As the National Hockey League rolls on towards Week 4, we here at The Fix want to make sure you are ready to plan ahead for your weekly lock lineup leagues as well as your weekly salary cap games. Here’s a look ahead to the games this coming week and some start/sit musings.

Before we review the week ahead, let’s check in with our game pick predictions for last week in the NHL:

We finished last week an impressive 33-16. This included some good upset picks like Winnipeg over St. Louis (Jets won 4-3), New Jersey over New York Rangers (Jersey won 4-0), Dallas over San Jose (Stars won 4-3), Tampa over Los Angeles (Tampa won 5-1).

After a 33-16 week picking games last week, it should be evident that we know our hockey here at the Fix. That’s why it would be of great benefit to you, the reader, to become a Fantasy Fix Front-Office member for just $0.04 a day or $1.27 per month! For all the perks of being a front-office member, view https://thefantasyfix.com/why-subscribe/

Sunday October 20^th:

VAN @ CBJ: 6:00 p.m. Our pick- Columbus

NSH @ WPG: 8:00 p.m. Our pick- Winnipeg

DAL @ ANA: 8:00 p.m. Our pick- Dallas

 

Monday October 21^st:

 SJ @ DET: 7:30 p.m. Our pick- San Jose

COL @ PIT- 7:30 p.m. Our pick- Colorado

CGY @ LA- 10:30 p.m. Our pick- Calgary

 

Tuesday October 22nd:

 ANA @ TOR: 7:00 p.m. Our pick- Toronto

VAN @ NYI: 7:00 p.m. Our pick- New York Islanders

NJ @ CBJ: 7:00 p.m. Our pick- Columbus

EDM @ MTL: 7:30 p.m. Our pick- Montreal

CHI @ FLA: 7:30 p.m. Our pick- Chicago

NSH @ MIN: 8:00 p.m. Our pick- Minnesota

WSH @ WPG: 8:00 p.m. Our pick- Washington

CGY @ PHX: 10:00 p.m. Our pick- Phoenix

 

Wednesday October 23rd:

 OTT @ DET: 7:30 p.m. Our pick- Ottawa

BOS @ BUF: 8:00 p.m. Our pick- Boston

 

Thursday October 24th:

 SJ @ BOS: 7:00 p.m. Our pick- San Jose

VAN @ NJD: 7:00 p.m. Our pick- Vancouver

NYR @ PHI: 7:00 p.m. Our pick- Philadelphia

ANA @ MTL: 7:30 p.m. Our pick- Montreal

CHI @ TB: 7:30 p.m. Our pick- Tampa Bay

WPG @ NSH: 8:00 p.m. Our pick- Nashville

CAR @ MIN: 8:00 p.m. Our pick- Carolina

CGY @ DAL: 8:30 p.m. Our pick- Dallas

WSH @ EDM: 9:30 p.m. Our pick- Washington

PHX @ LA: 10:30 p.m. Our pick- LA

 

Friday October 25th:

 NYI @ PIT: 7:00 p.m. Our pick- New York Islanders

TOR @ CBJ: 7:00 p.m. Our pick- Columbus

ANA @ OTT: 7:30 p.m. Our pick- Ottawa

BUF @ FLA: 7:30 p.m. Our pick- Florida

VAN @ STL: 8:00 p.m. Our pick- St. Louis

CAR @ COL: 9:00 p.m. Our pick- Colorado

 

Saturday October 26th:

 EDM @ PHX: 3:00 p.m. Our pick- Phoenix

NJD @ BOS: 7:00 p.m. Our pick- Boston

PIT @ TOR: 7:00 p.m. Our pick- Pittsburgh

SJ @ MTL: 7:00 p.m. Our pick- San Jose

NYR @ DET: 7:00 p.m. Our pick- Detroit

BUF @ TB: 7:00 p.m. Our pick- Tampa Bay

PHI @ NYI: 7:00 p.m. Our pick- New York Islandesr

WPG @ DAL: 7:00 p.m. Our pick- Dallas

MIN @ CHI: 8:00 p.m. Our pick- Chicago

STL @ NSH: 8:00 p.m. Our pick- St. Louis

WSH @ CGY: 10:00 p.m. Our pick- Calgary

 

Games by team:

Four games: Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets

Three games: Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals

Two games: Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning

 

Favorable Matchups & Schedules:

Dallas Stars: The Stars have only three games this week, but they face some very favorable defenses in the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets. Their first game of the week is today against the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks have an absolutely brutal schedule this week, as they go on a three games in four days trip to Canada – facing Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. Don’t be surprised if the Ducks rest Jonas Hiller in anticipation for the upcoming rough roadtrip. Start all Stars with confidence, including younger winger Alex Chiasson. Chiasson is sitting on way too many waiver wires at this point, as he has six points in seven games and is only owned in 30.3% of ESPN.com leagues.

 

Matchup: PIT @ NYI or PIT @ TOR:

One of either the Islanders or the Maple Leafs is likely going to have the benefit of facing rookie goaltender Jeff Zatkoff, who is famous for giving up six goals to the atrocious Florida Panthers this season. The two games mentioned for Pittsburgh are back-to-backs. Our money is on Fleury starting the road game in Toronto, since it’s a much tougher task. This means that Islanders forwards are all must starts. Kyle Okposo (29.3% owned) and Frans Nielsen (64.6% owned) have been excellent on the young season and needed to be added in general, not just for this game. A deep league option, or for those in daily salary cap leagues, is Josh Bailey. The 24-year-old former first-round pick is off to a rip-roaring start, rattling off seven points and a plus-4 rating so far for the Isles.

 

Unfavorable Matchups and Schedules:

Vancouver Canucks: The Vancouver Canucks are the second Pacific Division team (the Anaheim Ducks were the other) facing a very difficult road trip this week. The Canucks face Columbus tonight then face the Islanders on Tuesday, the Devils on Thursday, and then inexplicably have to play on Friday against the Blues in St. Louis. Yes, you heard right, the Canucks are traveling from New Jersey to St. Louis overnight to face an excellent Blues team that next day. Few things are more obvious scheduling losses than this one. We expect back-up goaltender Eddie Lack to suit up in net against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, which might be worth a sneaky addition for a spot-start.

Matchup: ANA @ OTT:

As previously stated, the Anaheim Ducks have an absolutely brutal schedule. We expect them to be dog tired against the Senators come Friday night. This makes Ottawa forwards Cory Conacher (23.2% owned) and Clarke MacArthur (2.0% owned) very sneaky spot-starts this week.