John’s List

If you’re a regular listener of this podcast, you’re undoubtedly familiar with “John’s List” – John’s shit list of players past and present. We throw in the occasional Commissioner, GM, Coach, or newsworthy topic from around the hockey world. 

Eithan Grishan for choking out a goaltender…

Fantasy Lock Of The Week:

🔥William Eklund, LW, SJS 4% Rostered (Yahoo), 46% Rostered (Fantrax)

San Jose had 3 games last week and Willy made the most of it. 5 points in 5 games. All assists. Only 1 SOG over that span. Averaged 18:41 TOI and 2:30 PPTOI. He is only on a 57 point pace this season with a not great team in the Sharks. 

Honorable Mention this week is: Troy Terry 4 points in 2 games (3 goals, 1 assist) and we should also mention Connor McDavid who had 4 points in one game (1 goal, 3 assists)

Edge Work | NHL Schedule – Week 17 Part 2

The segment where we put in the work to give you the EDGE in your fantasy hockey leagues! Each week the Hacks will cover the NHL Schedule and Waiver Wire Targets to guide you to victory. 

Need To Know: 

Welcome to Week 17 part 2, this is the 2nd half of the Week 17 schedule due to  All Star weekend. Only 1 full day this week(Saturday) the rest of the week are considered light days (50% or fewer NHL teams in action) this week with a total of 38 games on the schedule this week, Saturday is the only full day with 13 games. The remaining light days of the week have 8 games or less.  

In terms of attempting to optimize the schedule for games played, 3 teams play 4 games next week. All 3 of the teams play 3 of their games on light days and FLA & STL play three of their 4 games on light days. Also of note: NYR plays all 3 of their games on light days.

The teams to fade this week are ANA, CBJ, DET, LA, NSH, OTT and SEA as they only play 1 game this week

Just to recap. 

• Monday – 2 Games
• Tuesday – 8 Games
• Wednesday – 3 Games
• Thursday – 7 Games
• Friday – 3 Games
• Saturday – 13 Games
• Sunday – 2 Games

Teams With 4 Games: COL, VAN and WSH

Teams With 3 Games: BOS, CAR, CGY, DAL, EDM, FLA, MTL, NJ, NYI, NYR, PHI, PIT, TBL, TOR and WPG

Teams With 2 Games:  ARI, BUF, CHI, MIN, STL, VGK

Teams With 1 Game: ANA, CBJ, DET, LA, SEA, STL

Edge Work | NHL Waiver Wire Targets For Week 17 Part 2

Waiver wire targets will be focused on players that are rostered in ~50% or less of Yahoo (or Fantrax) leagues. When considering players to target, we review recent performance, player deployment, upcoming schedule and more.  

FORWARDS

🎯 Logan O’Connor (RW), COL

Rostered: 14% Yahoo (28% Fantrax) | GP: 4 (@NYR, @NJD, @CAR, @FLA) | Line: 2 (w/ Miles Wood & Ross Colton) 

We spoke about Logan O’Connor recently, but with a 4-game week coming up for the Colorado Avalanche it’s probably worth discussing ahead of the second part of week 17. 13 points and 8 goals in 12 games played during January is nothing to sneeze at, despite virtually no time with the man advantage. However, what O’Connor lacks in power play points he makes up for in other categories – +9, 8 PIMS, 9 Hits, 8 Blocks. Note: The 27-year old did shoot 32% in January with a 77% IPP, so a slow-down is imminent.  

🎯 Pius Suter (C), VAN

Rostered: 4% Yahoo (17% Fantrax) | GP: 4 (@CAR, @BOS, @DET, @WSH) | Line: 2 (w/ JT Miller & Brock Boeser, PP1) 

Another player we spoke about recently, but certainly worth mentioning given his level of offensive production lately – 6 points (4 goals) in 3 games played, 10 points in 13 games during the month of January. What makes Suter particularly interesting lately is the fact that during his last 4 games he has played 81% PP Share in three of those contests (67% PP Share in the other), while producing 3 PPP (1 PPG). Love the linemates, deployment, and schedule for the upcoming week; and he is READILY available everywhere. 

🎯 Nicolas Roy (C/RW), VGK

Rostered: 9% Yahoo (23% Fantrax) | GP: 2 (Vs.EDM, @ARI) | Line: 2 (w/ Ivan Barbashev & Jonathan Marchessault, PP2) 

Nicholas Roy and linemate Ivan Barbashev have really picked up their production of late. Roy for his part has produced 11 points and 2 goals in his last 7 games played, and is now on-pace for 52 points over a full season. Top 6 minutes and a role on the second power play unit should help solidify Roy as a valuable streaking option, at least while his current deployment lasts. 

🎯 Michael Bunting (LW), CAR

Rostered: 28% Yahoo (45% Fantrax) | GP: 3 (Vs.VAN, Vs.COL, Vs.NJD) | Line: 1 (w/ Sebastian Aho & Teuvo Teravainen, PP1) 

5 points and 1 goal in his last 8 games is not mind-blowing production from Michael Beunting; but a role on the top line with Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen, as well as the top power play unit is certainly worth taking into consideration as fantasy managers evaluate options for the upcoming week. 14 of Bunting’s 31 points this season have come on the power play, so if your fantasy squad is in need of PPP specifically, Bunting appears to be a solid option. On-pace for 54 points over a full 82-game season. 

🎯 Dylan Cozens (C/RW), BUF

Rostered: 49% Yahoo (75% Fantrax) | GP: 2 (Vs.DAL, Vs.STL) | Line: 2 (w/ Zach Benson & JJ Peterka, PP2) 

Us Hacks had high expectations of Dylan Cozens coming into the 2023-2024 season. With 29 points and 10 goals, Cozens has fallen a bit short of our projections; but he certainly has picked up his production of late with 9 points and 4 goals over his last 7 games played. Just two games on the schedule for Buffalo this week make Cozens a little more difficult to roster; but the Sabres do have 7 games over the next two weeks. 

ALSO: Sean Monahan, WPG (25%/57%) – 11 Points and 2 goals in his last 7 games played. Given a role at second line center between Cole Perfetti and Nikolai Ehlers and PP1!

DEFENSEMEN

🎯 Rasmus Sandin (D), WSH

Rostered: 11% Yahoo (48% Fantrax) | GP: 4 (Vs.MTL, @FLA, @BOS, Vs.VAN) | Pair: 2 (w/ Trevor Van Riemsdyk, PP2) 

Following a stint on IR Rasmus Sandin is back in action and his time on ice has declined with each passing game, topping out at 23:07 TOI against the Dallas Stars on January 27th. With just the line goal through three games, the offense is still coming, though prior to being injured Sandin did have 5 points in 5 games played. For bangers leagues, Sandin has thrown 7 hits over his last 6 games, and averages 1.53 Hits/GM over the course of his career. The cherry on top is that the Capitals have four games this week, though against some stiffer competition. 

🎯 Josh Manson (D), COL

Rostered: 33% Yahoo (39% Fantrax) | GP: 4 (@NYR, @NJD, @CAR, @FLA) | Pair: 2 (w/ Sam Girard) 

As mentioned earlier, the Avs play four times in the second half of an extended week 17, and Josh Manson has been very productive of late –  10 points (4 goals) in his last 14 games played. Over that stretch the Avs Dman has also been a +3, 16 PIMs, 19 Blocks and 46 HITS (3.28 Hits/GM)!! Obviously no PP time to speak of, but the category coverage and current production mitigate or eliminate that concern entirely. Great short-term streaming option, particularly in BASH formats. 

🎯 Hampus Lindholm (D), BOS

Rostered: 55% Yahoo (58% Fantrax) | GP: 3 (Vs.CGY, Vs.VAN, Vs.WSH) | Pair: 2 (w/ Brandon Carlo, PP2) 

Hampus Lindholm’s decline in overall offensive production this season can be at least partially explained by his drop in shot rate (3.2 SOG/60 versus 5.1 SOG/60 last year) and individual shooting percentage (1.6% this year, 6.3% last season). However, Lindholm is still playing just shy of 24 minutes per game, still averages 1.40 Blocks/GM, and still has a very respectable 8 points over his last 12 games played. 3 games for this week, two of which are against weaker opponents. 

GOALTENDERS

🎯 Anthony Stolarz (G), FLA

Rostered: 11% Yahoo (16% Fantrax) | GP: 3 (Vs.PHI, Vs.WSH, Vs.COL) | Role: Tandem

5-2-1 with a 1.93 GAA and .916 SV% in his last 9 appearances, Anthony Stolarz is a solid streaming option whenever he gets the call. It is worth noting that Stolarz has started 3 of the Panthers last 5 games.   

🎯 Ilya Samsonov (G), TOR

Rostered: 66% Yahoo (76% Fantrax) | GP: 3 (Vs.NYI, Vs.DAL, @OTT) | Role: Tandem

Ilya Samsonov is 3-0-0 with a 0.98 GAA, a .960 SV% and 1 shutout in his last three starts – and appears to have found his game once again. By all accounts the demotion to the AHL was a much needed wake-up call. At 66% rostered, the window to claim Samsonov is quickly closing. 

ALSO: David Rittich, LAK (24%/27%) – 3-1-3, 2.35 GAA and .920 SV% in 9 appearances during the month of January. With Cam Talbot struggling, Rittich could be a solid short term solution. Charlie Lindgren, WSH (38%)/44%) – Before allowing 11 goals in his two most recent starts against Dallas and Colorado, Lindgren had given up just 3 goals or less in 10 straight appearances dating back to December 9th. A stretch that saw the netminder post a 4-3-2 record with a 1.94 GAA and .929 SV%. With 4 games in the upcoming schedule the 30-year old needs to be on fantasy managers radars.