NHL GPP Plays: Tuesday, March 31st
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 to confirm that the goalies listed below are starting prior to game time.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning – Vasilevskiy is not only inexpensive, but he is also one of the top back-up goalies in the league. In his four starts in March, Vasilevskiy has been outstanding, posting a 2.00 GAA along with a .934 SV% and a shutout. The Toronto Maple Leafs are just a mess in all aspects of their game right now. At one point they at least had a solid offence, but that has since dried up. Toronto has scored less than two goals per game (1.93) in their last 14 contests and are far from a potent offense. Look for another strong performance from Vasilevskiy tonight at the A.C.C.
Other Goalies To Target – Petr Mrazek, Ondrej Pavelec, Cam Ward, Andrew Hammond
CENTERS
Mike Ribeiro, Nashville Predators – The Predators’ number one center is riding a four-game point streak, including two of the multi-point variety. The Predators have won four of their last five contests and remain one of the NHL’s best teams on home ice (28-8-2) this season. Ribeiro is never a highly owned player because of his pass-first mentality, but he is certainly capable of another multi-point night against a tired Canucks squad this evening.
Tyler Bozak, Toronto Maple Leafs – Bozak had a monster game Saturday night with three goals and four points in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 4-3 come from behind overtime win against the Ottawa Senators. Bozak is not known for his scoring touch, but he makes a great GPP play in the right situation thanks to his inexpensive price across the industry. Bozak continues to skate on the Leafs’ top line and number one powerplay unit, and as long as he is doing that he has big game upside. The Lightning will be playing on consecutive nights and could be a tired team this evening. Tired teams tend to be lazy and take penalties, Bozak and the Leafs’ top powerplay unit could be in line for a decent night.
Other Centers To Target – Valtteri Filppula, Travis Zajac, Aleksander Barkov
WINGERS
Cam Atkinson, Columbus Blue Jackets – Atkinson has been smoking hot in his last three games, registering four goals and seven points. Atkinson has racked up three multi-point games in a row and he has points in eight of his last ten games. The Columbus Blue Jackets as a team are firing on all cylinders right now and are playing their best hockey of the season. Columbus has won six straight games and nine of their past 10. On the flip side, the New Jersey Devils are not playing good hockey these days, losing five contests in a row. Atkinson is back on the Blue Jackets’ top line alongside Ryan Johansen and the two have displayed great chemistry together. Despite his recent hot streak, I don’t expect Atkinson to be a popular GPP play and he certainly has multi-point upside again tonight.
Justin Abdelkader, Detroit Red Wings – Abdelkader has very quietly been lighting it up for the Detroit Red Wings recently. Abdelkader has goals in four of his last five games and he has produced big time numbers in the month of March (10 G, 12 PTS, 42 SOG in 14 GP). He is playing on a potent line with Henrik Zetterberg and Gustav Nyquist, which also happens to be the Red Wings’ number one powerplay unit. Detroit’s offense has generated 16 goals in their past four games and I think they stay hot at the Joe Louis Arena tonight. Abdelkader is usually highly under-owned and under-appreciated in the fantasy world. He may just be the best bang for your buck on the wing tonight in tournament play.
Mark Stone, Ottawa Senators – The Ottawa Senators don’t have the best matchup tonight, but it is hard to ignore what Mark Stone has been doing. The 22-year-old Stone has points in 14 of his last 15 games and is getting better each and every game. Stone skates on the Senators’ top line and number one powerplay unit and at his price, makes a great value play in your GPPs.
Other Wingers To Target – Michael Cammalleri, Troy Brouwer, Eric Staal, Nikita Kucherov
DEFENSE
Seth Jones, Nashville Predators – Jones had big game versus the Calgary Flames Sunday, tallying a goal and four shots on net. Jones is currently on the Predators’ top powerplay unit and he should remain there tonight with Weber expected to miss the game. This talented 20-year-old seems to continue to improve his game and he has averaged over 26 minutes of ice time in his last two games. Look for a strong game from Jones tonight against a Vancouver team playing in back to back road games.
Anton Stralman, Tampa Bay Lightning – Stralman had a huge game last night in the Bolts’ 5-3 win in Montreal, registering a goal and an assist, while adding six shots on net. The Tampa Bay Lightning have scored a league leading 249 goals this season and are a very explosive offense, even when playing on the road in back to back games. The Toronto Maple Leafs have now lost seven of their past eight games, allowing 32 goals in the process. Toronto has been one of the league’s worst defensive teams all year long. Just how bad you ask? Let me tell you. The Maple Leafs currently rank 29th in scoring chances allowed, 27th in possession, 28th in shots against per game (33.1) and 27th in goals against per game (3.17). Those are some very ugly defensive statistics. Stralman is manning the point on the Lightning’s top powerplay unit and could easily have another big game against this pitiful Maple Leafs team tonight.
Other Defensemen To Target – Aaron Ekblad, David Savard, Damon Severson
Good Luck Grinders!
Pepsi7