NHL GPP Plays: Thursday, February 4th
Every Tuesday and Thursday I am going to give you my top tournament plays for all Daily Fantasy Hockey GPPs (guaranteed prize pool). GPPs are a general term used across the industry for your big money tournaments.
GPPs are very different from your cash games and you use a different strategy with them. In our GPPs we are not interested in safe plays, since GPPs are all about UPSIDE. We want players who can explode, as all-or-nothing type players can become GPP gold, and your value players are just as important as your star players. You need your players to have huge nights in order to take down these big tournaments.
My goal is to provide players who will be under-owned and have that big game upside you are looking for. I will also try to find as much value as I possibly can. Now, let’s get to the NHL GPP plays!
GOALTENDERS
Make sure to check the RotoGrinders Starting Goalies Page prior to game time, to confirm that the goalies listed below are starting.
Craig Anderson, Ottawa Senators – Anderson checks off a lot of boxes tonight as a GPP goalie. He is inexpensive, has win upside and he will see a ton of shots. The Ottawa Senators allow a league high 33.3 shots per game and rarely play a strong defensive game. Anderson has been very good on home ice this season (2.22 GAA, .929 SV%) and you have to love his potential in this game.
Other Goalies To Target – Joonas Korpisalo, James Reimer, Cam Talbot, Ryan Miller
FORWARDS
Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers – With the Edmonton Oilers on the road and everyone buzzing about wunderkind Connor MacDavid, Draisaitl and the Oilers’ top line should fly under the radar in tournament play. The Ottawa Senators continue to play wide open hockey and seemingly ignore their defensive responsibilities. Draisaitl has goals in back-to-back games and he has multi-point upside tonight against a defensively challenged Senators squad.
Mark Stone, Ottawa Senators – We should see plenty of goals in this game, as both teams lack defensive awareness and can light up the scoreboard. Edmonton is a bottom- six team in just about every single defensive category, including possession, high-danger scoring chances allowed and goals against per game. Stone broke out of a long scoring drought with a multi-point game Tuesday night in Pittsburgh and I love his upside in this plus matchup on home ice.
David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins – Pastrnak is coming off a multi-point performance over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night and he is skating with two extremely talented linemates (Loui Eriksson and David Krejci). Despite being on the road, Pastrnak and the Bruins’ second line are in a good spot tonight against a Buffalo Sabres team playing their second game in a many nights. As a “one off” or in a line stack, the 19-year-old Czech makes a great punt ply in GPPs.
Joseph Blandisi, New Jersey Devils – With Michael Cammalleri out due to injury, Blandisi will once against skate on the New Jersey Devils’ top line and number one power play unit. The talented young Canadian is extremely inexpensive and he oozes offensive upside.
Other Forwards To Target – Jack Eichel, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Adam Henrique, Jean Gabriel-Pageau, Artem Anisimov, Lee Stempniak
DEFENSE
Brent Seabrook, Chicago Blackhawks – The Arizona Coyotes are not only overachieving, but they are also playing undisciplined hockey. The Desert Dogs have taken the fourth-most minor penalties this season and despite all the practice, they have not done a very good job killing them off (29th ranked penalty kill). When fantasy owners target the Chicago Blackhawks’ blue line, they seek out Duncan Keith and ignore Brent Seabrook, leaving him highly under-owned.
Other Defensemen To Target – Ryan Suter, Rasmus Ristolainen, Alec Martinez, Eric Gelinas