NHL Daily Plays: Tuesday, October 14th
The 2014-15 NHL Regular Season is just under a week old, and with many early season surprises (New Jersey’s scoring surge), some things seem to never change (Buffalo still sucks). There will be plenty of action tonight with nine games on the schedule and plenty of great matchups to exploit. There’s no better way to build your bankroll than jumping in some NHL action on an otherwise dead day throughout the industry, so let’s take a look at some of my top plays of the night for Tuesday, October 14th.
Goalies
Make sure to check the RotoGrinders Starting Goalies Page to confirm that the goalies listed below are starting prior to puck-drop
Sergei Bobrovsky – Columbus Blue Jackets – Entering tonight’s matchup against the Stars, “Sergeant Bobrovsky” has an unblemished 2-0 record with a stellar .938 SV%. With a great supporting cast and a pair of cupcake matchups, Bobrovsky has yet to be tested; however he is an elite goaltender and is almost always in play when he has a home matchup. Tonight he will be taking on a new-look Dallas Stars team that has yet to find their stride, having scored just 3 goals in two losing efforts to start the season. He won’t be cheap, but Bobrovsky is a solid option for your cash games tonight.
Pekka Rinne – Nashville Predators – Another reliable goaltender that enters tonight’s game with a perfect 2-0 record is Pekka Rinne, who finally appears healthy after dealing with a lingering hip issue over the past couple of seasons. Typically a team known for their stingy defense, Nashville has brought in some prolific scorers this offseason to help their scoring woes, and I think the Predators finally breakout in a big way tonight against a very young and inexperienced Calgary Flames team. In addition to the goal support I expect Rinner to receive tonight, home-ice advantage will allow new head coach Peter Laviolette to have the league’s best defenseman, Shea Weber, on the ice at all times against Calgary’s top line. Rinne is still a bargain throughout the industry, so jump on him while he is still priced down.
Defense
Disclaimer: Victor Hedman, Brent Burns, and Drew Doughty are elite fantasy defensemen and are always in play.
Shea Weber – Nashville Predators – With goals in back to back games, Weber will find his way into my lineups tonight. He won’t be cheap, but there isn’t a more important player to his team than Weber, who finished led all defensemen last season with 23 goals and finished third in points with 56. In addition to the massive amount of ice time he logs each game, Weber is also a force on the power play, leading all defensemen with 12 goals on the man advantage. Tonight he will be taking on a Calgary team that has already allowed five power play goals and will likely continue to struggle in that department throughout the season.
Sami Vatanen – Anaheim Ducks – If you’re looking for some value on defense tonight, consider taking Sami Vatanen, who has three assists in as many games for the Ducks. A preseason injury to Cam Fowler has opened the door for Vatanen on the Anaheim’s surprisingly effective power play early this season. Philadelphia was one of the league’s most penalized teams a season ago, and I expect the Ducks to continue to stay hot on the man advantage, which should allow Vatanen plenty of scoring opportunities tonight.
Top Value Plays: Cody Franson (TOR), John-Michael Liles (CAR)
Center
Disclaimer: Steven Stamkos, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Alex Ovechkin, John Tavares, and Rick Nash are elite fantasy forwards and are always in play.
Jeff Carter – Los Angeles Kings – Centering a line between two prolific young scoring threats in Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson, Jeff Carter has enjoyed a fantastic start to the season with two goals, an assist, a +5 rating, and 11 shots on goal through three games. Tonight he has the pleasure of facing Edmonton, who remains one of the league’s worst defensive teams, allowing six goals in two games this season. Carter is also featured on LA’s top power play unit, and should be heavily involved in the Kings’ scoring tonight in a game they should dominate from start to finish.
Ryan Kesler – Anaheim Ducks – Heading to Anaheim after an offseason blockbuster trade, Kesler is off to a torrid start with the Ducks, tallying five points, a +2 rating, and 11 shots on goal in three games. He may not be solely responsible for the Ducks early season power play magic, but he is definitely a major factor to the team’s ability to score early this season on the man advantage. With the Flyers likely putting their focus on Anaheim’s top line of Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, I expect Kesler to have his way against a slow Flyers’ defensive core tonight and continue his point streak in what should be a very high scoring game.
Top Value Plays: Sam Reinhart (BUF), Elias Lindholm (CAR)
Wing
Patrick Marleau – San Jose Sharks – “The only things in life that are certain are death, taxes [and Patrick Marleau starting the season on fire].” With multi-point performances in both games to open the year, Marleau has proven time and again that he is one of the most consistent wingers in all of hockey. With the defensive-minded Barry Trotz now in Washington and several key additions on the blue-line, the Capitals will certainly be a tough matchup, but Marleau and his linemate Logan Couture make up one of the league’s most dynamic scoring lines and are almost matchup proof on any given night. Look for Marleau to continue his point streak tonight, as San Jose looks to kick off their road trip the right way.
Wayne Simmonds – Philadelphia Flyers – With two goals in consecutive games, Simmonds appears fully recovered from a minor injury he suffered at the end of the preseason and is picking up right where he left off at the end of last year. Currently featured on the Philly’s second line at even strength, Simmonds does most of his damage on the team’s top power play unit, where two of his four goals have come this season. A matchup against the Ducks isn’t ideal, but I expect Simmonds to be very active on the power play tonight by using his size advantage to work his way in front of the net for rebound opportunities.
Alexander Semin – Carolina Hurricanes – Already projected to be one of the league’s worst teams this season, Carolina will be without five of their top six forwards tonight against Buffalo. That means Semin should be very active throughout the night, ripping shots left and right in what might be the sloppiest game of the entire season. Semin is a proven scoring threat, especially on the power play, where he will be taking on a Sabres team that is among the most penalized teams to start the season. Buffalo has already surrendered three power play goals.
Brock Nelson – New York Islanders – If you’re looking for value at left wing tonight, look no further than Nelson, who has three goals and three assists in just two games this season. Skating on the Isles’ second line at even strength, Nelson is also heavily involved on the team’s top power play unit, where three of his six points have come this season. The matchup won’t be easy against a stout defensive team like the Rangers, but these new-look Islanders are on a mission this season, and I expect them to steal the show at Madison Square Garden tonight in a rivalry game.
Top Value Plays: Matt Beleskey (ANA), Tanner Pearson (LA), Matt Nieto (SJ), Anthony Duclair (NYR)