NHL GPP Plays: Thursday, January 7th
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 and Lines Page prior to game time, to confirm that the players listed below are starting.
Karri Ramo, Calgary Flames – In our GPPs we are looking for a cheap goalie that should not only win, but also make plenty of saves along the way. Ramo has all three going for him tonight. Ramo has stopped 56 of the last 57 shots he has faced and I love his potential tonight versus the Arizona Coyotes.
Other Goalies To Target – Roberto Luongo, Martin Jones, Louis Domingue
FORWARDS
Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington Capitals – The 23-year-old Russian has three multi-point efforts in his last four games and he is very quietly having a superb season (37 PTS, 39 GP) for the Washington Capitals. The New York Islanders have really struggled in their own end recently, giving up 10 goals in their last two games. On the season, the Islanders have allowed the second most scoring chances and the third most-high danger scoring chances against. Most fantasy owners will be on Ovechkin and the Capitals’ top line, leaving Kuznetsov and the second line under-owned in GPPs.
Thomas Vanek, Minnesota Wild – Skating on the Minnesota Wild’s top line and number one power play unit alongside Zach Parise, Vanek is in a great spot to have a productive night. The Philadelphia Flyers are a team we want to pick on tonight. They refuse to play disciplined hockey and they own one of the leagues worst penalty kills. Vanek tends to fly under the radar in large field tournaments and I love his potential tonight.
Valeri Nichushkin Dallas Stars – Nichushkin was very productive in his first stint on the Dallas Stars’ top line and he will one again get the opportunity tonight (assuming the lines remain the same). The Dallas Stars host a Winnipeg Jets team that plays undisciplined hockey and has been awful on the road this season. If Nichushkin remains on the top line, he will be the best bargain in Daily Fantasy Hockey tonight.
Other Forwards To Target – Jakub Voracek, Blake Wheeler, Patrick Sharp, Gustav Nyquist, Mikkel Boedker, Josh Bailey, Bryan Little, Antonie Vermette
DEFENSE
Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers – Even with the return of Mark Streit, Gostisbehere has remained the Flyers’ power play quarterback. The man they call Ghost is coming off a multi-point performance and he continues to be a great tournament investment. The matchup in Minnesota against the Wild is not ideal, but with his inexpensive salary and upside, he makes a terrific roll of the dice in GPPs.
Other Defensemen To Target – Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Nick Leddy, Niklas Kronwall, Jake Muzzin, Brian Campbell