NHL Daily Plays: November 25, 2013
Mondays are usually rather slow for the NHL but this week, thanks to the Thanksgiving holiday, things are different. 18 teams hit the ice tonight, so without further ado let’s get straight to the picks.
Goalies
Make sure to check the RotoGrinders Starting Goalies Page to confirm that the goalie listed below is starting prior to puck-drop
James Reimer – Toronto Maple Leafs – Reimer has been playing fantastic between the pipes lately, turning away 82 of the last 85 shots thrown his direction. He’s undefeated this season at the Air Canada Centre while posting an impressive 1.96 GAA and .951 Save Percentage at home. Tonight, he’ll get a crack at a struggling Columbus Blue Jackets team that will be finishing up a grueling five game Canadian road trip. He’s still reasonably priced on several sites and offers a very solid chance for a “W” with a high saves total.
Forwards
Disclaimer: Crosby, Malkin, and Kane are all studs and well worth consideration tonight.
T.J. Oshie – St. Louis Blues – 2013-14 appears to be Oshie’s breakout year. He’s flourishing on the Blues top line alongside Steen and Backes and now has 20 points in 22 games this season. He’s been even more dominant at the Scottrade Center, posting 14 points and a +6 in just 13 home games.
Claude Giroux – Philadelphia Flyers – He’s officially “Back”. Giroux brings a four game point streak into tonights tilt with Florida and has now scored 9 points (and is a +5) over the last nine games. He tallied four assists in just three games versus the Panthers last season. He’s averaging over 21 minutes of ice-time per game this season, with over 4 of those coming on the power play. His slow start to the season has lowered his asking price, so enjoy tonight’s discount while it still lasts.
Patrick Elias – New Jersey Devils – New Jersey has rebounded nicely after a very poor start to the season, and the impressive play of Elias is a big reason. He’s posted four points over the last three games and has a nice matchup tonight versus a Winnipeg team that has notoriously struggled on the road. He’s routinely seeing nearly 20 minutes of ice-time per game and loves firing away on the wing of the top power-play unit.
Mason Raymond – Toronto Maple Leafs – The Leafs top line (JVR and Kessel) has gone quiet lately, but they’ve managed to have success anyways thanks to the solid play of their other forward lines. Raymond has picked up his scoring pace, netting three goals and three assists over the last six games. He found himself logging plenty of time on the Maple Leafs second power-play during their last game and, considering his solid recent production, should continue to see added responsibilities.
Defensemen
Disclaimer: Byfuglien and Letang are both elite fantasy defenseman and well worth consideration whenever they’re in action.
Kimmo Timonen – Philadelphia Flyers – Timonen uncharacteristically opened the season without a point in the first thirteen games this season. However, after the slow start he’s now posted five points and is a +6 over the last nine games. He’s averaging over 21 minutes of ice-time per game this season and quarterbacks the #1 power-play unit for the Flyers. His slow start has definitely lowered his salary across the board, and it’s a perfect time to take advantage of that discount.
Justin Schultz – Edmonton Oilers – A meeting with the Blackhawks undoubtedly raises some red flags, but despite Chicago’s dominance in nearly every situation, they do sport one of the worst penalty kills in the entire NHL. Schultz has tallied points in back-to-back games and is the most dynamic offensive weapon among Edmonton blue-liners. Schultz leads all Edmonton defenseman in average power-play time per game and is still well underpriced on many sites.