Fantasy Hockey 2025-26: Weekly Strength of Schedule and Streaming Targets — Week 19
Finding an edge in fantasy hockey often comes down to maximizing your man games — and targeting players with favourable matchups. Our Fantasy Hockey Strength of Schedule tool helps you do precisely that.
Each week, we evaluate every NHL team’s upcoming slate using three key factors:
- Games Played: More games mean more opportunities for fantasy points.
- Strength of Schedule (SOS): Based on opponent difficulty, the higher the score, the easier the matchups.
- Light Nights: Nights with eight or fewer NHL games, when it’s easier to fit extra players into your active lineup.
By combining these three components, the tool highlights which teams — and streamers — are best positioned for fantasy success this week.
If you’re looking for a full breakdown of every team’s upcoming schedule, check out our Fantasy Hockey Strength of Schedule Tool — updated daily to show which teams have the most games and valuable light-night matchups each week.
Week 19 Strength of Schedule
Week 19 Streaming Targets
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings are the only team in the NHL with four light-night games this week, giving fantasy managers a prime opportunity to maximize games played. The downside? They have one of the most difficult matchup spreads of the week and Detroit’s offense has been ice cold.
They’ve scored more than two goals just once in their last seven games, averaging just 1.57 goals per game over that stretch. The schedule is the draw here, not the recent production.
Patrick Kane (RW – 31% Rostered)
Kane found the back of the net in Detroit’s 5–2 loss in Carolina on Saturday, snapping a 14-game goal drought.
The veteran has managed just 10 points (3G / 7A) across 19 games in January and February, but the usage remains strong. He continues to log heavy minutes at both 5v5 and on the power play.
At even strength, Kane is skating alongside Alex DeBrincat and Andrew Copp, a trio that’s produced well this season. However, most of the Red Wings offence is likely to come from the power-play, and Kane is the only player on their top unit that is readily available on the waiver wire.
Marco Kasper (C/LW – 4% Rostered)
Kasper’s sophomore campaign hasn’t been smooth, but there are signs of life lately.
He’s back on the top line with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond and enters Week 19 with seven points (3G / 4A) in his last 12 games. More encouraging is the workload: 16:17 TOI per game over his last 10, along with 4.7 shot attempts and 2.4 hits per game across his last seven.
Without power-play exposure, Kasper’s ceiling is limited. But in deeper leagues, he’s a solid volume play to take advantage of Detroit’s four-game week — offering contributions in points, shots, and hits.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes have the best schedule of the week. They play four games, three of which fall on light nights, and they have the easiest average opponent rating on the board.
Their only non-light night game comes Saturday, a busy 11-game slate. That said, even on a packed night, there’s usually a decent chance you have at least one open roster spot to take advantage.
Jackson Blake (RW – 9% Rostered)
Blake enters Week 19 riding a three-game point streak and has 12 points (5G / 7A) over his last 16 games. That production translates to a 26-goal, 36-assist (62-point) pace, and there aren’t any obvious red flags in the profile.
At 5v5 during that stretch, he’s posted an elite 3.55 xGF/60, showing that Carolina is generating high-quality offense with him on the ice.
Blake is capable of spike performances — like Saturday’s five-shot, nine-attempt outing. If the shot volume were more consistent, he’d be in long-term hold territory. As it stands, he’s an excellent streamer who can deliver impact nights. With four strong matchups ahead, Blake profiles as one of the top streaming options of the week.
Taylor Hall (LW – 2% Rostered)
Hall entered the Olympic break pointless in five straight games, but he’s come out of it firing. He’s posted back-to-back multi-point performances, totaling two goals and three assists.
He’s skating alongside Blake and Logan Stankoven, and that trio has posted elite offensive metrics together. With four favourable matchups on tap, Hall shapes up as a strong deep-league streaming option this week.
St. Louis Blues
St. Louis only plays three games this week, but all three fall on light nights — and they draw the second-easiest opponent rating of any team. Matchups against the Kraken, Sharks, and Ducks set up extremely well for offensive production.
With Friday’s trade deadline approaching and the Blues expected to be sellers, additional opportunity could open up for key fantasy contributors later in the week.
After a quiet first four months, the offense has come alive. The Blues have scored three or more goals in eight of their last nine games, averaging 3.67 goals per game over that stretch.
Pavel Buchnevich (C/LW/RW – 27% Rostered)
Buchnevich has been one of the biggest drivers of that surge, collecting 13 points (6G / 7A) in his last 10 games.
The production looks sustainable. At 5v5, he’s averaging 2.94 xGF/60, meaning the Blues are generating consistent quality chances with him on the ice. He’s also averaging 2.7 shots on goal and 4.6 shot attempts per game, giving him a strong floor.
He won’t continue shooting 22% or maintain a 49-goal pace, but in a three-game week with elite matchups, a goal, an assist, and 7–9 shots feels well within reach.
Jimmy Snuggerud (RW – 7% Rostered)
Snuggerud has also been heating up, posting 10 points (3G / 7A) in his last nine games.
The rookie is logging heavy minutes (18:35 per game) and is never shy about firing the puck. Over the last two months, he’s averaging 5.6 shot attempts per game, giving him legitimate goal-scoring upside on any given night.
If the Blues’ offense continues rolling against favorable competition, expect Snuggerud to be involved.
Dallas Stars
Dallas has strong matchups this week against the Canucks, Flames, Avalanche, and Blackhawks. The issue? There aren’t many clear streaming targets, even with injuries opening up some short-term opportunity.
Roope Hintz is expected back Monday or Tuesday, which complicates things further.
If you’re in one of the 49% of leagues where Matt Duchene is still available, he’s the top pickup of the week. Duchene has 11 points (7G / 4A) in his last eight games and should remain on PP1 while Mikko Rantanen is sidelined. With that role and his current form, he’s the clear priority add from Dallas.
Jamie Benn (C/LW/RW – 9% Rostered)
If Duchene is already rostered, Benn is the next-best option.
He’s likely to lose his PP1 role once Hintz returns, which dings his upside a bit. That said, he enters Week 19 with nine points (2G / 7A) in his last six games.
The concern is sustainability. Benn’s usage (14:57 TOI per game) and shot volume (1.2 SOG per game) during that stretch are both modest, making it difficult to rely on him consistently. He’s viable in deeper formats, but I’d look to Blake or Snuggerud first in standard formats.
Anaheim Ducks
You can wait until Wednesday to add an Anaheim streamer and still get three light-night games against the Islanders, Canadiens, and Blues. They’re not elite matchups, but all three grade out as above-average spots.
Most of Anaheim’s higher-end forwards are already rostered in standard leagues. That leaves essentially one viable standard-league streaming option, plus a few ultra-deep plays like Alex Killorn (3%) and Ryan Poehling (1%).
Chris Kreider (LW – 24% Rostered)
Kreider essentially disappeared in December, but he’s been much better since the calendar flipped. Over his last 16 games, he’s recorded seven goals and four assists (11 points).
He’s never been a big assist contributor, but he remains a legitimate goal-scoring threat. The concern is consistency — his shot volume has been volatile, which lowers his weekly floor.
That said, since returning from the break, he’s averaged 19:53 TOI per game and 3.0 shot attempts per game. With that workload and three light-night opportunities, Kreider is a viable streaming target this week — particularly if you’re chasing goals.
Colorado Avalanche
Colorado doesn’t have ideal matchups this week (@ LAK, @ ANA, @ DAL, vs. MIN), but their offense is strong enough that it often doesn’t matter.
The bigger issue for fantasy managers is availability — very few Avalanche skaters are sitting on waiver wires. There is, however, one standard-league exception.
Gabriel Landeskog (LW/RW – 34% Rostered)
Landeskog looked strong at the Olympics, and that form has carried over into Colorado’s post-break games. He has two assists in three games since returning, but more importantly, the usage has been elite, averaging over 21 minutes and 5.0 shot attempts per game.
With that kind of deployment and shot volume, Landeskog isn’t just a strong streamer, he’s a legitimate long-term add.
He’s skating on the top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas, while also seeing PP1 time. That’s about as good as it gets from a role standpoint.
He’s dealt with injuries this season, but over his last 14 games, the veteran winger has 10 points (2G / 8A). With his current usage and offensive environment, there’s very little not to like this week.