December Fantasy Schedule Hacks: Ride Devils and Mammoth Light Nights

December’s crowded NHL slate makes it easy to waste games on your bench. The edge comes from targeting teams that play on lighter nights and back-to-backs so you can squeeze in extra starts. This week, the schedule tilts toward the Utah Mammoth and New Jersey Devils, with a few other spots worth streaming around them. Use these teams to fill your off-nights, stack categories, and win tight head-to-head matchups.

What’s New & Why It Matters

The December calendar is loaded with heavy Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays where most fantasy lineups are already full. The real opportunity lies on quieter days and back-to-backs, when only a handful of teams play and you can actually get streamers into your active lineup. The Utah Mammoth and New Jersey Devils stand out because they appear frequently on those lighter slates, giving their skaters more chances to contribute when your studs on other teams are idle.

For Utah, that means extra exposure for top-line forwards like Clayton Keller and Barrett Hayton, who already carry strong usage and power-play roles. New Jersey’s schedule boost amplifies the value of Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and streamable depth like Dawson Mercer, especially while the Devils lean on them more with injuries elsewhere in the lineup.

Instead of chasing big-name players stuck on jam-packed nights, you can stack these teams on light days, turning fringe roster spots into meaningful production. Think of your schedule streams as a way to add an extra game or two to your weekly total without burning through your top players’ limited starts.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

In points-only formats, December’s schedule favors high-usage forwards on teams with multiple light nights. Keller is the headline option here: as a top-line forward for Utah with frequent December games, he’s a priority add or hold in any league where he’s not firmly rostered. More games plus a scoring role is exactly what you want in points-only.

Barrett Hayton’s value spikes as well. Even if the goals haven’t fully arrived yet, he’s deployed as a top-line center with power-play one duties, and the combination of role plus schedule gives him a strong streaming floor and real breakout potential. If his underlying metrics are already strong, those extra December games are where the production can finally catch up.

On New Jersey, Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt both benefit from an increased workload and a favorable calendar. Hischier’s expanded role with key teammates out means more touches in prime scoring situations. Bratt, meanwhile, is a classic buy-low in points-only: his shooting percentage suggests more goals are coming, and the Devils’ light-night games give you more chances to actually use those points instead of leaving them stuck on your bench.

Categories / Bangers

In multi-category leagues, schedule volume is almost as important as talent. Every extra game from Utah or New Jersey means more shots, hits, and power-play opportunities. Keller’s frequent appearances make him a quiet volume monster for shots and points; even if he’s not a heavy banger, sheer game count can swing matchups.

Hayton’s top-line and PP1 role should translate into a useful mix of shots and special-teams production, and if he’s playing in all situations, you may get a little peripheral juice as well. He’s the kind of player who can turn a close matchup in shots on goal or power-play points simply by playing more often than your opponent’s mid-tier centers.

For New Jersey, Hischier’s all-around game plays up in categories formats. Extra games mean more faceoff wins, shots, and the occasional hit or block, depending on your scoring. Bratt’s expected scoring bump plus schedule volume makes him a strong target for goals, assists, and power-play points. Dawson Mercer is more of a pure streamer, but with increased ice time in the wake of injuries, he can help in shots and secondary scoring during those key light nights.

Dynasty / Keeper

In dynasty and keeper formats, December’s schedule is less about short-term desperation and more about identifying players whose roles are quietly expanding. Hayton is the clearest long-term arrow-up: he’s already being trusted as a top-line center with PP1 exposure. If his underlying metrics say he should be scoring more, that’s exactly the profile you want to stash before the breakout fully hits.

Bratt is already established, but a low shooting percentage masking his true scoring level creates a window to acquire him at a relative discount. Once the puck luck normalizes, his production should look more like a reliable top-six winger, and the current schedule advantage is just a bonus for this season.

Hischier’s increased responsibility with key teammates out showcases his ceiling as a long-term top-six pivot. If he thrives in this expanded role, it solidifies his value in keepers as a stable, multi-category center you can build around. Keller remains a premium asset in any long-term format, and Utah’s willingness to lean on him heavily is a good sign that his volume and opportunity aren’t going anywhere.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

Clayton Keller (Utah Mammoth) – Add: High-usage top-line forward with a busy December slate, ideal for maximizing games played and scoring.
Barrett Hayton (Utah Mammoth) – Watchlist / Stream: Top-line center with PP1 time whose underlying metrics hint at a looming breakout.
Nico Hischier (New Jersey Devils) – Hold / Trade target: Elevated role with injuries in New Jersey plus favorable light nights boosts his all-around value.
Jesper Bratt (New Jersey Devils) – Trade target: Shooting percentage suggests more goals are coming, and New Jersey’s schedule gives you extra chances to deploy him.
Dawson Mercer (New Jersey Devils) – Short-term stream: Gaining ice time in the wake of injuries, making him a useful December streamer on light nights.

Fantasy Takeaways

Prioritize Utah Mammoth skaters on light nights and back-to-backs to squeeze extra games into your weekly totals.
Add or firmly hold Clayton Keller wherever possible; his combination of role and December volume is a difference-maker.
Target Jesper Bratt in trades before his shooting luck normalizes and the scoring uptick arrives.
Keep Barrett Hayton on your watchlist or bench as a breakout candidate with top-line, PP1 usage and a favorable schedule.
Use Dawson Mercer and other Devils depth as flexible streams when New Jersey hits light-night spots on the calendar.

Source: ESPN.com. See the original for full details.