NHL GPP Plays: Thursday, March 19th
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, GPPs are all about UPSIDE. We want players who can explode, 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 to confirm that the goalies listed below are starting prior to game time.
Andrew Hammond, Ottawa Senators – How do we not go with Hammond again tonight? The matchup is not ideal and his salary is no longer that of value, but to beat the Boston Bruins tonight, he will have to be outstanding in net, something we are getting accustomed to with the Hamburglar. Defeating Boston tonight will not be an easy task for Hammond and the Senators, as the Bruins are one of the best overall teams in the league and they have only lost once in their past ten games. Hammond tied a 76-year-old National Hockey League record by starting his career 11-0-1 and he has posted ridiculous numbers (1.35 GAA, .956 SV%, 2 SO) along the way. The Hamburglar could very well steal another game for Ottawa tonight.
Other Goalies To Target – Petr Mrazek, Roberto Luongo, Mike Smith
CENTER
Sean Monahan, Calgary Flames – The Calgary Flames’ top line featuring Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Jiri Hudler has been one of the hottest lines in hockey recently and they have a nice matchup at home tonight. Monahan has six goals and nine points in his last eight games and is very moderately priced. The Flames are fighting for their playoff lives and should be pumped up for this game, meanwhile the Flyers have nothing to play for and are one of the worst road teams in hockey (9-19-9). Philadelphia continues to struggle in all aspects of their game and I expect Monahan and company to exploit that tonight at the Saddledome.
Other Centers To Target – Tomas Plekanec, Jori Lehtera, Ryan O’Reilly, Nick Bonino, Tyler Bozak
WINGERS
Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche – Landeskog has not been hampered whatsoever with the loss of Nathan MacKinnon as he has racked up 10 goals and 19 points in his last 21 games. After losing 15 of their past 16 games, the Arizona Coyotes are making a run at the number one overall draft pick, otherwise known as the “Connor McDavid sweepstakes”. The Desert Dogs have allowed the fifth-most shots per game (32.5) and the third-most goals per game (3.23) this season. Landeskog has very quietly been one of the best players in the game recently and I doubt the defensively challenged Coyotes slow him down tonight.
Alexander Burrows, Vancouver Canucks – Burrows had a huge game Tuesday night scoring two goals and adding four shots on goal. Burrows gets a huge fantasy bump with his return to the Canucks’ top line and number one power-play unit. Burrows has a history with the Sedin twins and they have shown great chemistry in the past. The Blue Jackets are not only playing very poor defensive hockey these days, but will also be facing the Vancouver Canucks while on the tail end of a back to back. Burrows has big game upside again tonight.
Mark Stone, Ottawa Senators – Stone scored the game-winning goal in overtime Tuesday night in Ottawa’s 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Stone has now accumulated 29 points in his last 33 games and he hasn’t been off the scoresheet for more than two consecutive games since December. He does face a tough matchup tonight, but with how hot he has been and his inexpensive salary, he makes a great roll of the dice in your GPPs.
Other Wingers To Target – Jason Pominville, P.A. Parenteau, Justin Abdelkader, Jonathan Huberdeau
DEFENSE
Christian Ehrhoff, Pittsburgh Penguins – Ehrhoff has played much better offensively in his last three games, even though he has gone pointless. Ehrhoff has registered 14 shots on goal in those three games and finds himself back on the Penguins’ top powerplay unit. The Dallas Stars are one of many bad defensive teams in action tonight, allowing the third-most goals per game on the season (3.23). The Stars are the worst defensive team in hockey against offensive defensemen and that is why we move Ehrhoff up a notch or two tonight, despite his lack of production.
Alexander Edler, Vancouver Canucks – Edler broke out of his slump with a goal and an assist in Vancouver’s 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night. Edler has not lived up to expectations this season, but he remains the Canucks’ best offensive defenseman and power play quarterback. Even with the return of goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, the Columbus Blue Jackets have really struggled in their own end. After surrendering three goals in Edmonton last night, Columbus has now allowed 30 goals in their past nine games. Edler has multi-point upside in this match-up tonight.
Other Defensemen To Target – Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Tyler Myers, Zach Redmond, T.J. Brennan
Good Luck Grinders!
Pepsi7