Fantasy Hockey: How to Use October's Uneven NHL Schedule to Your Advantage

Fantasy hockey managers looking for an edge early in the season should pay close attention to the NHL schedule, which does not distribute games equally among teams in October, according to ESPN.

Because some teams are slated to play more games than others during the month, fantasy players who account for these differences when setting their lineups can gain a meaningful advantage over opponents who simply start their highest-rated players regardless of how many games those players' teams have that week, the outlet notes.

A Schedule-First Approach

ESPN's preview frames the uneven October schedule as a strategic opportunity rather than a drawback, encouraging fantasy managers to check game counts for each team before finalizing their rosters for the week.

The approach is a familiar one in fantasy hockey, where games played can be as decisive as raw per-game production, particularly in head-to-head formats that reward cumulative statistical output over a scoring period.

ESPN's preview is part of a broader set of October fantasy hockey guidance aimed at helping managers navigate the early weeks of the NHL season, when schedule quirks can have an outsized impact on which lineups come out ahead.