A tough decision can be made easier with these charts showing you the best five and worst five schedules for upcoming seven-day periods. Some of you used them last year but for the benefit of new readers here is a refresher. The number next to the team indicates the 'multiplier' to use on a player's point-per-game pace to give you an idea how many points to expect for that week.

The rich get richer -  the team to have a rare five game week coming up is the Pittsburgh Penguins. Unfortunately, it’s during the Saturday to Friday weekly schedule, and I’m not sure if anyone actually plays in those. The good news for the rest of us is that they have four game weeks in the weekly schedules starting on Friday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I’m not sure if it really matters who they’re playing right now, but aside from a back to back with the Islanders they actually have a pretty tough schedule down the stretch facing Ottawa, New Jersey, Buffalo, Boston, New York and Philly twice.

Depending on when your league runs, there are a few two game weeks coming up that you should be aware of. Anaheim plays two in the schedule starting on Friday and Saturday, while Phoenix has a two game week in the popular Monday to Sunday schedule, making Shane Doan very droppable in a lot of leagues.

Another team with a heavy schedule coming up is the Florida Panthers. With eight games over the next 14 days and a relatively easy list of opponents, they find themselves in the Best Bets section on the first eight weekly schedules. Starting on Friday their next five games are against Edmonton, Long Island, Montreal, Minnesota and Columbus. So by “an easy list of opponents”, I meant the five worst teams in the NHL. Look out Boston! Your second place seed is in major jeopardy.

Aside from some healthy players, the Wings desperately need some home cooking because they have now lost six in a row and 11 of their last 14 games. Thankfully, they play six of their last eight games at the Joe. Starting it off with a game against Carolina and then a double header with the Blue Jackets should help to get things going. If it doesn’t, well then I will likely have to find a new team to cheer for after Round 1.

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