look, the Blackhawks are bad and getting worse as injuries ravage the team and the coach makes some weird decisions (why is Connor Bedard on the wing??). With Seth Jones out, that gives Alex Vlasic a chance on the top pair and the top power play unit. Is Chicago a good team where Vlasic will stockpile points? No, but he’s in a position to succeed, and as we’ve seen with Jake Walman on the Sharks, there’s fantasy value there.
Back-to-Back Goalie Options
Hoo boy, there are quite a few choices here as more than half the league plays one back-to-back this week (thanks again, condensed schedule!). Betting big on goalies is always risky business, so do so with caution, but calling one or two of these right can be a huge momentum swing for any manager.
Joey Daccord, G, Seattle Kraken | 53.6% ESPN
Daccord had five wins in a row last week, including a shutout–yeah, he’s feelin’ it right now. On top of that, the Kraken get the softest schedule of the week: two games against the Anaheim Ducks, and a back-to-back against the Sharks. Daccord probably starts at least two, maybe three of those games, and all four should be easy wins.
Anton Forsberg, G, Ottawa Senators | 1.5% ESPN
The Sens are on the road this weekend: on Saturday they get the LA Kings, and on Sunday they visit the Ducks. Ottawa’s had its share of struggles this season, but they should still be able to eke out a win over Anaheim, even with Forsberg in net.
Jonathan Quick, G, New York Rangers | 27.9% ESPN
It’s crazy how every goaltender who ends up with the Rangers seems to turn back the clock, and Quick is no different. He’s not the workhorse starter he was, but he doesn’t have to be playing behind Igor Shesterkin. The Rangers get the Flyers on Black Friday, and the Canadiens on Saturday; Shesty probably gets the Orange & Black, and Quick gets the struggling Habs the next day–Montreal should be light work for Quick.
Dustin Wolf, G, Calgary Flames | 42.9% ESPN
The Flames have been a lot better than many predicted this season (they’re second in the Pacific!), and Wolf’s been a key part of the team’s success: in 11 games, he’s got a .926 SV% and 2.33 GAA. Pretty good numbers for a rookie! It might not last all season, but he should be good enough to handle one of either Columbus or Pittsburgh in a back-to-back.
