Risers and Fallers: Fantasy Playoffs On The Horizon

For most of you, fantasy playoffs will be starting in the coming weeks, so now is the time to scrutinize your rostered players with respect to scheduling. Particularly those who may not start often in a given week therefore requiring consideration to hold or drop. Superstar tier players the likes of Draisaitl, McDavid, Kucherov, etc. are immune to this. Lesser players however you need to consider the big picture.

Using my own redraft squad as an example, I will secure a first round bye with my first week of playoffs coming the week of March 30th. Utah plays twice that week with the first game not until Thursday. I own Logan Cooley and Mikhail Sergachev. Sergachev I may stomach the schedule with defense being my weakest position but Logan might be axed for someone playing more games because in a do-or-die scenario this can be make or break.

Many teams have the dreaded Tues.-Thurs.-Sat. slate so turn to the scarce off nights to stream from. At this point I think your best bets are Montreal and Ottawa who still offer two off nights through Sunday. Obviously stream where you can fit but with each passing week game availability becomes the pinnacle consideration as you tune-up for the big dance.

Risers

Dan Vladar

Despite his past two letdowns, the 28-year-old Czech is doing everything within his power to keep the city of Brotherly Love in the playoff hunt. With six quality starts in his last eight games, Philadelphia are going to roll him out often in an attempt to secure a berth. Coupled with four-games two weeks in a row during most fantasy playoffs, you may want to look Vladar’s way.

If you utilized the zero-goaltender strategy in your draft(s) last fall, the former Calgary Flame has been one of the shining examples of when it works. Already possessing 20-wins, he should be able to clear 25, and perhaps flirt with 30 should he go on a run throughout March.

Jet Greaves

The workhorse duty he was seeing from late December through mid-January has evaporated but the soon-to-be 25-year-old has been solid lately with four quality starts in his last six nods. The Blue Jackets are just outside of a wild card spot seemingly peaking at the right time going 6-1-3 in their past ten tilts. Whether or not they make the playoffs I cannot predict.

What I will take a stab at predicting is Greaves winning out over Elvis Merzlikins to get them there. Blue suede shoes hasn’t posted a quality start since Feb. 3rd so it would seem he’s back to his long established trend of mediocrity. If the Ohio franchise wants to play hockey past mid-April, Greaves is going to have to do his significant part to aid the process.

Casey DeSmith

It’s no secret that Jake Oettinger has been shaky overall in ‘25-’26. Thankfully for him, the Stars can more often than not outscore their opponent to compensate for his porous play, having not scored less than three goals in a game since Jan. 22nd. Additionally they have a competent backup who while not called upon often has been consistent when deployed.

The former Pittsburgh Penguin would make for a good streaming target in these closing weeks when he gets the green check mark. Fact of the matter is Dallas is not missing Mikko Rantanen right now and have been arguably better without. Even if Casey falters, he too has the benefit of playing on a team that can typically outscore the other squad.

Fallers

Sam Montembeault

There’s really no way to sugarcoat this in that it’s been a truly unforgettable campaign for the 29-year-old. What’s disheartening is it comes after a very promising season prior which saw him start 60+ times collecting 31 wins on the fast rising bleu, blanc, rouge.

He’s only netted three quality starts in calendar year 2026 so you should’ve moved on long, long ago. If for some reason you’re still holding on, please cut the cord as he will drag you down when it matters most. Hopefully he can rebound in ‘26-’27 but Jakub Dobes will probably always impede his path back to the workhorse form of ‘24-’25.

Tristan Jarry

Clearly the goalie isn’t the problem in Edmonton whether it was Stuart Skinner or now Tristan Jarry. Hopefully the moves made at the deadline by GM Stan Bowman shore up the defensive lapses which have led to Jarry only having two quality starts since the trade.

Really nobody should be shocked since the former Pittsburgh Penguin has slowly but surely been trending down going back to ‘22-’23. His ratios have ballooned to new heights this year and there’s no way you can justify rostering him. Connor Murphy, Jason Dickinson, and Colton Dach may help defensively but I’m not buying when it comes to Tristan.

Juuse Saros

The Nashville Predators as a whole went on a great run starting in late November through most of January but things have puttered out somewhat with them 4-4-2 in their last ten tilts. Despite this, they’re still only three points out of a wild card spot.

The problem is their starting goaltender cannot stop a beach ball , having not let less than three goals by in a game going all the way back to Jan. 10th. This will not cut it in both real life and fantasy. The career Predator has been mediocre all season so don’t expect a revelation to suddenly occur.

Other Thoughts

Tony DeAngelo isn’t lighting the world on fire but has been a consistent, serviceable fantasy blue liner for two months now with 14 points, 52 SOG, 27 BLK over his last 21 games.

Jimmy Snuggerud has 14 points in the past 12 games. Dylan Holloway back to the form of last year’s 63-point effort with ten points past seven games.

For most leagues playoffs start on Mar. 23rd., the optimal team stream is the New York Rangers with all four games falling on off nights.

Speaking of Rangers, since Artemi Panarin left Manhattan, Alexis Lafreniere has 14 points in the past 12 games. Gabe Perreault has been elevated to L1/PP1 with seven points past five games.

Brandon Bussi has begun to falter having never played more than 41 games in a season of pro hockey (AHL). Keep tabs as playoffs approach should the trend continue.

Target Penguins for five-game week during fantasy playoffs (week of 3/30).

Ryan Strome is L2/PP1 in Calgary. Victor Olofsson bumped Zayne Parekh off the top unit in two games so far this week.