NHL GPP Plays: Tuesday, November 3rd
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 FanDuel 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.
Anders Nilsson, Edmonton Oilers – He should see 25 plus shots and get the win tonight, not to mention he is extremely cheap across the industry. So why not have some exposure to Anders Nilsson in tournament play? The 25-year old Swede has already had two outstanding performances this year and of course one where he was bombed. This is why he is a GPP roll of the dice and not your cash game goalie. He may be tough to trust, but the upside is there.
Cory Schneider, New Jersey Devils – If you prefer a better goaltender in a tougher spot, perhaps Schneider is your guy. The New Jersey Devils and Cory Schneider are on a nice little run and without John Tavares playing this evening for the New York Islanders, the win looks a lot easier to come by. Schneider is capable of stealing a win against the Islanders tonight.
Other Goalies To Target – Tuukka Rask, Braden Holtby, Craig Anderson, Jake Allen
CENTERS
Frans Nielsen, New York Islanders – With John Tavares likely still out of the lineup due to an illness, Frans Nielsen will once again center the New York Islanders’ top line and number power play unit. In his last four games, Nielsen has generated four goals, six points and 14 shots on net. I doubt Neilsen is popular in tournament play and I love his potential tonight, especially with Anders Lee and Kyle Okposo on his wings.
Adam Henrique, New Jersey Devils – The New Jersey Devils are on a roll, winning six of their last seven games and it would not surprise me to see them stay hot in Brooklyn tonight. Henrique has been the Devils’ offensive catalyst (6 G, 9 PTS in 11 GP) this season and he is now centering not only the top line, but also the number one power play unit. The Devils’ top line (Michael Cammalleri, Lee Stempniak and Henrique) has played great together and I expect them to be highly under-owned in GPPs.
Other Centers To Target – Jason Spezza, Tyler Johnson, Jeff Carter, Sean Monahan, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
WINGERS
Mats Zuccarello, New York Rangers – Zuccarello is fresh off a hat trick game versus the Toronto Maple Leafs and he has been the Rangers’ best goal scorer so far this season (7 G, 9 PTS, 25 SOG in 11 GP). Despite his production, Zuccarello continues to fly under the radar in tournaments. We can once again assume that Zuccarello and his linemates (Rick Nash and Derick Brassard) will be low percentage owned and we have seen the huge upside this line can provide.
Nail Yakupov, Edmonton Oilers – Yakupov has finally started to look like the player Edmonton thought he’d be when they drafted first overall in 2012, thanks in large part to Connor McDavid. Yakupov has points in seven of his last eight contests and he should see multiple scoring chances on a nightly basis flanking Connor McJesus. At his price across the industry, he makes a great high upside punt option.
Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers – We look to the Edmonton Oilers for another GPP value option. The third overall pick from the 2014 draft is looking great (3 G, 5 PTS, 7 SOG in 2 GP) playing alongside Taylor Hall on the Edmonton Oilers’ top line. With the Flyers playing awful hockey these days and on the tail end of a back-to-back, I think Draisaitl and his linemates will continue to produce tonight. Dollar-for-dollar, he is my top play of the night.
Other Wingers To Target – Michael Cammalleri, Tyler Toffoli, Jiri Hudler, Alex Tanguay
DEFENSE
In tournaments I tend to look for value defensemen who play on their team’s top power play unit. When loading up your offense in tournaments it is hard to squeeze in elite defenseman as well. So I’ll list here a few blueliners I will have exposure to in GPPs. The New Jersey Devils are playing really good hockey and Damon Severson is getting all the top power play minutes. Oscar Klefbom is the man on the Edmonton Oilers’ top power play unit and we know this team can score. Dennis Wideman has now joined the Flames top power play unit alongside Mark Girodano. We could see a shoot-out in Colorado and Wideman should be heavily involved in Calgary’s offensive attack.
Other Defensemen To Target – Ryan McDonagh, Niklas Kronwall, Colton Parayko