# Weekend streamers, October 9–11: updated roles and goalie decisions

Match McMann, Blake, Novak and the defense options to usable dates. Updated October 9 records sharpen the power-play choices and individual goalie risks.

Published: 2026-10-09T13:15:00+00:00
Last substantive update: 2026-10-09T13:15:00+00:00
Information verified: 2026-10-09T12:26:37.547875+00:00
Language: en
Author: Dav Czar
Reviewed by: Dav Czar

## Key takeaways

- Sunday has three games; subtract the usable games you lose before adding a player.
- Blake and Gostisbehere have updated October 8 production; match PPP needs to actual role evidence.
- Kochetkov now has two recorded starts; no weekend goalie assignment is confirmed by the schedule.

## October 9 decision: build around the games you can use

For October 9–11, Bobby McMann is my first conditional add for shots and physical categories, while Jackson Blake is the stronger power-play-points choice. Tommy Novak is a cheaper Friday option when Seattle or Carolina players are unavailable. The distinction matters: a productive player sitting behind a full Saturday lineup adds nothing to your matchup. These recommendations use official records checked on October 9, including Carolina’s completed October 8 game. No ownership percentages or future point totals are assumed.

The NHL schedule contains 21 games in this Eastern Time window: four Friday, 14 Saturday and three Sunday. Seattle and the Rangers play Friday and Sunday; Carolina plays Saturday and Sunday; Pittsburgh plays Friday and Saturday. Winnipeg has only Friday. Washington also has Friday and Sunday, but a useful schedule alone is not enough to invent a player recommendation. Match your open forward and defense positions to each date before spending an acquisition.

| Date | Scheduled NHL games |
| --- | --- |
| 2026-10-09 | 4 |
| 2026-10-10 | 14 |
| 2026-10-11 | 3 |

Seattle visits Detroit Friday at 7 p.m. ET and Washington Sunday at 5 p.m.; Carolina visits Chicago Saturday at 7 p.m. and Philadelphia Sunday at 7 p.m. Pittsburgh visits Columbus Friday at 7 p.m., then hosts Dallas Saturday at 7 p.m. Winnipeg hosts Anaheim Friday at 8 p.m. The Rangers visit Washington Friday at 7 p.m. and host Vancouver Sunday at 6 p.m. Check your platform’s lock rules: the earliest game in a day may close acquisitions even when your target plays later.

## Recorded role and scoring fit

The table shows 2026–27 regular-season totals through each player’s latest completed game, checked October 9. Seattle and Rangers records end October 6; Pittsburgh and Winnipeg end October 7; Carolina ends October 8. PP time and share are per-game averages of recorded deployment. They describe opportunity already received, not a confirmed weekend unit or a projection of future production.

| Player | GP / points / shots | PPP / hits / blocks | PP time / share |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bobby McMann | 4 / 2 / 15 | 1 / 9 / 4 | 2:09 / 43.4% |
| Jackson Blake | 5 / 5 / 14 | 4 / 0 / 3 | 5:56 / 84.7% |
| Tommy Novak | 4 / 5 / 8 | 2 / 1 / 4 | 3:08 / 56.9% |
| Cole Perfetti | 4 / 6 / 12 | 4 / 8 / 2 | 2:37 / 68.2% |
| Brandon Montour | 4 / 2 / 7 | 0 / 6 / 8 | 2:18 / 46.3% |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | 5 / 4 / 8 | 4 / 2 / 2 | 5:05 / 72.7% |
| Ryker Evans | 4 / 2 / 4 | 0 / 7 / 3 | 0:18 / 5.9% |
| Eeli Tolvanen | 5 / 3 / 6 | 0 / 10 / 8 | 1:14 / 27.6% |

### Bobby McMann: add for shots and contact when both dates fit

McMann has two goals, 15 shots, nine hits and four blocks in four games. His 2:09 of PP time per game and 43.4% share are useful secondary support; the strongest case is shots plus physical contributions on Friday and Sunday. Use a modest claim or ordinary free-agent add if he replaces a fringe winger with fewer usable games. Do not drop an established scoring core player for this short window. The risk is that a reduced offensive role or a scratch turns two scheduled opportunities into one or none. Cancel the add if the current lineup removes him, or if your Friday and Sunday wing slots are already occupied.

### Jackson Blake: add for assists and power-play points

Blake now has five assists, four power-play points and 14 shots in five games, with 5:56 of PP time per game and an 84.7% share. The October 8 results strengthen his points and PPP case; zero recorded hits make him a poor substitute for a contact specialist. Carolina’s [dated October 8 projection](https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/projected-lineup-october-8-vs-vancouver) included Blake on PP1. Treat that as dated role context and use the recorded deployment for the recommendation. A moderate claim is reasonable only if Sunday is usable; a crowded Saturday means you may be buying just one appearance. [Jarvis practised in a normal jersey; a return remains unconfirmed.](https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/injury-report-jarvis-sheds-no-contact-sweater) A returning teammate could redistribute opportunity. Reverse the add if Blake loses meaningful PP work or an availability announcement makes Sunday unlikely.

### Tommy Novak: inexpensive Friday depth, with Saturday as a bonus

Novak has five points, including two PPP, and eight shots in four games. His 3:08 PP average and 56.9% share provide a scoring reason to consider him beyond Pittsburgh’s two-game schedule. The [October 7 projection](https://www.nhl.com/news/pittsburgh-penguins-washington-capitals-game-preview-october-7-2026) placed Novak with Chinakhov and Malkin; that is not a confirmed October 9 line. Add cheaply for points if Friday is open, and regard Saturday as a bonus only after checking your lineup. One hit so far limits the physical-category case. Do not spend priority waiver position on a player who would sit Saturday while your dropped player can score Sunday. A demotion, scratch or loss of PP time reverses this recommendation.

### Cole Perfetti: a Friday scoring fit, not a two-game streamer

Perfetti’s six points, four PPP and 12 shots in four games support a scoring-first Friday add. His recorded PP time is 2:37 per game, a 68.2% share. Eight hits are recorded, but that short sample should not turn him into a physical-category projection. Winnipeg plays only Friday in this window. Use him if he is already available at a modest replacement cost or on your bench; pay no premium for an extra weekend game that does not exist. The acquisition loses appeal if you need Sunday volume, cannot start him Friday, or a new lineup report reduces his offensive assignment. Keep an established incumbent when the net usable-game gain is zero.

## Defensemen: choose the category you need

**Brandon Montour — add or hold for a broad category fit.** Two assists, seven shots, six hits and eight blocks in four games accompany 22:42 of total ice time per game. His 46.3% PP share has produced no PPP yet. That makes him a more defensible Friday/Sunday choice for categories than a claim based on promised PP scoring. Pay a moderate price only when replacing a lower-usage defenseman and gaining a startable date. Losing minutes, a health concern, or full defense slots reverses the move; two Seattle games cannot override any of those constraints.

**Shayne Gostisbehere — add for PPP when Sunday helps.** The updated five-game record is four points, all on the power play, eight shots, two hits and two blocks. Recorded PP time is 5:05 per game with a 72.7% share. He is the more focused PPP play than Montour; he is not an equivalent replacement for an important blocks contributor. A moderate claim fits an open Sunday defense spot. A PP demotion, an availability change or a return that materially reduces his unit time would reverse the recommendation. Do not chase the October 8 output at the cost of a reliable season-long defender.

## Deeper pools: two alternatives with specific limits

**Ryker Evans** is a cheap Friday/Sunday defense option when hits and blocks matter and the main choices are unavailable. His four-game record is two assists, four shots, seven hits and three blocks, with 21:37 of total ice time per game. Only 0:18 on the power play and no PPP argue against paying for offensive-unit upside. Replace a spare defenseman, not a dependable scorer. Pass if the current lineup reduces his role or your defense slots cannot use either date.

**Eeli Tolvanen** is a low-cost physical-category alternative for the Rangers’ Friday/Sunday pattern. Three goals, six shots, ten hits and eight blocks in five games are recorded; 13:34 of average ice time, no PPP and a 27.6% PP share limit the points-only case. Six shots are not evidence of a high-volume shooting role. Use a replaceable bench wing and retain enough acquisition flexibility for Sunday. A scratch, fewer minutes or a need for power-play scoring rather than physical categories reverses the choice.

## Goalies: October 8 changed the evidence, not the weekend assignments

| Goalie | Starts | Saves / shots | Save percentage | Last start |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Joey Daccord | 3 | 72 / 79 | 0.911 | 2026-10-06 |
| Philipp Grubauer | 1 | 29 / 32 | 0.906 | 2026-10-03 |
| Brandon Bussi | 3 | 57 / 67 | 0.851 | 2026-10-06 |
| Pyotr Kochetkov | 2 | 34 / 38 | 0.895 | 2026-10-08 |

These are individual season records checked October 9. Grubauer has two appearances but only one start; relief work is included in his saves and shots. Kochetkov’s October 8 appearance adds a second start and brings his total to 34 saves on 38 shots (.895 rounded). Neither a completed win nor the Carolina Saturday/Sunday back-to-back identifies the next starter.

**Joey Daccord:** hold if rostered; consider a normal-cost conditional start only after an individual assignment and current availability check. His three starts and 72/79 saves (.911) support considering him ahead of a blind team-schedule bet. [Seattle lists Daccord in a projection, not a confirmed start.](https://www.nhl.com/kraken/news/seattle-kraken-at-detroit-red-wings-game-preview-projected-lines-100926) Friday and Sunday team games are not two Daccord starts. Avoid replacing a confirmed incumbent until his assignment is settled; a different starter reverses the add.

**Philipp Grubauer:** a cheap emergency option only after he is personally announced. His one start and 29/32 saves (.906, including relief) do not establish a weekend workload. Do not reserve a valuable acquisition or discard a confirmed starter for him. An announcement for Daccord, a scratch or no remaining need for a start means pass.

**Brandon Bussi:** three starts show actual use, but 57 saves on 67 shots (.851) make the ratio risk substantial. Add cheaply only with a confirmed assignment when your matchup requires start or save volume. If you lead save percentage or goals-against average and have met the minimum, the replacement cost can outweigh any possible win. A Kochetkov assignment or a strategy that prioritizes protecting ratios reverses the move.

**Pyotr Kochetkov:** the updated two-start 34/38 record (.895) is more current than the prior one-start snapshot, but remains a small sample. Consider a cheap conditional add for required starts after he is individually announced, rather than predicting a split of Carolina’s back-to-back. Do not displace a confirmed, stronger ratio option. An assignment for Bussi or an availability concern reverses the recommendation.

## Make the acquisition serve your matchup

Use the [streamer finder](/en/fantasy-hockey-streamer-finder/) to map open dates, then the [player comparison](/en/fantasy-hockey-player-comparison/) to check the category trade-off. Count the games your new player can actually enter minus the usable games you lose by dropping someone. McMann suits shots and contact; Blake and Gostisbehere suit PPP; Novak and Perfetti suit scoring with different calendar limits. Reserve enough moves for a late scratch or goalie announcement. If the matchup category is already secure, protecting a reliable incumbent may be more valuable than adding volume.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which date is least crowded this weekend?

Sunday, October 11 has three NHL games, versus four Friday and 14 Saturday, checked October 9 in Eastern Time. Seattle, the Rangers and Carolina are useful only where you have open positions.

### Does a back-to-back guarantee a goalie start?

No. Check an individual starter announcement and availability. Daccord, Grubauer, Bussi and Kochetkov have different recorded workloads and ratio risks; team games do not determine their next starts.

## Sources

- [schedule — checked October 9](https://api-web.nhle.com/v1/schedule/2026-10-09) — NHL
- [club-SEA — checked October 9](https://api-web.nhle.com/v1/club-stats/SEA/20262027/2) — NHL
- [club-CAR — checked October 9](https://api-web.nhle.com/v1/club-stats/CAR/20262027/2) — NHL
- [club-PIT — checked October 9](https://api-web.nhle.com/v1/club-stats/PIT/20262027/2) — NHL
- [club-WPG — checked October 9](https://api-web.nhle.com/v1/club-stats/WPG/20262027/2) — NHL
- [club-NYR — checked October 9](https://api-web.nhle.com/v1/club-stats/NYR/20262027/2) — NHL
- [powerplay — checked October 9](https://api.nhle.com/stats/rest/en/skater/powerplay?isAggregate=false&isGame=false&start=0&limit=-1&cayenneExp=seasonId%3D20262027%20and%20gameTypeId%3D2) — NHL
- [realtime — checked October 9](https://api.nhle.com/stats/rest/en/skater/realtime?isAggregate=false&isGame=false&start=0&limit=-1&cayenneExp=seasonId%3D20262027%20and%20gameTypeId%3D2) — NHL
- [game-log-8478916 — checked October 9](https://api-web.nhle.com/v1/player/8478916/game-log/20262027/2) — NHL
- [game-log-8475831 — checked October 9](https://api-web.nhle.com/v1/player/8475831/game-log/20262027/2) — NHL
- [game-log-8483548 — checked October 9](https://api-web.nhle.com/v1/player/8483548/game-log/20262027/2) — NHL
- [game-log-8481611 — checked October 9](https://api-web.nhle.com/v1/player/8481611/game-log/20262027/2) — NHL
- [roster-SEA — checked October 9](https://api-web.nhle.com/v1/roster/SEA/current) — NHL
- [roster-CAR — checked October 9](https://api-web.nhle.com/v1/roster/CAR/current) — NHL
- [roster-PIT — checked October 9](https://api-web.nhle.com/v1/roster/PIT/current) — NHL
- [roster-WPG — checked October 9](https://api-web.nhle.com/v1/roster/WPG/current) — NHL
- [roster-NYR — checked October 9](https://api-web.nhle.com/v1/roster/NYR/current) — NHL
- [Carolina projected units, October 8](https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/projected-lineup-october-8-vs-vancouver) — NHL
- [Carolina availability update](https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/injury-report-jarvis-sheds-no-contact-sweater) — NHL
- [Seattle dated projected lineup](https://www.nhl.com/kraken/news/seattle-kraken-at-detroit-red-wings-game-preview-projected-lines-100926) — NHL
- [Pittsburgh projected lineup, October 7](https://www.nhl.com/news/pittsburgh-penguins-washington-capitals-game-preview-october-7-2026) — NHL