Essential Late-Season NHL Fantasy Hockey Streamers for Championship Success

Here we are, with four days left in the NHL season. The playoff races have settled a bit, but there's still a spot up for grabs in the Eastern Conference and a lot to figure out in the Pacific Division. We've already seen some teams take the rest approach -- the Hurricanes and Penguins have done it heavily, while the Wild and Lightning have taken a less aggressive stance. I'd expect to see the Sabres do that as well at some point. The Avalanche haven't yet but always could, while teams like the Stars and Oilers don't have enough cap space or personnel to make it work as much as the Hurricanes and Penguins have. 

As more positions get locked in, rest could be a factor later in the week. In essence, as a fantasy manager, you want the playoff races to go down to the wire to keep as many teams in compete-mode as possible. That means rooting against the Flyers and rooting for absolute chaos out west to prevent any more teams from getting comfortable with where they're at. 

With just four days left on the schedule, it's time to take a matchups-based look at your options. Unlike my usual recommendations, which focus on rest-of-season potential and good situations, this week focuses on pure streaming choices to give you a one-day bump. Some general rules still apply -- I'll keep it mostly to players available in more than half of Yahoo leagues, and with the big caveat that there's no telling if goalies will get the game I think they should. Let's dive in day-by-day. 

Key Players to Stream for Monday's NHL Matchups

Monday is an unusually busy one, with 10 games on the slate. This is where you'll want to go if you're looking for skaters with three games left -- the Avalanche, Kings, Jets, Sharks, Blues and Kraken all fit that bill, though only the Kings really have anything left to play for. 

At forward, it's a great time to give Alex Laferriere a look. He's earned 10 points, 54 hits and 37 shots on net over his last 13 games, he's in a steady top-six role, and he adds plenty of physicality to the mix. The Kings are facing the Kraken on Monday, and they have everything to play for. A win puts pressure on the Predators while also pushing the Pacific's tangle of three teams at the top of the standings. Laferriere gives you category coverage without too much risk of poor offense, and he'll face a Seattle team that could still be on its fourth-string goalie. 

For the blue line, give Esa Lindell a look, especially if you need some blocked shots. Miro Heiskanen (lower body) is out for the rest of the regular season, which means Lindell will be getting some extra shutdown minutes. The Stars are locked into the No. 2 seed in the Central Division, but a tight cap situation and numerous injuries has kept them from resting players. Lindell is a warrior anyway, and while he has just five assists over his last 16 outings, he's added 29 blocked shots and a plus-7 rating in that span. 

I like Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in goal for Monday against the Blackhawks, though it is a road game. Colten Ellis is also coming off a shutout win Thursday, but with three full days off between games, Luukkonen could get one more tune-up before the playoffs. The Sabres also still have something to play for -- they still need to lock up the top spot in the Atlantic Division. I don't expect Luukkonen to play both remaining games, but this is the matchup where he would be most useful in fantasy. 

Tuesday's Best NHL Fantasy Picks

With a nine-game slate Tuesday, there are still plenty of options available to pick from. This will be the first day where teams will be ending their regular-season slates, so if you really need to make a move, you can drop from that group of players over the last two contests. 

The Avalanche haven't done anything more than standard precautions for their players yet, but I'm not betting on that holding true. Just a hunch -- a top-six player or two might get a chance to sit out. However, I'm more than willing to roll the dice on Parker Kelly, who has quietly had one of the better bottom-six performances this season with 20 goals, 34 points, 175 hits, 58 blocked shots and a plus-15 rating over 79 contests. Kelly has eight points over his last 10 games and offers category coverage, and he's more likely to be moved up in the lineup if the Avalanche choose to rest anyone Tuesday, which will be the second half of a back-to-back. 

On defense, I'd take a look at Rasmus Ristolainen against the Canadiens on Tuesday. Ristolainen has five assists, 10 hits, seven blocked shots and a plus-9 rating over his last eight contests. There aren't really a lot of good defensive options to stream Tuesday, but Ristolainen's category coverage and recent momentum, coupled with the Flyers likely needing to win both of their last two games, makes him a safe choice. 

This could be a flexible play for a goaltender depending on how the work shakes out, but Anton Forsberg will be well worth the investment if he plays Tuesday. Not that he's a bad choice for Monday against the Kraken, but Tuesday versus the Canucks is a dream matchup even in a back-to-back. Entering the back-to-back, Forsberg has started three games in a row, in part because he has the hot hand over Darcy Kuemper. You can expect the two goalies to split the starts, so keep Forsberg in mind for whichever day he plays. Forsberg would also be a nice option if he gets the nod Thursday versus the Flames, so have him on the radar all week. 

Critical Wednesday Additions for Fantasy Championships

This is the last day of games with any Eastern Conference teams involved. It's a six-game slate, and while the Metropolitan Division's final spot will be determined by then, there are still some potential implications for the order in the Atlantic and Pacific Divisions. 

I'd strongly consider adding Golden Knights forward Ivan Barbashev for Wednesday's matchup against the Kraken. I'm counting on the Kraken not being at full strength in the crease and the Golden Knights still needing a win to secure the top seed in the Pacific. He's earned 12 points over his last 11 games, and he's one point away from matching his career high (60). Even under head coach John Tortorella, Barbashev has maintained a top-six role and should offer a boost in hits and plus-minus rating with scoring potential. 

While the Red Wings don't have anything to play for, Justin Faulk should be a decent option on the blue line for Wednesday versus the Panthers. He has three goals over his last three games since he came back from a lower-body injury. The defenseman has had his best campaign in three years and should threaten to add points and blocked shots against a Florida team that currently resembles a preseason game roster more than an NHL lineup. 

Carter Hart is still widely available in fantasy, and with a favorable matchup against the Kraken, he's well worth streaming. He should be in good position to get the win if he starts in the Golden Knights' regular-season finale. He's won four in a row, including Saturday's 3-2 overtime win over the Avalanche. Vegas also faces the Jets on Monday. There's been no indication that the Golden Knights will stick with one goalie in the postseason, but Hart is trending in the direction of being the clear-cut No. 1, so it just depends on if Tortorella wants to give Hart plenty of work or more rest prior to the playoffs. He's a top-three choice in goal Wednesday if he gets the nod. 

Top Streaming Options for NHL Regular-Season Finale on Thursday

This is the regular-season finale, and fantasy managers who can make daily moves will have a little extra time to work with since all the games are in the Western Conference. 

Vasily Podkolzin is the forward I'd want to add for Thursday, as the Oilers will have a chance to answer if the Golden Knights fail to secure the No. 1 spot in the Pacific. Podkolzin has been getting top-line minutes in the absences of Leon Draisaitl (lower body) and Zach Hyman (undisclosed). Assuming the Oilers take the cautious approach with those two key players, Podkolzin will have immense upside against the Canucks in the regular-season finale. Over the last eight games, he has six points, 19 hits, 13 blocked shots and 17 shots on goal, and two of his points have come on the power play. 

Typically, a 41-year-old defenseman on a playoff-lock team would be getting rest at this time of year. Brent Burns is anything but typical, and thanks to his ironman streak, he's a near guarantee to play Thursday versus the Kraken. Once again, targeting the Kraken looks like a great strategy in the final week of the season, and Burns could be tasked with extra work if Cale Makar (upper body) and Josh Manson (upper body) are both held out of the lineup. Burns has picked up the pace with five points over six games in April, adding 14 shots on net, six blocked shots and a plus-2 rating in that span. 

I'd be willing to go for either of the Oilers' goalies in Thursday's game, though I hope they have something to play for so that Connor Ingram gets the nod. In any case, it's a home game for the Oilers against the Canucks, which is a recipe for success since Vancouver will finish the year at the bottom of the NHL standings. Ingram is 4-2-0 with a 2.29 GAA and a .915 save percentage over his last six games, so he's far more trustworthy than Tristan Jarry. Either one will be a great option given the matchup and the Oilers' injury situation limiting their ability to rest players. 

With that, I just want to extend my appreciation for everyone who's read the column this year. Having an audience for these weekly thoughts makes it worthwhile to keep doing. Best of luck as you make your last push for a title, and I hope I've been able to help you get there this season. Enjoy the playoffs, and check in again in September for all of our RotoWire NHL preseason content! 

Stuck between two players available on the waiver wire? Check out the NHL Player Comparison Tool or the NHL Trending Players to help break the tiebreaker on your waiver wire decisions.