Special to Yahoo Sports
We’re in the home stretch. Last chance to take the title.
Last week, we touched on the notion that motivated players will hypothetically produce better fantasy results. And with the regular season ending April 18, it’s also key to find those on more active teams. To help you in this process, each entry below will show how many remaining games that player’s club has going into Friday with all upcoming opponents. That doesn’t mean someone on one of the lesser-involved teams should be avoided.
At the same time, this is your last chance to build in head-to-head and fill roto game quotas. So loading up and streaming represent your best options. But be smart about it. Map out the rest of the way by position to identify any possible deficiencies — and then correct them.
Hope you’ve learned a couple of things reading this column over the season or at least made a few decent additions from those who appeared here. Enjoy the rest of the regular season and playoffs!
(Rostered rates as of April 12)
Forwards
Andrei Kuzmenko, CGY (Yahoo: 50%, Games Remaining: 4 – @ANH, vs. ARI, @VAN, vs. SJ):
It would be great if Kuzmenko’s stats weren’t so erratic, though people tend to forget that when the hot streaks take over. And wouldn’t you know, he’s on this column because of one. After going scoreless over six games, Kuzmenko has exploded for 11 points — including six on the power play — from his last seven alongside 17 shots. He’s found his place on the top line and PP. And with the Flames facing three vulnerable teams (and a crumbling Vancouver D), Kuzmenko is primed to pile on the offensive production.
Tomas Hertl, VGK (Yahoo: 44%, Games Remaining: 4 – vs. MIN, vs. COL, vs. CHI, vs. ANH):
There’s an inherent risk in acquiring a player recovering from knee surgery, as there’s no way to know how he’ll manage when — or even if — he returns this season. Vegas rolled the dice at the NHL Trade Deadline to add Hertl, but it may pay off big if a deep playoff run materializes. He’s trying to get back to speed after being sidelined for 26 contests, and he’s done an admirable job in the first two with an assist, 10 hits and 17 faceoff wins while averaging 18:25. The Golden Knights are in danger of losing their hold on a postseason berth, yet they’ll probably squeak in thanks to playing at home for the remainder of the schedule. As…