NHL Daily Plays: Saturday, November 22nd
Happy Saturday Grinders! With several projected high scoring games on the schedule tonight, it will make roster construction more difficult than usual. My strategy tonight will focus on finding value mostly on defense and at center, which will allow for spending at wing, where I expect most of the scoring will take place. With a packed 12 game slate, let’s take a look at some of my top plays for Saturday, November 22nd:
Goalies
Make sure to check the RotoGrinders Starting Goalies Page to confirm that the goalies listed below are starting prior to puck-drop
Pekka Rinne – Nashville Predators – The safest option on the board for me tonight is Pekka Rinne, who is having a renaissance season for the Predators; entering tonight’s game tied for first in wins (12), second in GAA (1.92), and SV% (.932). He will have a great opportunity to improve upon his strong play against a Florida Panthers team that has struggled to find the back of the net throughout much of the 2014 season; ranking 28th in goals per game. Despite escaping with two victories against the Ducks and Sharks traveling through “Murderer’s Row” out west, the Panthers will likely be sluggish throughout most of this game on the tail end of a long road trip. The only concern for the surging Preds has been their inability to kill penalties, but Florida’s struggles on special teams is well documented, making Rinne and his moderate price tag an excellent option in net tonight.
Antti Raanta – Chicago Blackhawks – If you’re looking for value in net tonight, consider taking Antti Raanta, who will be making just his third start of the season for the red hot Blackhawks. At just under 6 feet tall and 187 lbs., Raanta isn’t your prototypical NHL goaltender, but the Finnish goalie makes up for his lack of size with his quickness and positioning in the crease. Tonight Raanta will have the luxury of taking on an Edmonton Oilers team that is in the midst of a 5 game losing streak and has won just two games since the start of November. I expect Chicago to dominate this game from start to finish and supplying Raanta with plenty of goal support to cruise to an easy victory.
Defense
Disclaimer: Shea Weber, Mark Giordano, Brent Burns, P.K. Subban, and Kris Letang, are elite defensemen and are always in play.
Trevor Daley – Dallas Stars – On a night where many of the high-priced forwards have juicy matchups, I’ll be looking for some mid-range options on defense. Trevor Daley is one of those guys for me tonight, who ended a long scoring drought by notching an assist in his last game against the Coyotes. A home matchup against the Kings isn’t ideal on paper, but the Kings have struggled immensely on the road this season; surrendering the most shots per game and rank 24th in the league away from home ice this season.
T.J. Brodie – Calgary Flames – With all the notoriety teammate Mark Giordano has received this season, Brodie is quietly putting together equally impressive numbers for the Flames. Skating alongside Giordano on Calgary’s top defensive pairing, Brodie has 16 points and a +12 rating while consistently logging heavy ice time for the Flames. He will look to improve upon his terrific start to the season tonight against a Devils team that has struggled in the penalty kill department and will be playing on back to back nights on the road. Taking Brodie offers you similar production to a guy like Giordano at a fraction of the cost and will allow you spend up elsewhere in your lineup.
Top Value Plays: Seth Jones (NSH), Danny Dekeyser (DET)
Center
Disclaimer: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Toews, Henrik Zetterberg, John Tavares, Tyler Seguin, Ryan Johansen, Logan Couture, and Claude Giroux are elite fantasy centers and are always in play.
Joe Thornton – San Jose Sharks – After a grueling 7 game road trip back east in which San Jose struggled big time, Thornton and the Sharks are back on home ice where they have historically dominated the opposition. Centering San Jose’s newly formed top line between prolific scorers Patrick Marleau and Tomas Hertl, Thornton is still proving to be a reliable and consistent option despite his age. The veteran playmaker is currently riding an 8 game point streak and will have a great opportunity to make it 9 games with a great home matchup against the Coyotes, who enter tonight’s game allowing the 7th most goals per game in the NHL.
Mike Ribeiro – Nashville Predators – Another veteran center with a nice home matchup that comes at a discount is Ribeiro, who is enjoying success in his first season with the Predators after struggling much of last year. Centering the NHL’s most productive scoring line, Ribeiro, James Neal, and Filip Forsberg have accounted for 17 goals this season and will be taking on a Florida Panthers team that will be on tired legs at the tail end of a long road trip. With his linemates’ prices going through the roof, taking Ribeiro is a great way to get exposure to Neal and Forsberg without sacrificing a lot of your salary cap.
Top Value Plays: Sean Monahan (CGY), Nick Spaling (PIT)
Wing
Disclaimer: Chris Kunitz, Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski, Jamie Benn, Max Pacioretty, Filip Forsberg, Jakub Voracek, Zach Parise, Phil Kessel, and James Neal are elite fantasy forwards and are always in play.
Patrick Kane – Chicago Blackhawks – Don’t look now folks, but “Kaner” is heating up, scoring a goal in each of his last three games for the Blackhawks. The timing of Kane’s resurgence couldn’t be better for the ‘Hawks, who have been dealing with a plethora of injuries this season. Tonight Kane and the Blackhawks continue their road trip through Canada against a slumping Edmonton Oilers team that has lost 5 straight games and will be playing on back to back nights. Kaner has torched the Oilers over the course of his career to the tune of 34 points in 26 games, making him an excellent option to pay up for tonight.
Alex Ovechkin – Washington Capitals – Perennially one the most productive forwards in all of hockey, Alex Ovechkin is a guy I will be doing everything I can squeeze into my lineups with a juicy home matchup against the lowly Buffalo Sabres. Despite two consecutive inspiring home wins in a row, Buffalo still enters tonight’s game dead last in goals per game, 29th in goals allowed per game, 29th in road penalty kill percentage, and allows the 3rd most shots per game on the road this season. If those numbers aren’t enough reason to pay up for Ovechkin, also consider he accumulated 4 points and amassed a whopping 25 shots on goal in three meetings against the Sabres last season. Don’t get cute with this one tonight folks; fade Ovechkin at your own peril.
Patric Hornqvist – Pittsburgh Penguins – In his inaugural campaign with Penguins, Hornqvist kicked off the year skating on the Pens’ top line alongside Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz. Despite his tremendous production, Hornqvist has since been moved to Pittsburgh’s second line alongside Evgeni Malkin, but the scoring hasn’t stopped. He enters tonight’s game with 22 points in 18 games this season which includes 11 power play points. Tonight Hornqvist and the Pens’ top ranked power play will be up against the Islanders in the second game of a home and home series that should feature a heavy dose of scoring.
Johnny Gaudreau – Calgary Flames – If you’re looking for value at the forward position, one of my favorite low-cost options tonight is the rookie Johnny Gaudreau. Dubbed “Johnny Hockey by many in the league, the talented young speedster is really coming into his own during his first campaign in the NHL. He has 10 points in as many games and a great home matchup against an old New Jersey Devils team that will be playing on back to back games on the road and likely starting their backup goaltender.
Top Value Plays: Tom Wilson (WSH), Tomas Hertl (SJ), Matt Nieto (SJ), Nikita Kucherov (TB)