Identifying players with four games each week and populating your roster with those players can increase your chances of winning your fantasy hockey game. That’s why our weekly planner is so useful!

I took this weekly schedule and combined it with a team defense score that I created using key defensive metrics to find which teams/skaters have the easiest schedule this week.

Week 19 – Calendar Force

Week 19 broadcast targets

• SOS = Strength of Schedule Rank (1 good, 32 bad)
• Light = number of games on brighter days (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun)
• DR = Defensive Rating (1st = Best Defensive Team, 32nd = Worst Defensive Team)

Tampa Bay Lightning (SOS: #1 | Light: 1)

The Lightning have the easiest schedule this week, but only one game on light days, so you’ll need to go through your roster to make sure you can fit Lightning skaters before adding them.

• Anthony Cirelli (C/LW) – 16% registered

Cirelli is on the Lightning’s second line, usually with Steven Stamkos and Alex Killorn. He’s been warming up over the past month, scoring four goals with four assists (eight points) and 29 shots on goal (2.4 SOG/g) in his last 12 games.

Carolina Hurricanes (SOS: #3 | Light: 1)

Like the Lightning, the Hurricanes only have one game on light days, but they have the third-easiest schedule of the week and plenty of streaming targets available on the waiver feed.

• Teuvo Teravainen (LW/RW) – 59% aligned

Teravainen was pushed off the front row over the weekend but responded with a two-point (1G/1A) performance against the Capitals on Saturday. Since late December, Teravainen has collected 16 points (5G/11A) in his last 20 games.

• Seth Jarvis (LW/RW) – 23% registered

Jarvis didn’t have the breakout season many were expecting in the preseason, but he’s still a great streaming target, given his place in the Hurricanes’ roster. He is currently skating on a line with Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov and on the second unit on the power play. Jarvis scored a hat trick against Montreal last Thursday and has 10 points (5G / 3A) and 36 shots (2.3 SOG/g) in his last 16 games.

• Jesperi Kotkaniemi (C/LW) – 3% entered

Kotkaniemi is back in the Hurricanes’ top 6 and is producing the best offensive results of his young career. Kotkaniemi has three goals and four assists (seven points) in his last six games. He’s shooting 50% on that streak, so the goal tally won’t continue at that rate, but he’s a decent one-week option when the Hurricanes have an easy schedule.

Buffalo Sabers (SOS: #6 | Light: 2)

The Sabers have two games on a clear day and the sixth-easiest schedule this week, and better broadcast targets than the Flyers, whose schedule is slightly easier.

• Dylan Cozens (C) – 57% registered

Cozens’ breakout season keeps rolling. He’s on a four-game point streak, posting three goals and one assist in that span. In his last 21 games, Cozens has nine goals and eight assists (17 points) and continues to be a staple in PP1 for the Sabers’ No. 6 ranked power play (25.0%).

• Victor Olofsson (RW) – 16% entered

Olofsson is always an interesting streaming target due to his goalscoring ability. He’s tough to own full-time due to his inconsistencies and lack of assist totals, but he can provide an influx of goals this week. He’s been scoreless in his last six games, so you can say he’s ‘due’. In his last 15 games, the 27-year-old has eight goals and four assists (12 points) and 38 shots (2.5 SOG/g).

Pittsburgh Penguins (SOS: #8 | Light: 2)

• Rickard Rakell (LW/RW) – 64% registered

Rakell should probably be better held since he skates on the front row with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel and is also part of the best power play unit. He’s been great with that deployment, scoring eight goals and seven assists (15 points) in his last 16 games.

• Bryan Rust (RW) – 50% registered

Rust has zero points in his last four games, but he had a seven-shot performance against the Islanders last Friday and has seven points (4G/3A) in his last 13 games. He is a clear level below Rakell but is a solid shallow league target this week.

• Jason Zucker (AG) – 21% registered

Zucker has just one goal and one assist in his last 10 games, but he continues to skate on a line with Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust, so you imagine the results will improve. He’s shot 2.8 shots per game over that streak, so his 3.6 SH% is due to positive regression.

New York Islanders (SOS: #10 | Light: 4)

The Islanders are one of two teams with their four clear-weather games this week and also have an easier top-10 schedule. The problem for them is that they are missing four key forwards and their offense has struggled a lot, averaging eighth-fewest goals per game (2.74) in their last 10 games.

• Anders Lee (AG) – 58% registered

Whether Lee is on the top line with Bo Horvat or on the second line with Brock Nelson, he’s in good company. Lee is among the Islanders’ top power-play unit and starts the week with 10 points (6G/4A) in his last 12 games.

• Kyle Palmieri (RW) – 8% registered

Palmieri skated on the second row with Nelson recently, but was pushed back to the front row with Horvat and Lee on Saturday after Mathew Barzal left the game with an injury. He’s also joined the top power play unit, so he could be in for a big week if Barzal runs out of time. Palmieri has been very productive since returning to the lineup on Jan. 23, scoring three goals and six assists (nine points) in 11 games.