Fantasy: 5 moves you need to make in Round 1 of playoffs

Every Monday, theScore offers a weekly fantasy hockey column detailing a handful of moves you should make. This edition focuses on Round 1 of the playoffs. Ownership percentages and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.

Add Vladislav Namestnikov

Team: Avalanche
Position: LW/RW
Ownership: 25%

There's an abundance of streaming options available on the Avalanche, whose four games this week all come on quieter nights of the NHL schedule (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday). Namestnikov is the choice with the most upside, though. Colorado's deadline pickup has five points in seven games since joining the team and is skating on the club's top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog.

If Namestnikov is already scooped up, Tyson Jost (8% ownership) can likely be had. Jost has averaged 18 minutes per night over his last eight games, collecting six points in that span. He's centering the Avs' second line and getting time with the squad's top power-play unit.

Add Jonathan QuickHarry How / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Team: Kings
Position: G
Ownership: 31%

Quick has been the Quick of old lately. He and the Kings have had a forgettable season, but the 34-year-old is 4-0-1 over his last five starts, posting a .957 save percentage in that span.

Los Angeles has three games this week (vs. COL, vs. OTT, vs. ANA) and Quick will likely start two of them. Rookie backup Calvin Petersen is expected to get the call against the Senators and represents an intriguing streaming option for Wednesday if Quick is already owned.

Drop Flames, Blue Jackets players

The Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets each have two games this week. Every other team in the league has either three or four contests over the next seven days.

Elite players such as Johnny Gaudreau and Zach Werenski need to be held on to, but depth pieces on your fantasy team like Gustav Nyquist and Andrew Mangiapane can be dropped.

Add Jeff SkinnerJonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / Getty

Team: Sabres
Position: C/LW
Ownership: 40%

It's been a rough year for Skinner. He parlayed a 40-goal campaign in 2018-19 into a monster eight-year, $72-million contract. His first season under the new deal has been a disaster, though, as he's potted just 14 goals and registered only nine assists in 58 games.

Skinner's disappointing season has led many fantasy owners to drop him, but he's worth picking up again. The 27-year-old has been placed on Buffalo's top line with Jack Eichel. Skinner and Eichel have played just 87 minutes together at five-on-five this season after spending 845 minutes together last campaign. It's very possible that reuniting with an elite playmaker in Eichel will help Skinner start finding the net. The Sabres plays four games this week, too.

Add Justin Williams

Team: Hurricanes
Position: RW
Ownership: 6%

Williams is starting to find his footing. The 38-year-old missed the first half of the season mulling his future, but he returned to the Hurricanes in January. The veteran scored just two goals in his first 15 games back, but he's racked up five goals over his last four games. He's playing third-line minutes at five-on-five, but he has a spot on the team's top power-play unit. The Canes also play four times this week.

Josh Wegman has been theScore's resident fantasy hockey expert since 2015. Find him on Twitter @JoshWegman_.

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