NHL Grind Down: Friday, December 4th
The RotoGrinders NHL Grind Down article will give you an in-depth analysis into the NHL schedule. This article will break down the numbers for every single game and give you analysis on which trends you can exploit. While matchups are a major factor in daily fantasy hockey there are plenty of other factors to consider such as injuries, salaries, and more.
The analysis should point you in the right direction, but it is still up to you to decipher the information and make your own selections. Hockey is an extremely high variance sport. The best choice is not always the right choice but following the trends will win you money over time.
Remember, these writeups are done prior to lineups being released, so make sure to check our Starting Lineups page to ensure the recommended options are playing.
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Philadelphia Flyers at New Jersey Devils – 07:00 PM EST
| Philadelphia Flyers | New Jersey Devils | ||||||||
 | Steve Mason |  | Cory Schneider | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 10-10-5 | 12-10-2 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 1.92 | 2.64 | 15.60% | 81.20% | Team Stats | 2.29 | 2.38 | 20.20% | 84.70% |
It’s been a very ugly start to the season in Philadelphia, but the Flyers finally look to be turning the corner a bit and enter tonight’s game against the Devils looking to extend their current three game winning streak. While the matchup against New Jersey if far from daunting, it’s also not overly appealing from a fantasy perspective. New Jersey has allowed just 2.38 GA/G this season and they’re easily the slowest paced team in the NHL so far this season. As expected, Claude Giroux leads the team with 20 points through 25 games. While he’s no longer playing alongside his former partner-in-crime Jakub Voracek, he looks to be heating up as he’s scored a pair of goals and dished out five assists in the last five games. Wayne Simmonds joins Giroux on the top power-play unit and he’s holding a white-hot stick at the moment with three goals and two assists in the last two games. The loss of Mark Streit on the blue-line was a huge blow to this Flyers team, but it’s also created a bigger role for rookie Shayne Gostisbehere and he certainly hasn’t disappointed as he’s chipped in four goals and two assists in just nine games. He’s extremely cheap on several sites and is one of the best value options on the blue-line in those cases.
The Devils revenged a disappointing loss to the Colorado Avalanche with an impressive 5-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes last night. They’ve improved to 13-10-2 and can really make a statement that they’re playoff contenders as they enter a brief soft spot in their schedule over the next week. This doesn’t look to be the most fantasy friendly game on the board, but the Flyers have the 2nd most shots on goal against per game this season (32.5 SOG/G) so even the defensively minded Devils should skate into some scoring opportunities. Mike Cammalleri scored a pair of goals and added an assist in last night’s game and now leads the Devils with 9 goals and 17 assists in 25 games. While he’s the top option, his center Adam Henrique also scored last night and the talented 25 year old has racked up four goals and two assists over the last six games. Veteran Lee Stempniak joins those two on the top forward line and he comes with a suppressed asking price across the industry. Kyle Palmieri has heated up offensively teams up with Patrick Elias and Travis Zajac to form a solid secondary line that has some nice GPP appeal.
Elite Options
PHI: Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds, Shayne Gostisbehere
NJD: Mike Cammalleri, Adam Henrique
Secondary Options
PHI: Claude Giroux, Brayden Schenn, Michael Raffl
NJD: Lee Stempniak, Kyle Palmieri, Damon Severson
Florida Panthers at Columbus Blue Jackets – 07:00 PM EST
| Florida Panthers | Columbus Blue Jackets | ||||||||
 | Roberto Luongo |  | Sergei Bobrovsky | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 11-9-4 | 10-16-0 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.54 | 2.46 | 20.20% | 78.90% | Team Stats | 2.35 | 3.00 | 17.60% | 80.80% |
The Panthers were outshot 33-16 in Nashville last night, but still managed to pick up a 2-1 victory over the Predators. They’ve now rattled off four straight wins and look to have a decent matchup on paper tonight in Columbus. With that said, there’s not a ton to love from the Panthers from a fantasy perspective and this game just feels like a “trap game” to me. Sergei Bobrovsky rather quietly posted an 8-3-0 record and 1.82 GAA during the month of November and I’ll be avoiding Florida all together in my cash games.
The Blue Jackets have posted a 10-8-0 record since their disastrous 0-8-0 start to the season, but they just can’t seem to gain traction and they definitely have an up-hill battle on their hands if they want to climb back into the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. With that in mind, home games against middling teams like the Panthers are nearly must win hockey games for Columbus. With the Panthers having been physically punished by the Nashville Predators last night in the Music City and allowing 31.3 shots on goal per game this season, Columbus should be able to create some scoring chances tonight. Ryan Johansen has posted 19 points in 24 games this season and headlines the team’s most dangerous scoring line between Nick Foligno and Boone Jenner. It’s been an uneventful start to the season for Foligno, but he scored a goal against Montreal on Tuesday and is just one year removed from a 73 point campaign. With the Panthers owning just a 78.9% penalty kill, targeting the Blue Jackets’ power-play looks like a viable strategy as well. Brandon Saad leads the team with five power-play goals and has scored six goals and added four assists in 11 home games. David Savard and Jack Johnson share duties on the point of the top power-play unit and are the top options on the Columbus blue-line.
Elite Options
FLA: Jaromir Jagr
CBJ: Ryan Johansen, Boone Jenner
Secondary Options
FLA: Jonathan Huberdeau, Jussi Jokinen, Brandon Pirri, Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad
CBJ: Brandon Saad, Scott Hartnell, Cam Atkinson, Jack Johnson, David Savard, Ryan Murray
Arizona Coyotes at Buffalo Sabres – 07:00 PM EST
| Arizona Coyotes | Buffalo Sabres | ||||||||
 | Mike Smith |  | Robin Lehner | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 13-10-1 | 10-12-3 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.79 | 2.92 | 15.70% | 80.40% | Team Stats | 2.28 | 2.60 | 22.50% | 74.60% |
The two worsts teams in the league last season will square off tonight with both squads playing dramatically improved hockey to open the 2015-16 season. The Coyotes have been one of the more surprising teams through the first quarter of the 15-16 season, but they’ve been absolutely dominated in each of their last two games and it’s likely a downhill ride for them from here. While I’m definitely high on Arizona tonight on the second half of back-to-back games, the matchup against the Sabres does keep them in play from a DFS standpoint. Buffalo owns just a 74.6% penalty kill this season, so there’s some value to be found in the Coyotes’ power-play. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is one of the best young defensemen in the NHL and is the top fantasy option from the Coyotes here. Up front, rookie Max Domi paces the team with 21 points in 24 games and has firmly thrown his hat into the Calder Trophy race. Mikkel Boedker, Martin Hanzal and Anthony Duclair are all off to strong offensive starts to the season and join Domi as major figures on the Coyotes’ power-play.
The Sabres enter with a respectable 10-12-3 record but lost in overtime to the Red Wings on Tuesday to snap a mini two game winning streak. It’s not often that Buffalo can be viewed as a fine target in DFS hockey, but a home matchup against the a Coyotes team has allowed 2.92 GA/G this season and that was in action last night just may be that opportunity. Ryan O’Reilly leads the team with 20 points on the young season, and he’s joined by the finally healthy Evander Kane and the rapidly improving Sam Reinhart on a very capable #1 scoring line. Kane scored a pair of goals in their last game and has now posted multiple points in back-to-back games. All three players look to be fine targets in this game and still can be found at very reasonable asking prices across the industry. Alternatively, rookie sensation Jack Eichel is surrounded by veteran scorers Matt Moulson and Brian Gionta to form a very capable secondary scoring line. Defensively, both Cody Franson and Rasmus Ristolainen are solid low-ceiling options to fill out your roster if the price-tag is reasonable.
Elite Options
ARI: Max Domi, Martin Hanzal, Oliver Ekman-Larsson
BUF: Evander Kane, Ryan O’Reilly
Secondary Options
ARI: Mikkel Boedker, Anthony Duclair, Michael Stone
BUF: Jack Eichel, Matt Moulson, Sam Reinhart, Cody Franson, Rasmus Ristolainen
St. Louis Blues at New York Islanders – 07:30 PM EST
| St. Louis Blues | New York Islanders | ||||||||
 |  | Jaroslav Halak | |||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 15-7-3 | 14-8-4 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.60 | 2.44 | 17.90% | 85.40% | Team Stats | 2.81 | 2.35 | 19.40% | 84.10% |
Coach Hitchcock was disappointed with his hockey club after a couple of defensive meltdowns put them into a 2-0 hole that they were ultimately unable to recover from at home against Florida on Tuesday night. However, this St. Louis team looks to be a legit Stanley Cup contender and they should be hungry to get back on the winning track tonight in Brooklyn before returning home to open a five game home stand tomorrow night. Vladimir Tarasenko has emerged as one of the games most lethal snipers and he, and it looks like the “STL” line will once again be a thing in St. Louis… but this time with Lehtera and Stastny joining him on the top line. Alex Steen is shifted to slide down to play alongside David Backes and Troy Brouwer and they’re fine secondary options despite the likely task of trying to slow down John Tavares. Kevin Shattenkirk, Colton Parayko and Alex Pietrangelo continue to soak up all of the available playing time with the man advantage and all three can be used as you see fit. Don’t get too carried away here as their former teammate Jaroslav Halak sports a tremendous 1.93 GAA on the young season.
The Islanders did not get off to the start they were hoping for this season, but look to rounding into form now. They defeated the cross-town rival New York Rangers on Wednesday night to pick up their third straight victory and own a solid 9-4-2 home record on the young season. While both Alex Steen and David Backes have reputations for being excellent two way forwards, John Tavares has proven to be largely matchup proof at this point in his career. He’s thrived on home ice this season where he’s posted six goals and nine assists in 13 games and is joined by both Kyle Okposo and Brock Nelson to form a very dangerous #1 scoring line. Frans Nielsen saw his four game scoring streak snapped against the Rangers on Wednesday night, but he’s somewhat quietly chipped in four goals and five assists over the last nine games and centers a quality secondary line with both Anders Lee and Josh Bailey. On defense, Nick Leddy, Johnny Boychuk, Marek Zidlicky and Travis Hamonic all log heavy minutes, but aren’t the most attractive options considering St. Louis’ impressive 85.4% penalty kill.
Elite Options
STL: Vladimir Tarasenko, Alex Steen, Kevin Shattenkirk
NYI: John Tavares, Kyle Okposo
Secondary Options
STL: Jori Lehtera, Paul Stastny, David Backes, Colton Parayko, Alex Pietrangelo
NYI: Frans Nielsen, Brock Nelson, Anders Lee, Nick Leddy
Boston Bruins at Calgary Flames – 09:00 PM EST
| Boston Bruins | Calgary Flames | ||||||||
 | Tuukka Rask |  | Jonas Hiller | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 13-8-2 | 9-14-2 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 3.22 | 2.87 | 31.40% | 76.70% | Team Stats | 2.36 | 3.56 | 12.80% | 71.60% |
With the Flames owning the worst defense in the NHL and the Bruins sporting the league’s top power-play, this looks like a terrific spot for some fireworks from Boston. The Bruins were disappointed to leave Edmonton with just one point, but they had won the previous five games and finally look to be back to full health. Calgary has allowed 3.56 GA/G on the season and with the Bruins power-play clicking at a ridiculous 31.4% clip and Calgary owning the league’s worst penalty kill, I’ll be targeting the Bruins power-play rather heavily. Patrice Bergeron leads the NHL with 13 power-play points on the season and David Krejci has exploded for 25 points in 23 games this season. Both players team up on the #1 power-play and are top tier options in all formats tonight. Torey Krug and Zdeno Chara are both off to strong offensive starts to the season and see a healthy dose of playing time as the point-men on the power-play, providing them a huge fantasy boost this evening.
The Flames have been one of the most disappointing teams in the NHL this season, but they were at least finally able to snap out of a three game skid against the high-powered Dallas Stars on Tuesday night. Calgary will once again have their hands full as the streaking Boston Bruins invade the Saddledome tonight, but with the Bruins sporting an ugly 76.7% penalty kill, there’s still some value to be had in this lineup. Johnny Gaudreau leads the charge offensively with Sean Monahan on the top line. While they’ll likely be faced with the daunting task of trying to find open ice opposite Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, they’re still the most appealing targets here. David Jones is slated to join them on the top line making him a perfectly acceptable value target. Jiri Hudler will slide down to the second line where Bob Hartley is hoping to utilize his offensive abilities to light a spark in last years first round draft pick Sam Bennett. Boston’s previously mentioned subpar penalty kill propels a foursome of Calgary blue-liners up my rankings tonight. Mark Giordano has struggled this season but is still the top target with Dennis Wideman, T.J. Brodie and Dougie Hamilton all fine options as well.
Elite Options
BOS: Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Brad Marchand, Loui Eriksson, Torey Krug
CGY: Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Mark Giordano
Secondary Options
BOS: Frank Vatrano, Ryan Spooner, Jimmy Hayes, Zdeno Chara
CGY: Jiri Hudler, Sam Bennett, David Jones, Dougie Hamilton, T.J. Brodie, Dennis Wideman