Fantasy Hockey: Forecaster

By KFFL Staff on February 21, 2011

For more fantasy sports coverage, visit RotoExperts.com.

All you daily leaguers listen up. Taking advantage of all your weekly moves can yield a huge advantage in counting stats. Streaming players with back-to-back games can be an even greater asset. It's two games for the price of one. There are a ton of games on Friday and Saturday, but choosing players from earlier in the week will lend a significant boost to your squad.

Philadelphia plays back-to-back-to-back Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

Three games in a row? It's not going to happen again this season; so now's the time to take advantage of three games for the price of one.

Quick Adds

James Van Riemsdyk LW PHI - Van Riemsdyk is quietly developing into the scorer he was expected to be when he was taken second in 2007. He's lit the lamp 14 times this season and is on a mini hot streak with two goals in his past three games. He's even helping out in other categories recently, too. He's plus-7 in the new year and even got into a scrap Tuesday night.

Kris Versteeg LW PHI - I want to start by saying what an excellent addition this is for Philly. In Toronto, Versteeg was expected to be a Top-6 forward and someone the team depended on for offensive production. But that's not who he is. With the Flyers, the plucky winger can boost the third line, throw his body around and play on the short-handed unit. How does this translate into Fantasy terms? Well, he's a cheap source of scoring, and playing on a better team should boost his assist total and plus/minus rating. The upcoming triple-header includes games with the Islanders and Tampa, two teams not exactly known for their defensive prowess.

Matt Carle D PHI - If you need scoring stay far, far away. The bruising blue liner has just one goal this season and it came on December 5. Not All-star stuff there. What Carle will do is lock up plus/minus, he's sitting at an ungodly plus-23, and help with assists and penalty minutes.

New York Islanders and St. Louis play Monday and Tuesday

Quick Adds

Andy McDonald C/LW STL - Since returning from injury on February 4, the little guy has reasserted himself as a game breaker in St. Louis. He has 10 points in those eight games (4 G, 6 A) and is an amazing plus-7. He's still wildly under-owned and will make not only an excellent stream, but also a quality long term pick up.

Frans Nielsen C NYI - Centering the red-hot Michael Grabner is paying huge dividends right now for the Danish sensation. He's been a prime set-up man all season long, as evidenced by his goal/assist splits (7 G, 23 A). What's interesting is that 30 percent of his points have come in the last eight games. Over that stretch, Nielsen's put up nine points (2 G, 7 A) and a plus-8 rating. On top of that, he's been a special teams nightmare for the opposition, posting two PPP and two SHP in that time.

TJ Oshie C STL - Let's jump in a time machine way back to October. Oshie was on fire to start the season. Recording ten points and eight PIMs in ten games. He was all over the power play (5 PPP) and looking like the breakout star of the season. Then a twist of bad luck derailed his season. He was trying to pick up some extra PIMs by engaging in fisticuffs with Columbus' Sammy Pahlsson - when he suddenly fell and broke his ankle. Bad luck there, TJ. He made his triumphant return to the Blues on January 18 and didn't look like the same guy. He was playing at a slower speed and clearly favoring the ankle. Since the calendar flipped to February he's pulled a Stella and gotten his groove back: Eight Points in eight games, including five in the last two. He's back to playing first line minutes and is filling up the stat sheet again. Go grab him now and hold on to him. He's a guy that can propel you to a Fantasy championship.

Colorado, Edmonton and San Jose play Tuesday and Wednesday

Quick Adds

Devin Setoguchi RW SJ - I mentioned him a couple weeks back and he's proved to be more valuable than expected. This is what happens when you rediscover your scoring touch. Since January 22, he's been on an absolute tear. In those 12 games the winger has twinkled the twine eight times and added four assist to boot. He's minus-10 on the season, but plus-4 over this period. Believe the hype; remember that he's just a year removed from a 31-goal campaign.

Shawn Horcoff C EDM - The elder statesman of this young Oilers team has fought through injuries all season, but finally looks healthy and the production is coming along with it. He's in the midst of a modest three game point streak (1 G, 4 A), playing big minutes on the power play and pacing himself, getting 22 minutes to rest in the sin bin over those games.

Los Angeles plays Wednesday and Thursday

Quick Adds

Kyle Clifford LW LA - He's certainly a not prolific scorer, but no one expects him to be. He's on the ice for one reason: To knock some heads in. He's among the league leaders in PIMs, posting 12 in the last five games. With games against Anaheim and Minnesota, expect him to rumble with George Parros and Brad Staubitz at some point.

Matt Greene D LA - Don't be put off by his seven points this season. He wasn't seeing much ice time and was asked to be a stay at home defenseman, a role that suits his game. But something's happened recently, he's gotten a major boost in playing time and has managed three points (G, 2 A) in the past four games. Nothing out of this world, but great for a universally un-owned blue liner, maybe you can catch some lightning in a bottle.

Teams with five games

St. Louis (MON v. CHI; TUE v. COL; THU @ VAN; FRI @ EDM; SUN @ CGY)

Teams with four games

Colorado (TUE @ STL; WED v. EDML SAT @ LA; SUN @ ANA)

Edmonton (TUE @ MIN; WED @ COL; FRI v. STL; SUN v. BOS)

Florida (MON @ NYI; WED @ OTT; FRI @ ATL; SUN v. NJ)

Nashville (TUE @ CLS; THU v. CHI; SAT @ DAL; SUN v. CLS)

NY Islanders (MON v. FLA; TUE @ TOR; WED @ PHI; SAT v. WAS)

Philadelphia (TUE v. PHO; WED @ TB; THU v. NYI; SAT @ OTT)

Pittsburgh (MON v. WAS; WED v. SJ; FRI @ CAR; SAT @ TOR)

Toronto (TUE v. NYI; THU @ MTL; SAT v. PIT; SUN @ ATL)

Teams with three games

Anaheim (WED v. LA; FRI v. MIN; SUN v. COL)

Atlanta (WED @ BUF; FRI v. FLA; SUN v. TOR)

Boston (TUE @ CGY; SAT @ VAN; SUN @ EDM)

Buffalo (WED v. ATL; FRI v. OTT; SAT v. DET)

Calgary (TUE v. BOS; FRI v. SJ; SUN v. STL)

Carolina (TUE v. NYR; FRI v. PIT; SAT @ MTL)

Chicago (MON @ STL; THU @ NSH; SUN v. PHO)

Columbus (TUE v. NSH; FRI v. PHO; SUN @ NSH)

Dallas (TUE v. NJ; THU @ DET; SAT v. NSH)

Detroit (TUE v. SJL THU v. DAL; SAT @ BUF)

Los Angeles (WED @ ANA; THU v. MIN; SAT v. COL)

Minnesota (TUE v. EDM; THU @ LA; FRI @ ANA)

Montreal (TUE @ VAN; THU v. TOR; SAT v. CAR)

New Jersey (TUE @ DAL; FRI @ TB; SUN @ FLA)

NY Rangers (TUE @ CAR; FRI @ WAS; SUN v. TB)

Ottawa (WED v. FLA; FRI @ BUF; SAT v. PHI)

Phoenix (TUE @ PHI; FRI @ CLS; SUN @ CHI)

San Jose (TUE @ DET; WED @ PIT; FRI @ CGY)

Tampa Bay (WED v. PHO; FRI v. NJ; SUN @ NYR)

Vancouver (TUE v. MTL; THU v. STL; SAT v. BOS)

Washington (MON @ PIT; FRI v. NYR; SAT @ NYI)

Pat Mayo has never been nominated for a FSWA award, but don't let that stop you from listening to him on RotoExperts' Fantasy War Room, Thursday's at 8pm ET. Want your question answered on air? Send it to patmayo@rotoexperts.com or Tweet Pat @thepme.

Get up to the minute, in-person Fantasy expertise from the entire Rotoexperts team with our exclusive Live Advice. Or drop us a line via our Email Advice.

Fantasy baseball is almost here. Get everything you'll need to know in the RotoExperts Xclusive Fantasy Baseball Package.

Need more Fantasy Hockey in your life? Check out Dan Dobish's Slap Shots for all the latest news.