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Fantasy playoffs begin on Monday, March 13 in most leagues.
Pick up Jimmy Howard
Howard hasn't played in an NHL game since Dec. 20. He is set to make his return to action on Friday against the Blackhawks.
Howard was having the best season of his career before going down with an injury. He was only 5-7-1, but he had a .934 SV% and a 1.96 GAA. It will certainly be tough to pick up where he left off after such a long absence, but he needs to be added if he was dropped upon his injury.
Drop Petr Mrazek
With that being said, there is no reason for Mrazek to be owned now. He was previously only worth owning because of the volume of playing time he was receiving, but that will no longer be the case with Howard back in the fold. You're better off streaming backup goaltenders than owning Mrazek.
Scoop up Sebastian Aho
Aho potted two goals and added an assist on Thursday, but that is not the sole reason you should add him. The Hurricanes are the only team to play five games this coming week. They will also play five games the week of the fantasy playoff finals. In total, their 13 games during fantasy playoffs are the most of any team.
Aho's rookie season didn't start off so hot, but since Dec. 12 (a 39-game span) he has 17 goals on 106 shots and 10 assists.
Capitalize on the Flames' hot streak
The Calgary Flames have won eight games in a row and are now 13-2-1 in their last 16 contests. Plenty of fantasy relevancy has come from this hot streak.
Over the 16-game stretch, winger Micheal Ferland has scored nine goals. He is playing on a line with Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau and needs to be owned -- or streamed at the very least.
After back-to-back 40-point seasons, defenseman T.J. Brodie had been a major disappointment -- until now, that is. He has picked up 12 points in his last 15 games.
Brian Elliott has been getting most of the starts in net, but whenever Chad Johnson is between the pipes, he is an excellent streaming candidate.
Add Josh Bailey
Bailey is enjoying a breakout season while playing almost exclusively alongside John Tavares. He has flourished lately, with 10 points in his last eight games.
The Islanders have four games this coming week, and three of them are against cushy opponents; Carolina twice and Winnipeg.
Go get Conor Sheary
Sheary was dropped in many leagues after suffering an injury on Jan. 31 that kept him out for over a month. He has four points in three games since returning, but is still widely available in many fantasy leagues. He is playing at a near point-per-game pace and skates alongside Sidney Crosby, if you needed more convincing.
Trust in James Reimer
It doesn't appear Roberto Luongo will return for another week or so, meaning Reimer will continue to be a workhorse in the crease for the Panthers.
He has had his ups and downs since playing regularly, but fantasy owners need to stay the course. He is handed some tough road matchups in the week ahead, but Reimer has been up to the task all year, posting a 7-3-4 record with a .924 SV% and a 2.34 GAA away from home this season.
Cut ties with Matt Duchene
If you haven't already, drop Duchene. Staying in Colorado after the trade deadline was the worst thing that could have happened to his fantasy value. Even though he is one of the most skilled players in the entire league, he hasn't recorded a point in nine straight games.
Set your lineups well ahead of time
Managers should already be setting their lineup from March 13-19 now. You need to see if there are days where you have too many players in action and days where you don't have enough. If you own a capable player but he is on your bench for two of his four games this week, drop him for someone with a more flexible schedule.
If you are in line for a bye in the first week of the playoffs, start mapping out your lineup for March 20-27. It is crucial to get a leg up on your opponents if you have the luxury.
(Photos courtesy Action Images)
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