* Three Game weeks belong to Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Florida, Montreal, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, and Toronto in the East, and Anaheim, Chicago, Colorado, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Minnesota, Nashville, and Vancouver in the West.

 

* Two Game weeks belong to Boston, and Philadelphia in the East, and San Jose in the West.

 

* If you're lucky enough to have NHL Center Ice or the NHL Gamecenter mark Thursday on your calendars as the Blackhawks travel to San Jose. Easily the game of the week and with San Jose off until that point in the week it should be an up tempo contest.

* Just more of a gut feeling than anything but I'm leaning away from many of my Sabres this week as they play three games and are coming off a long road trip  finishing up in Vancouver before hosting Boston and New Jersey. Not looking really good that they'll score a lot this week.

 

* You have to feel good going with any of the Canadiens you normally use as well as some of your marginal choices this week. All three opponents rank 20th or worse defensively so they should have no trouble exceeding a normal weeks production.

 

* Philadelphia only plays two games this week but both are at home, and both are against awful teams in their own end. Go ahead and use those Flyers you normally would as some of your bench options over those that face more difficult weeks.

 

* Toronto looks like a place to avoid this week. They've had some solid offensive performances this year but with Los Angeles (12th), New Jersey (1st) and Vancouver (6th) as their opponents they're just not likely going to be in a position to provide you with solid fantasy numbers for week 17.

 

* You could not order up a better week for the Capitals. They play a road game against the Islanders (21st) , and then three straight home dates against Anaheim (24th), Florida (18th), and Tampa Bay (23rd). Don't overthink things - if the player is healthy and at all relevant on your roster he should be in your lineup this week.

 

* Much like the Capitals you should just roll with your Blackhawks this week. They play three games and two of the opponents are among the three worst defenses in the NHL. 

 

* Dallas looks to be in tough this week. All three of their games at home but the opponents are Calgary (9th) , Colorado (11th), and Phoenix (7th). In all likelihood the scoring totals will be very low for your Stars players in week 17.

 

* All three opponents for the Oilers this week are in the NHL's top half defensively and with the team not being that prolific offensively to begin with (22nd) I'd be looking at all my other options for Week 17.

 

* Stay clear of most of the Minnesota players as well in week 17. A home game against Detroit (8th), and road tilts against Colorado (11th)and San Jose (4th) paints a pretty bleak picture for the next seven day period.

 

* Pick your spots in Phoenix this week.They face three teams in the top ten defensively,  but with so few teams with four games and so many teams with shaky matchups you can't just not use them.

 

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* Three Game weeks belong to Atlanta, Boston, Carolina, Florida, Montreal, New Jersey, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, and Toronto in the East and Anaheim, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Nashville, Phoenix, St. Louis, and Vancouver.

 

* 4 Game weeks belong to Boston, the Rangers, Ottawa, and Toronto in the East and Anaheim, Calgary, Chicago, Columbus, and Dallas in the West.

 

* 3 Game weeks belong to Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Florida, Montreal, New Jersey, Islanders ,Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, and Washington in the East and Colorado, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Nashville, Phoenix, St. Louis, San Jose, and Vancouver in the West.

 

* 2 Game Weeks belong to Edmonton in the West. Everybody in the East plays three or more contests.

 

* The Sabres schedule looks very promising for week 14. Three home games and none of Tampa, Toronto, or Colorado should give you pause when you fill in your lineup cards.

 

* Pittsburgh has a three game week and really only Philadelphia is a solid opponent and I'm not letting a matchup against Michael Leighton cause me to bench anybody on this offense.

 

* I'd be very cautious in relying on too many Tampa Bay players. They play all three of their games on the road and the worst of the three is the Flyers who still rank 12th in NHL defense.

 

* Roll with your Caps as you normally would. Two home games and a road tilt in Atlanta shouldn't concern you at all this week. 

 

* Anaheim's schedule looks tougher than normal. It's a four game block, but three of the four are upper echelon defensive groups (Detroit, St. Louis, and Chicago). Tread carefully with your Ducks this week even with veteran star Teemu  Selanne expected to rejoin the lineup.

 

* Calgary has a four game schedule and three of the four defenses look very beatable. Only that matchup against Vancouver should be a low scoring affair. Roll with your Flames and possibly get some of those players normally on the bench in the starting lineup this week based on this easy schedule.

 

* Chicago is playing four games so you can't bench any of their players with the way the first half of the season. With three of the games looking promising (two against Minnesota,one vs Anaheim) don't overthink things and just get all of your Hawks active this coming week.

 

* Edmonton's week sets up as a little risky. They have only two games to begin with, both are at home, but one of them comes against Phoenix (3rd defensively). I wouldn't be surprised if the Oilers fantasy production is very low this coming week.

 

* Other than the Oilers, the Wild may have the worst prospects for this coming week. Three games in total and two of them are against the very stingy Chicago Blackhawks who are the league's #1 defensive unit. Avoid all of your Wild players in week 14.

 

* The Canucks week sets up with 3 games at home and two would be considered very tough matchups. Phoenix and Calgary have been holding offenses down all year and when they comprise 2/3 of your week you must at least adjust your expectations downward if you decide to play your Canucks at all.

 

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