We're getting down to the very end of the fantasy hockey season. If you're here, you've probably got something to play for next week, whether it's a title or a third-place match.
The season can be a real grind, but if you're in position for a championship, you know that very well by now. At this stage of the season, it's important to find players who are producing and will get plenty of action over the duration of your finals. No team has more than six games left -- if you want low-maintenance moves this week, find players on those teams.
It's important to remember that game volume isn't everything. Earlier in the playoffs, I loaded up on a handful of Canucks middle-six guys on a light night, and it still didn't give me enough to advance. Productivity matters, and this week's player adds are more catered to solid streaming targets with less weight on how many games they have left. I want quality performances, and I'm hoping these players -- many of whom have been featured previously this season in this column -- will continue to play well.
I'm surprised Bryan Rust is still available in nearly half of all Yahoo formats at this point in the season. He's been a huge, non-Crosby reason for the Penguins' resurgence in the last couple of weeks, racking up five goals and five assists over his last eight games. He also has 18 shots on goal and nine blocked shots in that span, but it's the offense that makes him a potential X-factor in the fantasy playoffs. Remember -- a spot on Sidney Crosby's wing is almost always fantasy-friendly.
To that point, Drew O'Connor is also worth a look, especially in deep formats. O'Connor has a modest eight points over his last 14 games, but he has 37 shots on net and 20 blocked shots in that span. His game is all hard work and grease, and it's that willingness to do the dirty jobs that have gotten him onto the top line with the Penguins trying to get back into the postseason mix. O'Connor won't be as steady an option for offense as Rust, but his defensive contributions could help you shore up those categories.
John-Jason Peterka has helped the Sabres stay in the hunt with an excellent surge of seven goals and two assists over his last eight games. Peterka has been a favorite pick-up of mine this season -- he's been underrated for much of the year, even as he's now second on the Sabres in goals (28) and fourth in points (50). Especially now, in a top-line role alongside Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, Peterka is a must have for the fantasy finals as a points and shots beast.
Juraj Slafkovsky is operating at a point-per-game pace over the last month with three goals and 11 assists over his last 14 games. Whatever the opposite of a sophomore slump is, Slafkovsky's had it -- he's been very good in 2023-24 after logging just 10 points in 39 contests a year ago. It helps when he's playing alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, but this is more of a synergy situation than just an improvement in linemates for Slafkovsky. The whole trio has enjoyed career years, and it's giving the Canadiens a bright future if the team can supplement that top line with more reliable depth.
With few depth defensemen making a case for fantasy effectiveness lately, Marcus Pettersson represents a good option for managers looking for something other than scoring. He's been fine with four points over his last 11 games, but I'm more interested in the plus-11 rating, 29 hits and 24 blocked shots in that span. Pettersson is a blueliner often on the fringe for my teams -- if I played in more 12- and 14-team formats, I'd likely have a higher share of interest in him. He's enjoyed a career year with 28 points, a plus-26 rating and 149 blocked shots this year, and most importantly, he's a steady top-four option.
Pavel Zacha is still well under where I'd expect him to be at 41 percent rostered in Yahoo. He heads into the fantasy finals with two goals and seven assists during a six-game point streak. With 56 points in 74 contests this season, Zacha has effectively replaced Patrice Bergeron's offense, allowing the Bruins to keep rolling as a big bear in the Eastern Conference. Zacha also has 102 hits, the most of his career, and his 14 power-play points also represent a career high. The 27-year-old isn't the prototypical top-line center, but he fits just fine for the blue-collar Boston lineup.
William Eklund's first full NHL season has been a bright spot amid the dark waters encircling the Sharks in recent years. For those unfamiliar with his game, he took advantage of a matinee Saturday to make headlines with his first career hat trick. That gave the 21-year-old winger 10 points over his last 10 games. Be careful if you're playing in a plus-minus league, but Eklund can help everywhere else, especially in formats that use blocked shot. In addition to 40 points over 75 contests, Eklund has 67 blocks -- he's showing some serious defensive responsibility that should make him a top-six fixture in San Jose for years to come.
I rarely give Brendan Smith much thought at all for fantasy, but I won't ignore his two goals, three assists, 15 hits and 16 blocked shots over the last six games. There's no guarantee John Marino (upper body) will play again this season, and Smith has absorbed top-four minutes lately. He's a tough-as-nails defenseman that will boost hits, blocks and PIM, which makes him a surprisingly effective depth blueliner for fantasy at this stage of the season. The offense is just a bonus.
Alexander Romanov is in a similar vein, having earned five assists, 13 hits and 19 blocked shots over his last eight games. The Islanders are in all-hands-on-deck mode in their push for a playoff spot, which means a strong performance leads to a boost in minutes. Romanov's history as a bruising shot-blocker is well-established, and he can also chip in solid offense and a good plus-minus. There's more reason to trust him over Smith, but both fill a similar role -- take the one that fits your settings better.
As for the Islanders, that all-out approach to a playoff spot has led to way more playing time for Semyon Varlamov. This was definitely not Ilya Sorokin's best season in the NHL, although he has come around lately. Varlamov has started seven of the last 15 games, posting a 5-1-1 record, a 2.27 GAA and a .930 save percentage in that span. That's enough workload to be worth a look in the fantasy playoffs, and the results speak for themselves. Head coach Patrick Roy refuses to establish a pattern for his goalies, but Varlamov's worth grabbing both as an insurance option for Sorokin and as a stand-alone dart-throw.
I have serious concerns about the Avalanche's playoff hopes, but that's a question for a different week. The root of the concern is that Alexandar Georgiev has been overworked over the last two seasons, and it's starting to show. Until recently, that was due to the lack of a viable backup, but Justus Annunen is 5-2-0 with a 1.82 GAA and a .944 save percentage over seven games since the start of March. I've been hesitant to add Annunen generally -- I'm not buying this sudden turnaround since it started with a pair of shutout wins over the Blackhawks, but there's no denying he's more confident. A 10-day investment in Annunen is just fine if it can help me steal a title or two, though I'm less willing to grab him in places were I don't already have Georgiev.
At the end of the season, it's a good time to reflect on how far you've come in your fantasy competitions. Playing for a championship is the most exciting part of this, but there's still joy to be had in the camaraderie of competing with friends.
As always, the best of luck this week with whatever you're playing for. I'll have one more check-in this season, which will be next Monday before the last few days of the season for those formats that go to the end.
