The first month of the NHL has now come and gone. The 2023-24 Fantasy Hockey Week 4 Weekly Planner is here once again to get into the upcoming NHL week ahead! Is your team exceeding early expectations like the Detroit Red Wings? Or, is it an unexpected struggle like with the Edmonton Oilers?
Looking back, we had a lot of action including the "Frozen Frenzy" where all 32 teams were in action on the same night. We had continuous action from 6:00 PM ET all the way through 2:00 AM ET where we saw 102 goals throughout the night. We can only hope that this becomes normal in years to come!
Week 4 will also feature the first Battle of Alberta this year, but the two teams are set to meet outside. We will have our first outdoor game of the season with the NHL Heritage Classic, where we will see the Calgary Flames heading across Alberta to take on the Edmonton Oilers at Commonwealth Stadium. The two teams haven't had the most desirable start to the year, but a big event like this can certainly spark some confidence in both teams.
Are we ready for more hockey? Well, you can't get to the new week without a look ahead. Let's do just that by jumping into the 2023-24 Fantasy Hockey Week 4 Weekly Planner.
2023-24 Fantasy Hockey Week 4 Weekly Planner
October 28, 2023 - November 3, 2023
Top Targets
Jonas Johansson, Goalie, Tampa Bay Lightning (64% Rostered)
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The 2023-24 season got off to a rocky start for the Tampa Bay Lightning, as Andrei Vasilevskiy was placed on the long-term injured reserve list with a back injury. Thankfully, Jonas Johansson has done an incredible job of filling the massive void.
Johansson came into the season with only 35 career games played in the NHL. The 28-year-old was immediately thrown into the fire with a Lightning team that is fighting to stay in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. That fire includes five straight starts, including back-to-back shutouts.
Through the first couple of weeks, no goalie has seen more shots than Johansson (239) and no goalie has saved more (221). This recipe, while it can be dangerous, makes him such a valuable fantasy option. And thankfully, he isn't as owned in leagues as he should be. Go find him in free agency and add him to your team.
Frank Vatrano, Center/Left Wing, Anaheim Ducks (55% Rostered)
Frankie V! ?
Frank Vatrano makes no mistake on the breakaway and buries the @Energizer OT winner! pic.twitter.com/USdsLHVNOP
— NHL (@NHL) October 25, 2023
Frank Vatrano has had a hot start to the season, and he will be looking to continue that through Week 4.
The Anaheim Ducks have been rolling out a line consisting of Vatrano, Mason McTavish, and Ryan Strome. The trio has found great chemistry together and has easily been the most productive line for the Ducks through the early part of the year.
Vatrano's early season contribution has him leading the team in goals (5) and shots (25), while also leading the forwards in hits (15), blocked shots (11), and takeaways (5). The 29-year-old has been a fantasy hockey darling to start the year and should remain a viable option if he continues at this pace throughout the season.
Ryan Hartman, Center/Right Wing, Minnesota Wild (47% Rostered)
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He may not be a long-term solution for your fantasy team, but Ryan Hartman is certainly worth a spot right now. Week 3 saw the physical forward record three goals and three assists over four games, including a hat trick.
Hartman has been centering the Wild's first line while flanked by Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello. The hope is that he can play up to his linemates' skill level, which will help him continue to find the scoresheet. Add that to the early five-point game, Hartman's confidence is sky-high at the moment as he continues to shoot the puck on net.
Whether it is a short-term stretch of success or the beginning of a breakout season, Hartman should be on your fantasy radar.
Travis Sanheim, Defense, Philadelphia Flyers (27% Rostered)
Did anybody see a 4-2-1 start out of the Philadelphia Flyers? Me neither, but you can certainly thank the play of Travis Sanheim for that. Sanheim has had an incredible start for Philly, registering eight points (one goal and seven assists) through the team's first seven games.
The 27-year-old is off to a roaring start, playing a big role on both sides of the ice so far. Offensively, he is quarterbacking the team's top powerplay unit and he is on the team's top defensive unit. If you are in a fantasy league that includes shot blocking, it makes Sanheim an even more viable option as he has 13 blocks through seven games.
We don't know where the Flyers will finish at the end of the season, but we know that Travis Sanheim will be heavily involved in whatever they do. If you need a quick option to help your defensive unit in fantasy, Sanheim is a low-owned option that you should look to add.
Injury Alerts
Connor McDavid, Center, Edmonton Oilers
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Connor McDavid was struggling to make the end of Saturday's game, not getting on the ice late in the game, and now finds himself out of the lineup.
Before suffering the upper-body injury, McDavid had recorded two assists bringing him to eight points through five games this season. Now, he is expected to miss 1-2 weeks.
Luckily for the Oilers, McDavid resumed skating late in the week, but his timetable for return is still unknown.
Patrick Laine, Left Wing, Columbus Blue Jackets
After finding himself on the receiving end of a dangerous hit from Rasmus Andersson, Patrick Laine finds himself on injured reserve. Andersson's hit, resulting in a four-game suspension, has left Laine with an upper-body injury.
The 25-year-old got off to a decent start, recording two points through four games. We hope that he can return to the ice soon and help the Jackets, who have gotten off to a great start to the year.
Brett Pesce, Defense, Carolina Hurricanes
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The Carolina Hurricanes are expected to be without Brett Pesce for two to four weeks as he deals with a lower-body injury.
Coach Rod Brind'Amour's original comments made it sound like the timetable for Pesce's absence would be much longer, so Canes fans are likely happy given the month-long expectation. Pesce underwent surgery on his lower-body injury as well, so hopefully a quick recovery time will have him back on the ice in no time!
Team Worth Watching This Week
Vancouver Canucks
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The Vancouver Canucks have had a great start to the 2023-24 campaign. Heading into Week 4, the Canucks sit as the second-best team in the Pacific Division which may seem like a shock, even this early in the year.
When you look at this team's production so far, you won't be surprised to see that the team's big guns are the ones leading the way. Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller, and Quinn Hughes are leading the team in points right now, and the four will likely remain that way at the end of the season. Excellent goaltending from Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith has also helped them through the beginning part of the year.
Coming up, the Canucks will play two home battles against the New York Rangers and Nashville Predators. Both teams are making the cross country, which is never an easy task. Look for Vancouver to take advantage of some tired legs as New York is on the end of a long West Coast road trip. They also just played Nashville and were victorious in a 4-3 effort.
The team will then hit the road for a Thursday night matchup with the San Jose Sharks. There have been better days for the Sharks franchise, as the team has not won a game so far this season. Look for Vancouver to walk into the Shark Tank and continue their hot start.
Week 3 Most Games (4)
Philadelphia Flyers – ANA, CAR, BUF, @BUF
Week 3 Fewest Games (2)
Calgary Flames – @EDM, DAL
Chicago Blackhawks (1) - @ARI
Colorado Avalanche - @BUF, STL
Edmonton Oilers – CGY, DAL
Minnesota Wild – @NJD, NJD
Ottawa Senators - @PIT, LAK
Pittsburgh Penguins – OTT, ANA
San Jose Sharks – @WSH, VAN
St. Louis Blues - @COL, NJD
Tampa Bay Lightning – SEA, @CBJ
Washington Capitals – SJS, NYI
Week 3 Back-To-Back Tracker
Arizona Coyotes - 11/01 @ANA & 11/02 MTL
Buffalo Sabres - 11/03 PHI & 11/04 @TOR
Dallas Stars - 11/01 @CGY & 11/02 @EDM
Los Angeles Kings - 10/27 @ARI & 10/28 VGK
New Jersey Devils - 10/02 @MIN & 10/03 @STL
Philadelphia Flyers - 11/03 @BUF & 11/04 LAK
St. Louis Blues - 11/03 NJD & 11/04 MTL
Vancouver Canucks - 10/27 STL & 10/28 NYR
Vegas Golden Knights - 10/27 CHI & 10/28 @LAK
Was there anything else that should have been included in the 2023-24 Fantasy Hockey Week 4 Weekly Planner? Let me know in the comments!
Be sure to get all of your Fantasy Hockey advice from the F6P team.
