NHL Daily Plays: Monday, December 1st
We start the month of December off with a decent five game schedule on this Monday evening. With ten teams taking the ice, it seems like we will have just enough action to get involved in both cash games and GPPs tonight. There are no teams playing on consecutive nights tonight, nor is there a huge favorite on the board. These two facts should make for a very interesting and fun night in the NHL.
GOALTENDERS
Make sure to check the RotoGrinders Starting Goalies Page to confirm that the goalies listed below are starting prior to game time.
Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning – With no big favorite on the docket, picking a number one tender tonight will be more difficult than usual. The Tampa Bay Lightning have won three straight games and now find themselves tied for first place in the Eastern Conference. Bishop has won five of his last six games, including beating this Rangers squad twice over that stretch. Bishop and the Bolts are rolling right now and I think they have another strong performance and come away with the win tonight in Madison Square Garden.
Other Goalies To Target (Cash Games) – Sergei Bobrovsky, Frederik Andersen, Carey Price
Other Goalies To Target (Tournaments) – Tuukka Rask, Henrik Lundqvist, Ben Scrivens
CENTER
Ryan Johansen, Columbus Blue Jackets – Johansen is very quietly having an All-Star caliber season for the Blue Jackets (25 PTS in 23 GP) and draws a favorable match-up tonight against the Florida Panthers. Despite all the Jackets’ struggles this season, Johansen has been pretty consistent all year long. He has good chemistry with his linemate Nick Foligno and I like his chances for a multi-point game this evening.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton Oilers – Yes the Oilers have been awful this season, but most of their issues are on the defensive side. Up front, Edmonton has a lot of good young talent, and Nugent-Hopkins is one of those pieces. Nugent-Hopkins sees over twenty-one minutes of ice time per game centering the Oilers’ top line and number one powerplay unit. The Coyotes have traditionally struggled on the road and have had their own issues defensively this season (allowing 31 shots per game and ranking 24th in goals against per game). I think Edmonton scores three or more goals tonight and you can bet Nugent-Hopkins and his linemates will be heavily involved.
Other Centers To Target (Cash Games) – Steven Stamkos, Ryan Getzlaf, David Desharnais
Other Centers To Target (Tournaments) – Derek Stepan, Tyler Johnson, Nathan MacKinnon, Nick Bjugstad
WINGERS
Ryan Callahan, Tampa Bay Lightning – Callahan is firing on all cylinders with three goals and five points in his last two games. Callahan is having a superb season (21 PTS, +9, 57 SOG in 19 GP) and I don’t see him slowing down anytime soon. Callahan has saved his best hockey for his ex-team (New York Rangers) as he has four goals, five points, and nine shots-on-goal against them in their two contests this season.
Mikkel Boedker, Arizona Coyotes – Boedker is likely best suited for GPPs tonight, but at his discounted price, he can also make a solid value play in your cash games. The Oilers are ranked 28th in goal against per game (3.38) and are allowing over 30 shots per game (30.3). Neither of the Oilers goalies have played well this season and Boedker is the Desert Dogs’ biggest offensive threat up front.
Alex Killorn, Tampa Bay Lightning – Killorn is smoking hot with points in seven straight games. During his seven game point streak, he has amassed five goals, eight points and sixteen shots on goal. Killorn is playing on the Bolts’ top line and seeing minutes on their second powerplay unit. As long as Killorn continues to skate alongside superstar Steven Stamkos, he is going to remain a tremendous value play.
Other Left Wingers To Target (Cash Games) – Corey Perry, Nick Foligno, Jarome Iginla, Rick Nash, Max Pacioretty
Other Left Wingers To Target (Tournaments) – Taylor Hall, Gabriel Landeskog, Alex Galchenyuk, Martin St. Louis, Nikita Kucherov
DEFENSE
Keith Yandle, Arizona Coyotes – There is really not a must-have defenseman for me tonight. Yandle has a great match-up and he has as much upside as any defenseman on the board tonight. Edmonton has lost nine straight games and continues to struggle mightily in their own end. Yandle is a dangerous offensive weapon with multi-point upside tonight.
Andrei Markov, Montreal Canadiens – This recommendation is based more on match-up and salary, than it is on recent production. Markov is still getting a ton of ice time each game and sees minutes on Montreal’s top powerplay unit. At his moderate price, Markov makes a great value pay on defense tonight.
Other Defensemen To Target (Cash Games) – P.K. Subban, Sami Vatanen, Jason Garrison
Other Defensemen To Target (Tournaments) – Dougie Hamilton, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, James Wisniewski
Good Luck Grinders!
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