If interested in this particular material, you’re likely secure, or hopefully on the cusp of nailing down a spot, within your league’s fantasy playoff bracket. Congratulations! Now it’s time to finish the job. No one cares about a record pace through the first 90% of a marathon if the last three miles end in a sputtering crawl. Hopefully the following primer helps you take home the Cup.
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The schedule
Hacking the schedule to maximum benefit is paramount during the do-or-die knockout playoff stage. As hammered on in this space all season long, this is a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday league; the ability to roll out as full a lineup as possible when the slate is light, while not sacrificing player quality on busier nights, offers the greatest advantage.
In approaching ESPN’s default playoff bracket — comprising one two-week round to start, then a second 18-day championship stretch to conclude — taking a slightly compartmentalized week-by-week look is easiest to manage. Strength of schedule obviously comes into play, along with transactional limits, and how easily you’re able to massage your roster.
While more foresight is required in set-and-forget weekly lineups, managers with daily flexibility need to find the right balance between acquiring useful available performers without losing those most valuable too prematurely. Of course, desperation can also play a factor. If you’re drowning, any possible life preserver will do. Tomorrow can then be dealt with when it arrives.
Week 1, March 16-22
Let’s go!
More favorable schedule: Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, Utah Mammoth. The Avs battle the Pittsburgh Penguins, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, respectively. Fantasy-friendly schedule indeed, rhythm-wise and in strength of competition. Only the Stars have been stingy in the goals-allowed department of late. Now would be the occasion to snatch up forward Valeri Nichushkin, who’s producing in Colorado’s top six while Artturi Lehkonen and Gabriel Landeskog remain sidelined.
Just because they’re out of it, doesn’t mean some Rangers skaters can’t still help your fantasy team. For example, rookie Gabe Perreault is forging palpable chemistry with a sizzling Mika Zibanejad on New York’s top line, which has turned into three goals and four assists over a five-game stretch. Rostered in only 80% of ESPN Fantasy leagues, Alexis Lafreniere is also tearing it up at a torrid pace. (Now that it doesn’t matter anymore, many Blueshirts fans will point out.) Mike Sullivan’s crew faces off with the Kings, New Jersey Devils, Columbus Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets this week, with three of four contests falling on more lightly scheduled dates.
Less favorable schedule: St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs. While more than half the league competes four times this week, St. Louis plays only twice. Looking to face the Islanders, Hurricanes and Senators, Toronto is averaging 1.88 GF/GP and 4.13 GA/GP since the Olympic break.
Teams that play only Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks. Not that we need additional incentive to steer clear of Vancouver fantasy performers at this stage.
Week 2, March 23-29
Into the second and concluding week of Playoff Round 1, here’s when matters become more cutthroat. There’s no tomorrow (Playoff Round 2) if you don’t win today. Just because a player has put up excellent numbers all season long, doesn’t mean they get to see it through, particularly if a fantasy mercenary serves better in the here-and-now.
Weekly timetables don’t fall more feast/famine than the one wrapping up March 2026. Featuring a severe game-sine wave falling and cresting at 1-15-2-13-2-15-6, only one club competes every off night. If you haven’t already, now really get ready to pick up some Sullivan charges.
More favorable schedule: Rangers. We continue to ride Zibanejad, Trocheck, Fox and Shesterkin in Manhattan. New York is one of only two teams to play Monday (vs. Senators), four Wednesday (vs. Maple Leafs), four again Friday (vs. Blackhawks) and 12 teams Sunday (vs. Florida Panthers). Just adding a couple of New York bodies could spell the difference been victory and defeat. Goodness knows, you won’t have much issue filling your lineup otherwise Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday.
Beyond the fantasy heavy-hitters, look at Lafreniere and Perreault, as mentioned, plus physical forward Will Cuylle, if he’s available. Perhaps even Tye Kartye in deeper leagues that reward the tougher categories. On the blue line, Vladislav Gavrikov is probably worth a whirl.
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Will Cuylle ties it in the 3rd period for Rangers
Will Cuylle lights the lamp
Less favorable schedule: Pittsburgh Penguins, Winnipeg Jets. Of the extra large gaggle of teams playing only when everyone else is active — listed below — Pittsburgh offers even less fantasy promise in facing the Avs, Senators and Stars. It might be time to part ways with all but your most prominent Pens for now. Same goes for members Winnipeg’s hockey club, ahead of a minimal slate with two meetings versus the Avalanche and one with a Vegas team that’s due to get its collective act together.
Teams that only play Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Avalanche, Oilers, Kings, Wild, New York Islanders, Penguins, Sharks, Kraken, Blues, Mammoth, Canucks, Vegas Golden Knights, Capitals, Jets. More than half the league. Sheesh.
Week 3, March 30-April 5
This is it. In ESPN Fantasy H2H default competition, now you’re wading into the ultimate one-on-one throwdown for all the glory. All systems go, right?
More favorable schedule: Ducks, Avalanche, Islanders, Penguins, Blues
Pittsburgh plays five times this week, against the Islanders, Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning and Panthers (twice). Remember, about three paragraphs ago, the advice to dump all non-essential Pittsburgh skaters? Yeah, well, if you survived the last round, pick them back up again before your opponent catches wise. We’re talking about forwards Anthony Mantha, Egor Chinakhov and the like.
Anaheim faces the Leafs, Sharks and Blues on sparsely scheduled evenings before hosting the Flames on Saturday. If not already on board with rookie Beckett Sennecke, veteran Mikael Granlund, goalie Lukas Dostal and others, now would be the time to link arms.
Slated to visit the Stars on Saturday, the Avs also host the Flames, Canucks and Blues on off days. Aside from that trip to Dallas, fantasy schedules don’t fall out much more favorably. It’s also worth noting that the Blues hit the road with stops in San Jose, L.A., Anaheim, and Colorado Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. A little action from rookie Jimmy Snuggerud et al. this week could go a long way.
Plus, it’s worth noting Minnesota competes three times in the final four days of this week, versus the Canucks, Senators and Red Wings. After wading through Monday to Wednesday, subbing in a valuable performer from the Wild could work out very well in your favor.
Less favorable schedule: Predators, Mammoth. Only two games each for Nashville and Utah this week.
Teams that play only Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: Sabres, Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Stars, Oilers, Kraken, Lightning, Jets
Week 4, April 6-16
Final stretch. Depending on your league’s transactional limits, your task is to kick reputational concerns to the curb and ruthlessly optimize your lineup every single day. The end.
Note: The entire league is off April 10 for Good Friday.
More favorable schedule: Blue Jackets, Sharks, Mammoth, Senators
Less favorable schedule: Rangers. It was a good run.
Teams that only play Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday that first full week: Hurricanes, Avalanche, Stars, Red Wings, Panthers, Wild, Flyers, Blues, Golden Knights
Your opponent/categories
Please mind, especially in H2H category leagues, if you’re in position to get flattened in one particular metric — let’s say hits — just let it go. There’s no point in trying to chase a losing cause when you can bolster your position in other categories. Play to your strengths in determining which categories are most winnable, on a day-by day basis, and fiddle accordingly. Plus/minus not going your way? Leave it. In H2H knockout competition, a 7-5 victory matters as much as a landslide.
Goaltenders
Positive performances from your fantasy goaltenders carry more weight than ever, in that one negative swing can sink your season in one swoop. Rostering as many netminders as possible (within reason) offers the most elasticity in deciding who to ride and who to bench, with an eye to recent play and strength of competition. If unsatisfied with your current corps, consider subbing in one of the following, based on availability.
Joel Hofer, St. Louis Blues (98.6% available in ESPN leagues): The Blues’ best netminder doesn’t seem to care much that his team is largely written off for the year. At least Hofer’s playing that way in embracing the role of spoiler. Only Minnesota’s Filip Gustavsson has earned more fantasy points in ESPN Fantasy conventional leagues this past month. Unlike Hofer, the Wild’s No. 1 is largely spoken for across the fantasy spectrum.
Alex Lyon, Buffalo Sabres (67.0% available): The Sabres goalie is 15-2-0 with a .924SV% and 2.28 GAA since Dec. 9. Outstanding stuff. While Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are splitting duties fairly even-steven these days, coach Lindy Ruff is likely to run with one more than the other at some point, based on history. Betcha that ends up being the 33-year-old veteran. Oh, plus Buffalo is the hottest NHL ticket in town these days.
See also:
Backups with streaming appeal:
Injuries
To further hammer home the point, it’s time to flush any sense of loyalty right down the sewer. In redraft leagues, there’s no purpose whatsoever in wasting an IR spot on a player who isn’t likely to return before the real-life playoffs. This includes Stars center Roope Hintz, Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog and anyone else who falls under the dismal week-to-week or extended period umbrella. Of course, others, like Sidney Crosby and Mikko Rantanen, still merit such designation, in the view they could return with gusto before we’re all said and done. Utilize your IR spots wisely.
The there’s the logic-driven trend to jettison other popular fantasy performers on non-contending teams, when appropriate. The Panthers are already talking about shutting down Brad Marchand for the year. Keep an eye on whether the Rangers do the same with J.T. Miller. Other teams with banged-up players — Maple Leafs, Devils, Jets — are also likely to shelve a prominent performer (or two) once it’s all over but the crying.
Then keep a view of who’s promoted into a more prominent position within the top-six, on a No. 1 power play etc. Mathematically eliminated or not, the non-contenders still have to play the games, right? Again, one such sleeper pick in the fantasy season’s final days could spell the difference between finishing top of the table or not.
