The NHL fantasy lookahead for the week of Oct. 29-Nov 4 features the busiest and quietest teams, who is being added and dropped and injuries to big names that could have fantasy implications.

Who's Busy?

Teams playing four games this week

Buffalo Sabres
Calgary Flames 
Ottawa Senators
Columbus Blue Jackets
Tampa Bay Lightning

Team playing two games this week

Arizona Coyotes
Boston Bruins
Colorado Avalanche
Florida Panthers
Los Angeles Kings
St. Louis Blues 
Washington Capitals 
Winnipeg Jets

Every other team has three games on their schedule this week

 

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Most added players (via ESPN's Fantasy Hockey)

1. Juuse Saros (G) - Nashville Predators

Owned Last Week: 14.9%
Owned Now: 36.4% (+21.5%)

The Nashville netminder is the most added player over the past week as regular starter Pekka Rinne has been sidelined for the past four games with an undisclosed injury. The 23-year-old has five wins and a 2.73 goals-against average over seven games this season, but allowed four goals in a loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night. With Rinne coming back any day, Saros could be seeing his time as a No. 1 fantasy goalie coming to an end pretty soon. 

2. Jeff Petry (D) - Montreal Canadiens 

Owned Last Week: 22.8%
Owned Now: 41.6% (+18.7%)

The veteran blueliner hasn't regressed after putting up a career-best 42 points in 2017-18 with the Habs. Petry has nine points over 10 points this season for a Montreal squad that's doing a lot better than expected. He's also getting almost 24 minutes of playing time per game, meaning he should continue to be a productive fantasy player going forward. 

3. David Perron (LW) - St. Louis Blues

Owned Last Week: 33.8%
Owned Now: 48.3% (+14.5%)

Perron has six points over his last five games for the last-place Blues and 10 points over 10 games for the season. The Quebec winger is a solid pickup if he's available, but be aware he only has two games on the schedule this week.

4. Micheal Ferland (LW) - Carolina Hurricanes

Owned Last Week: 23.3% 
Owned Now: 35.7% (+12.4%)

The Canes have surprised a lot of people this season with 13 points in 11 games, just one point behind the Central Division-leading Pittsburgh Penguins. The 26-year-old Ferland, who's playing his first season in Carolina after they acquired him from the Calgary Flames this summer in the Noah Hanifin deal, is one of the reasons for the success. He has six goals and four assists over 11 games, good enough for third on the team.  

5. Josh Morrissey (D) - Winnipeg Jets

Owned Last Week: 15.2%
Owned Now: 25.2% (+10.1%)

Despite not picking up a point over the past four games, Morrissey was the fifth most added player this week. Though the mini-slump and the fact that's he's only playing two games this week might mean he'll start trending the other way. 

Most dropped players (via ESPN's Fantasy Hockey)

1. Alexander Edler (D) - Vancouver Canucks 

Owned Last Week: 24.7%
Owned Now: 7.3% (-17.4%)

Not surprisingly, due to the MCL injury that will keep Edler out for the next three-to-six weeks, fantasy owners took little time to drop the veteran defenceman. With just five assists, Edler wasn't the strongest fantasy player to begin with, so his loss shouldn't be detrimental to most teams. 

2. Jordan Staal (C) - Carolina Hurricanes 

Owned Last Week: 32.4%
Owned Now: 15.9% (-16.5%)

The Hurricanes may be red hot, but Staal is not. The 30-year-old has not recorded a point in six contests and owners are taking notice.

3. Keith Kinkaid (G) - New Jersey Devils 

Owned Last Week: 46.4 %
Owned Now: 32.6% (-13.9%) 

Cory Schneider, who has been on a conditioning stint in the minors as he works his way back from a hip injury, is close to returning, meaning Kinkaid could be seeing more time on the bench in the near future. 

4. Tomas Tatar (LW) - Montreal Canadiens

Owned Last Week: 32%
Owned Now: 19.5% (-12.6%)

After starting the season with seven points in five games, the 27-year-old has just one point over his last five contests and none over his last four.  

5. Patrick Marleau (LW) - Toronto Maple Leafs 

Owned Last Week: 45.9%
Owned Now: 35.9% (-10%)

The veteran forward scored 27 goals in his first campaign with the Leafs in 2017-18, but has been cold to start this season with just one goal and four assists over 11 games. However with Auston Matthews out for at least a month, Marleau could see more scoring opportunities on the ice. 

 

Who's Missing Time?

Auston Matthews (C) - Toronto Maple Leafs 

The best player on the Leafs - and probably every fantasy club he's on - will miss at least a month with a shoulder injury. Finding somebody to replace his production won't be any easy task, but as far as Toronto goes, Nazem Kadri will likely be bumped up to the second line with Marleau and Mitch Marner, an opportunity which could lead to more points. 

Jonathan Quick (G) - Los Angeles Kings

The Kings placed their starting goalie on the IR with a lower-body injury on Sunday and he's listed as day-to-day. Jack Campbell will be the main man between the pipes for the next few games as a result, so he might be worth a waiver pickup. 

Victor Hedman (D) - Tampa Bay Lightning

The reigning Norris Trophy champion left Friday's clash against the Vegas Golden Knights with an upper-body injury and will be re-evaluated in a week. The 27-year-old has scored two goals and two assists over nine games this season, his 10th with the Lightning.