If you picked up a Flame last week, the first move this week might be leaving him alone.
Calgary plays Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Those are the four quiet nights, and the Flames are the only team playing all four. One Calgary pickup gets about 3.7 usable forward starts. The best two-pickup sequence gets 4.1. That's a lot of waiver work for about four-tenths of a game.
My first choice is to keep the Calgary player and save the move. If that ship has sailed in your league, there are other ways in, including a Buffalo schedule that's better than the three-game label makes it look.
Quick hits
- This week: Calgary (4 games, all quiet), San Jose and Florida (4 games, 3 quiet), Buffalo (3 games, all quiet).
- Next 2 weeks, through Nov 15: San Jose, Calgary, Vegas, then Florida.
- Next 30 days, through Dec 1: Calgary and San Jose, then Vancouver and Vegas.
Every team, every night: the Week 6 schedule grid.
A usable start is a game that fits into a lineup instead of sitting on the bench. I ran 1,800 simulated Yahoo-style rosters with 2 C, 2 LW, 2 RW and 4 D slots. Forward estimates average the C, LW and RW results; a player's eligibility can change the fit. These are simulated lineup opportunities, not percentages measured from real fantasy teams. Stats and ownership are from the Nov 1 refresh, with game logs through Saturday, Oct 31.
One move: keep or pick up a Flame
Calgary's four quiet nights produce about 3.7 usable forward starts or 3.9 for a D. There's no back-to-back this week, either. The games are spread across the entire matchup.
- Joel Farabee (43%, LW/RW): 15 points in 14, 18.5 minutes a night, 2.4 on the power play.
- Matt Coronato (20%, RW): 14 points in 14, 2.3 power-play minutes.
- Simon Nemec (16%, D): 21.6 minutes a night, up 2.0 from last season; 5 points in 14.
- Zayne Parekh (23%, D): 2.4 power-play minutes, 5 points in 14. The alternative if power-play exposure matters more than Nemec's total minutes.
- Morgan Frost (10%, C): 9 points in 14, 2.3 power-play minutes. A deeper way into the schedule, with only 15.2 minutes a night.
Get my weekly pickup plan. Load your roster and league settings to check which of these games fit your actual lineup.
Farabee and Coronato were both 5% owned in last week's post. Now it's 43% and 20%, so check your wire before building the week around either. Each had six points over Calgary's four games since that post. Farabee is still my first choice: more ice time, more power-play time, and LW/RW flexibility.
One old explanation needs retiring: Backlund is back between Farabee and Coronato. Their case now is the production, deployment and schedule, rather than waiting for an injury opening.
Nemec and Parekh are useful D options, but neither is scoring like the two forwards. Kuznetsov (0%) is a very deep schedule body; his minutes are down 2.7 from last season. I'd take the others first.
Four quiet nights, and Saturday is crowded
| Night | NHL games | Simulated open-slot share, F | Simulated open-slot share, D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon Nov 2 | 4 | 94% | 98% |
| Tue Nov 3 | 11 | 30% | 45% |
| Wed Nov 4 | 4 | 97% | 99% |
| Thu Nov 5 | 11 | 36% | 53% |
| Fri Nov 6 | 3 | 97% | 100% |
| Sat Nov 7 | 12 | 23% | 38% |
| Sun Nov 8 | 6 | 84% | 92% |
| Mon Nov 9 (Week 7) | 3 | 98% | 100% |
Saturday is where extra games go to sit. In these simulations an extra C, LW or RW fits only about 23% of the time, averaged across those positions. That's why four games on the schedule can be worse than three well-placed ones.
Buffalo plays Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. All quiet, about 2.8 usable forward starts. Anaheim plays four times but gets about 2.5; Colorado and Detroit each play four and get about 1.8.
Other teams worth checking this week
| Team | Games | Quiet nights | Usable F | Usable D | Player options, Yahoo owned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGY | 4 | 4 | 3.7 | 3.9 | Farabee 43%, Coronato 20%, Nemec 16% D, Frost 10% |
| SJS | 4 | 3 | 3.1 | 3.4 | Trouba 70% D, Orlov 19% D, Marchment 16%, Graf 3%, Kesselring 1% D |
| FLA | 4 | 3 | 3.0 | 3.3 | Verhaeghe 56%, Lundell 8%, Ekblad 10% D |
| BUF | 3 | 3 | 2.8 | 2.9 | Quinn 56%, Benson 39%, Ostlund 5% |
| ANA | 4 | 2 | 2.5 | 2.9 | Granlund 24%, Killorn 1%, McQueen 1% flyer |
San Jose: Monday, Wednesday and Friday are quiet; Saturday is the fourth game. Marchment is the more established forward, but he has only 6 points in 15 and his ice time is down 1.5 minutes. Graf has 3 in 15 and almost no power-play time. Graf has been beside Celebrini; Wennberg remains out. That's a lead to follow, not a guarantee the points arrive. Orlov has 2.8 power-play minutes, but his total ice time is down three minutes. Kesselring is the very deep D play: 19.2 minutes, little power play, 3 points in 15.
Florida: Monday, Wednesday and Sunday are quiet, with Saturday in between. Verhaeghe has 12 points in 14 and 3.9 power-play minutes. Lundell is the cheaper choice: 8% owned, three shots a game, 6 points in 14. Verhaeghe is beside Reinhart; Lundell centers the third line, so I'd favour Verhaeghe if both are on your wire. Ekblad is a schedule option for D rather than a bet on a sudden scoring jump.
Buffalo: Quinn (14 points in 14, 3.7 power-play minutes) and Benson (13 in 14, 3.5 power-play minutes) are the first checks. Ostlund is the cheaper alternative: 5% owned, 18.9 minutes and 3.4 on the power play. Benson is with Thompson; Ostlund and Quinn share a line. I'd put those three ahead of Doan (18%, 3 points in 14) or Zucker (4%, just 11.6 minutes in his five games).
If you want to use more moves
Two pickups: Florida Mon/Wed, then Anaheim Thu/Fri/Sun
About 4.1 usable forward starts from two pickups, against Calgary's 3.7 from one. The tradeoff is roughly 0.4 extra this week for another move and another player you might have to replace.
- FLA: Verhaeghe (56%), Lundell (8%), Ekblad (10%, D).
- ANA: Granlund (24%, C/LW), Killorn (1%, LW/RW). McQueen (1%, C) is a prospect flyer on 11.8 minutes, not my first choice for a weekly stream.
Granlund has 9 points in 12, plays 20.3 minutes a night and gets 3.6 on the power play. His ownership fell 11 points this week. He's the Duck I'd take. Killorn has been with Carlsson; Granlund with Sennecke. Killorn gives you flexible eligibility and the dates, but his power-play time is only 0.8 minutes a game.
I'd use this path when Calgary's useful players are gone or when those exact dates fit my roster better. I wouldn't cut a productive Flame just to chase the small average gain. Calgary still plays three times next week: Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
Three pickups: Detroit, Buffalo, Anaheim
The generated path is Detroit Monday/Tuesday, Buffalo Wednesday, then Anaheim Thursday/Friday/Sunday. About 4.4 usable starts. That's another 0.3 beyond the two-pickup plan.
Arvidsson (DET, 41%) has 14 points in 14 and 3.6 power-play minutes. Finnie (16%, C/LW) has 10 in 14 while playing 18 minutes a night. Larkin is suspended; this isn't a routine injury-return timetable. Use Quinn, Benson or Ostlund for Buffalo's Wednesday leg, then the Ducks above.
Three pickups can make sense when you have moves to spare and those dates fit. For about 0.3 more, I'd usually keep a move for a late scratch or Sunday adjustment.
A Sunday–Monday option: Philadelphia
Philadelphia is the only team playing both Sunday, Nov 8, and Monday, Nov 9. Both are quiet. Zegras (77%) is the first check; Sanheim (34%, D), Drysdale (5%, D, 3.1 power-play minutes) and Dvorak (2%) are other routes in.
If your adds reset Monday, a spare Week 6 move can cover Sunday and bank a start for Week 7. In the Florida/Anaheim plan, swapping the Duck for a Flyer before Sunday replaces the same Sunday game and adds Monday coverage. It doesn't create an extra Sunday game in that one lineup spot.
Two bench spots: Calgary and New Jersey
Their schedules cover all seven dates, with Sunday overlapping: Calgary Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun; New Jersey Tue/Thu/Sat/Sun. About 4.6 usable forward starts across one starting spot, but you're carrying two players.
Gritsyuk (NJD, 35%, 12 points in 14) is a name to check: he has been alongside Hughes and Bratt. Evangelista (41%, 3.5 power-play minutes) is another forward option. Yahoo lists Mantha (10%) day-to-day; don't build a rotation around him without a status check. If two roster spots are scarce, the single Flame is the cleaner use of space.
Who's getting more opportunity
Minutes a game this season, with the change from last season. These are role signals from small samples, not a reason to ignore the schedule.
| Player | Owned | Ice time | Power play | Points / games | This week's schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zach Benson, BUF | 39% | 20.0 (+4.1) | 3.5 (+1.8) | 13 / 14 | 3 games, all quiet |
| Jack Quinn, BUF | 56% | 19.3 (+3.6) | 3.7 (+1.4) | 14 / 14 | 3 games, all quiet |
| Noah Ostlund, BUF | 5% | 18.9 (+4.9) | 3.4 (+2.0) | 9 / 14 | 3 games, all quiet |
| Viktor Arvidsson, DET | 41% | 18.8 (+4.2) | 3.6 (+1.6) | 14 / 14 | 4 games, 1 quiet |
| Kent Johnson, CBJ | 18% | 17.7 (+4.4) | 3.1 (+1.5) | 12 / 12 | 3 games, 1 quiet |
| Berkly Catton, SEA | 6% | 15.1 (+2.2) | 2.7 (+1.8) | 11 / 14 | 2 games, 1 quiet |
Buffalo finally gets the schedule to go with those minutes. Benson had six points across last week's three games. Catton is the new name I'd keep an eye on, but Seattle plays only Wednesday and Saturday. That's a longer-term look, not this week's volume solution.
Kapanen (EDM, 8%) and Shea (2%, D) still have bigger roles, but Edmonton plays Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with no quiet nights. Kapanen had a point in each of last week's three games; that doesn't make this week's dates any better. Johnson and Arvidsson also deserve attention for their roles while you check whether their games fit.
Teams to trim
- Washington: Tuesday and Saturday, about 0.5 usable forward starts.
- Islanders: Thursday and Saturday, about 0.6.
- Los Angeles, Ottawa and Seattle: two games each, with one quiet night, about 1.2 usable forward starts.
- No quiet nights: Carolina, Dallas, Edmonton, Montreal, Nashville, the Rangers, St. Louis, Utah and Vancouver also play Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Start with fringe players from those schedules when you need a spot. A good player is still a good player. Last week's Ottawa weekend pickup, for example, has only Thursday and Sunday this week; keeping him means making a different schedule bet.
Two weeks and a month ahead
For Nov 2–15, San Jose takes over the lead. It has four games in each week, including Monday and Wednesday again in Week 7.
| Team | Games, next 2 weeks | Usable F | Options |
|---|---|---|---|
| SJS | 8 | 6.0 | Marchment 16%, Graf 3%, Orlov 19% D, Trouba 70% D |
| CGY | 7 | 5.6 | Farabee 43%, Coronato 20%, Nemec 16% D, Frost 10% |
| VGK | 7 | 5.2 | Barbashev 31%, Connelly 7%, Andersson 70% D |
| FLA | 8 | 5.1 | Verhaeghe 56%, Lundell 8%, Ekblad 10% D |
| ANA | 7 | 4.4 | Granlund 24%, Killorn 1% |
And for Nov 2–Dec 1:
| Team | Games, next 30 days | Usable F | Options |
|---|---|---|---|
| CGY | 15 | 8.3 | Farabee, Coronato, Nemec, Parekh |
| SJS | 15 | 8.3 | Marchment, Orlov, Graf, Kesselring |
| VAN | 14 | 8.1 | Boeser 31%, DeBrusk 18%, Rossi 8%, Hronek 78% D |
| VGK | 14 | 8.0 | Barbashev 31%, Connelly 7%, Andersson 70% D |
| EDM | 15 | 7.4 | Nugent-Hopkins 65%, Kapanen 8%, Shea 2% D |
Calgary and San Jose tie at the displayed precision over 30 days. San Jose's forward options are less convincing than its schedule, so I wouldn't swap Farabee for a Shark just because of the two-week ranking.
Vancouver is the useful warning in this table: about 0.9 usable forward starts this week and only 2.2 over the next two weeks, despite ranking third over the month. Boeser or Hronek can be longer holds; a Canuck won't fix a short-term lineup gap. Connelly has 9 points in 15 with 2.7 power-play minutes, while Andersson's ice time is down 3.9 minutes. I'd weigh that role change before treating him as a set-and-forget D.
Holds by ownership level
- Forwards: Nugent-Hopkins (65%), Hertl (71%), Farabee (43%), Boeser (31%), Coronato (20%), Marchment (16%). Rossi (8%) is a deeper watch with only 5 points in 14 and Vancouver's poor immediate schedule.
- D: Hronek (78%, 3.4 power-play minutes), Nemec (16%), Orlov (19%), Shea (2%). Orlov's power play and Shea's minutes are the reasons to look; neither is producing enough to ignore a bad fit for your roster.
Ownership is Yahoo's average across leagues. Check your own wire; the fresh NHL data doesn't tell me who another manager in your league already owns.
One follow-up from last week: Cooley
Farabee and Coronato rewarded the Calgary call. The goalie recommendation needs an update: Cooley is week to week. He is an injury-management decision now, not an active stream. Wolf (25%) may interest managers chasing workload, but his current .847 save percentage and 4.39 GAA are reasons to be careful with ratio categories. Calgary's four team games don't project four starts for any one goalie.
How the numbers work
I drafted 1,800 simulated Yahoo-style rosters from ADP, then checked whether adding a skater increased the number of filled lineup slots each night. The slots are 2 C, 2 LW, 2 RW and 4 D. A game counts only when it fills another slot. Everything is in usable starts, not projected fantasy points.
Current ice time and power-play time are compared with last season once a player has three games. The generator still uses prior-season player profiles until 20 current-season games, so I filter its suggestions through current roles. The weekly chain values average C, LW and RW; actual eligibility, injuries, transaction rules and your existing roster can change the result. Goalies need separate starter checks.
Get my weekly pickup plan, or check the full schedule. My starting point this week: keep the useful Flame, check Buffalo if you need a different option, and make the next move earn its roster spot.