NHL Daily Plays: Wednesday, February 25th
Wednesday’s rarely offer overly thrilling NHL schedules, and today is no different as only six teams will lace up their skates this evening.
Tonight’s set is about as unfriendly from a fantasy perspective as any slate in recent memory, but if you’re like me (god help you), you’re probably still going to play.
Goaltenders
Cory Schneider – New Jersey Devils – While many players are likely going to chase the “W” and roll with whoever gets the nod in net for Anaheim tonight, it’s Cory Schneider who I think is the best option. The Flames were shut out last night in New York and now will head to the Prudential Center having lost three straight games. Schneider, fresh off of a shut out of his own, sports an impressive 1.77 GAA and .935 SV% at home this season and has won four consecutive starts. Schneider is still reasonably priced across the industry despite standing on his head to the tune of a 6-3-1 record with a 1.51 GAA and .951 SV% in 10 starts since the All-Star Break.
Others To Target: John Gibson, Braden Holtby
Centers
Ryan Getzlaf – Anaheim Ducks – Taking him is chalk, sure. But he’s going to be a very popular pick and fading him in your cash games could turn ugly in a heartbeat. Malkin/Crosby and Company have only managed to get one puck behind Braden Holtby in their three previous meetings this season, so I’m not overly interested in paying the high asking price to roster them, which makes Getzlaf my clear #1 choice at center. He scored a pair of goals against the Senators when these two teams met in December and enters tonight’s game having scored a pair of goals while adding a pair of assists over his last three games.
Nicklas Backstrom – Washington Capitals – If you want some reasonably priced exposure to Alex Ovechkin, then Backstrom is your best option. The duo has combined for 39 goals in which both players have had points on the same goal and Backstrom leads the NHL with 20 multi-point games this season. His 27 power-play points is currently the second highest total in the NHL and he should have plenty of opportunities to add to that number tonight as the Penguins happen to be the most penalized team in the league. Backstrom has picked up three assists in the first three meetings between these teams and is a safe bet to find the scoresheet once again tonight.
Others To Target: Ryan Kesler, Adam Henrique, Kyle Turris, Kyle Palmieri
Wingers
Michael Cammalleri – New Jersey Devils – The New Jersey offense is not intimidating by any means, but Michael Cammalleri is a gifted offensive player. He enters tonight’s game holding a hot stick as he’s tallied four goals and added an assist over the last three games. He also lit the lamp against the Flames when they met in Alberta earlier this season. He’s still quietly on pace for another 30 goal season and, considering the short slate, is an excellent value option tonight.
Jiri Hudler – Calgary Flames – I don’t like recommending players facing my goalie often, but the options on this slate are fairly limited. Hudler oozes offensive talent and had success against the Devils in their only other meeting, scoring a goal and picking up an assist in Calgary’s 5-4 shootout victory. He’s picked up three goals and a pair of assists over the last five games and logs big minutes on the team’s top power-play unit where the Devils own the league’s 22nd-ranked penalty kill.
Others To Target: Alex Ovechkin, Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan, Patrik Hornqvist, David Perron, Jakob Silfverberg
Defensemen
Mike Green – Washington Capitals – As I mentioned earlier, the Pittsburgh Penguins are the most penalized team in the NHL, so it makes sense to grab the Capital’s best defensive weapon on the power-play, Mike Green. Green owns a goal and two assists in the three previous meetings with Pittsburgh and has already tallied 15 power-play points this season. He trails only Alex Ovechkin for the team lead in average power-play ice-time per game this season and is still moderately priced on many sites.
Francois Beauchemin – Anaheim Ducks – The Sami Vatanen injury has opened up the door for Beauchemin to log huge minutes, and it’s paying off in his fantasy value. Beauchemin logged nearly 30 minutes of ice-time against Detroit in the Ducks last game and has now scored goals in three consecutive games. He’s amassed four goals and an assist over the last six games and is seeing ample time on the point of the Ducks’ #2 power-play unit. He’s still dirt cheap on several sites and is an excellent source for some salary relief tonight.
Others To Target: Kris Letang, Hampus Lindholm, Mark Giordano, Matt Niskanen