NHL Grind Down: Friday, November 20th
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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Nashville Predators at Columbus Blue Jackets – 07:00 PM EST
| Nashville Predators | Columbus Blue Jackets | ||||||||
 | Pekka Rinne |  | Sergei Bobrovsky | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 11-3-3 | 7-12-0 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 3.00 | 2.29 | 21.30% | 81.80% | Team Stats | 2.53 | 3.32 | 21.40% | 80.00% |
These former Central Division foes renew their rivalry tonight in Columbus. For Nashville, tonight’s game kicks off a five-game road trip and the Predators will be looking to extend their winning streak to three games while also trying to keep pace the division leading Dallas Stars. On paper, this is a great matchup for the Predators as the Blue Jackets were not only in action last night, but they’ve also gotten off to another poor start and have been very soft in their own defensive end. However, before being shutout in Ottawa last night, the Blue Jackets has won three straight games and the Predators have been much less threatening away from the Music City. Not surprisingly, James Neal leads the charge offensively for the Predators as he’s already racked up nine goals and added six assists in 17 games. He’s joined by Mike Fisher and Colin Wilson on the top line while the talented Filip Forsberg headlines the very dangerous second line alongside Mike Ribeiro and Craig Smith. All six players have plenty of offensive upside and see plenty of run with the man advantage, putting them all very much in play tonight. Nashville’s blue-line is stacked and one of the main traits that makes them a Stanley Cup contender. Shea Weber and Roman Josi are elite options if you can afford them with both Seth Jones and Ryan Ellis much more reasonably priced options.
The Blue Jackets will have an uphill battle on their hands all season after starting the 2015-16 season with an 0-8-0 record. They were shutout last night in Ottawa have the tough task of taking on the Nashville Predators tonight on short rest. The Predators have allowed just 2.29 goals and 27.9 shots against per game and are one of the most physically imposing teams in the league. While Columbus has six forwards already with double digit points (Hartnell, Johansen, Jenner, Saad, Atkinson and Dubinsky (injured)) that balanced attack is actually a bit of a detriment in DFS hockey. The Predators won both meetings between these two teams last season by a combined score of 7-2 and I’m expecting more of the same tonight. Jack Johnson, David Savard and Ryan Murray all offer some semblance of offensive upside while also seeing a healthy dose of playing time on the power-play, making them intriguing targets for GPP use.
Elite Plays
NSH: James Neal, Mike Fisher, Filip Forsberg, Shea Weber, Roman Josi
CBJ: None
Secondary Play
NSH: Colin Wilson, Mike Ribeiro, Craig Smith, Seth Jones, Ryan Ellis
CBJ: Ryan Johansen, Boone Jenner, Brandon Saad, Scott Hartnell, Ryan Murray, David Savard, Jack Johnson
Toronto Maple Leafs at Carolina Hurricanes – 07:00 PM EST
| Toronto Maple Leafs | Carolina Hurricanes | ||||||||
 | Jonathan Bernier |  | Cam Ward | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 6-9-4 | 6-10-2 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.37 | 2.74 | 20.70% | 80.00% | Team Stats | 1.94 | 2.94 | 13.10% | 80.00% |
It was a very ugly start to the Mike Babcock era in Toronto, but after cruising to a 5-1 victory over the Avalanche on Tuesday, the Maple Leafs have now won four of their last five games. While this team is clearly not ready for playoff contention, they do appear to be playing much better hockey than their 6-9-4 record indicates. They’ll head to Raleigh tonight to take on a Carolina team that has dropped four straight games and the Leafs should at least be on your radar in this matchup. While they’ve only managed to score 2.37 goals per game on the young season, the Maple Leafs do have several very capable scoring lines. Nazem Kadri is having a very difficult time getting the puck in the net this season, but the former 20 goal scorer has already unleashed 81 shots on goal (trailing only Alex Ovechkin), his 96 iCorsi is the second highest in the league (again, behind just Ovie) and it’s simply a matter of time until we start seeing him light the lamp at or above his career 11% shooting percentage. He centers James van Riemsdyk and Leo Komarov both at full strength and on the team’s #1 power-play unit and all three players are solid targets in this matchup. Alternatively, Tyler Bozak leads the Toronto forwards with 12 points in 15 games and Joffrey Lupul has also now reached double-digit points. Both players see plenty of run with the man advantage and are also in play tonight against the Hurricanes mediocre 80% penalty kill. Morgan Reilly and Dion Phaneuf are the two defensive options to consider as they’ve already combined for 5 goals and 18 assists on the young season.
The Hurricanes swept the three game series between these two teams last year and will be looking to get back on the winning track against Toronto tonight at the PNC Arena. Despite their recent struggles, the Hurricanes still rate out as the second best puck possession team by Corsi standards, and while it’s tough to see that remaining the case all season, it does give them a distinct advantage in that area against the Maple Leafs tonight. Eric Staal remains the biggest offensive threat in Carolina and he not only leads the team with 12 points, but also feasted on Toronto last season, posting three goals and three assists in their three meetings. With Kris Versteeg slated to join him on the team’s top forward line, that’s where i’ll be focusing my fantasy attention. On defense, Justin Faulk has developed into one of the games best young defenseman and he’s perhaps the best fantasy option of the bunch as he’s already tallied six goals, six assists and fired a team high 61 shots on net. The matchup against the Maple Leafs is definitely exploitable, but don’t overexpose yourself to the Hurricanes as they also own the second worst 5×5 goal differential in the NHL this season (-18).
Elite Plays
TOR: Nazem Kadri, Dion Phaneuf
CAR: Eric Staal, Justin Faulk
Secondary Plays
TOR: James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak, Leo Komarov, Joffrey Lupul, Morgan Reilly
CAR: Kris Versteeg, Jeff Skinner, Jordan Staal, Noah Hanifin
Montreal Canadiens at New York Islanders – 07:30 PM EST
| Montreal Canadiens | New York Islanders | ||||||||
 | Carey Price |  | Jaroslav Halak | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 10-6-3 | |||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 3.53 | 2.16 | 23.90% | 86.40% | Team Stats | 2.84 | 2.26 | 18.90% | 85.00% |
The Arizona Coyotes shocked the Canadiens in Montreal last night, but the Canadiens still enter tonight’s game against the Islanders owning an impressive 14-4-2 record and will be ecstatic to welcome Carey Price back between the pipes. Their Captain Max Pacioretty leads the team in scoring and will be looking to celebrate his 26th birthday with a victory tonight in Brooklyn. Pacioretty is joined by Brendan Gallagher and Tomas Plekanec both at full strength and one the power-play and all three players are the most trustworthy source of fantasy production from Montreal. Their anchored by two studs on the blue-line as Andrei Markov and P.K. Subban have already combined for 3 goals and 30 assists and both are lethal weapons on the point of the team’s top power-play unit. The Canadiens have been able to push around these Islanders over the last 1+ years and lead the NHL in SOG/G thus far on the young season, so I expect them to get back to their winning ways in NYC tonight.
The Islanders are a top-tier team in the Eastern Conference, but they only managed to muster up 18 SOG in their 4-1 defeat against this Montreal team in their only previous meeting this season and Carey Price return is definitely not good news for their fantasy outlook in this one as they open and home-and-home series with the Canadiens. John Tavares is essentially matchup proof at this point and with 9 goals and 8 assists in 16 games, he’s a fine options despite the very daunting matchup. He’s joined by Kyle Okposo and Brock Nelson on the top forward line but I’ll remind you to tread carefully as Montreal won all three meetings between these teams last season as well.
Elite Plays
MON: Max Pacioretty, Tomas Plekanec, P.K. Subban, Andrei Markov
NYI: John Tavares
Secondary Plays
MON: Alex Galchenyuk, David Desharnais, Jeff Petry
NYI: Kyle Okposo, Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, Frans Nielsen, Johnny Boychuk, Nick Leddy
Los Angeles Kings at Detroit Red Wings – 07:30 PM EST
| Los Angeles Kings | Detroit Red Wings | ||||||||
 | Jonathan Quick |  | Petr Mrazek | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 12-6-0 | 9-8-2 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.50 | 2.11 | 21.40% | 86.60% | Team Stats | 2.21 | 2.47 | 16.70% | 82.80% |
There was some panic in the air in Los Angeles after the Kings started the season on a three game losing streak, but they’re 12-3-0 since and once again look to be a major contender for Lord Stanley’s Cup this spring. This game will likely be a bit of a chess match, as both Pavel Datsyuk and Anze Kopitar are known as two of the best defensive forwards in the league and how Coach Blashill decides to utilize Mr. Datsyuk plays a big role in how this one could shake out. With the Carter/Toffoli/Lucic line off to a hot start this season, it stands reasonable to assume they’ll receive the bulk of Datsyuk’s attention. With that in mind, The Kopitar/Person/Gaborik line will likely have the more favorable matchup. While all six players on the top two forward lines are definitely in play here, this doesn’t look like the most fantasy friendly game on the board. Defensively, Drew Doughty has already picked up 11 points on the young season and logs nearly 27 minutes of ice-time per game. He has the role as the quarterback of the top power-play unit locked up and is therefore an elite option on the blue-line. Jake Muzzin has thrived as Doughty’s protege over the last several seasons and offers similar upside at a discounted asking price.
The Wings have failed to gain much traction this season and will have their hands full against a Los Angeles team that ranks as the best team in the league by Corsi standards this season. The Kings have allowed the second fewest goals per game in the league this season (2.11 GA/G) making it tough to trust rolling too heavily with Detroit in cash games. With that said, Dylan Larkin is still extremely under-priced on many sites and looks to be a serious contender for the Calder Trophy. He’s slated to lineup alongside Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader on the top forward line and all three deserve consideration despite the tough matchup. The Wings are expecting to finally get Brad Richards back into action and he’ll slide onto the very offensively capable second line alongside Pavel Datsyuk and the talented young Teemu Pulkkinen. With his return, the “newly” formed Grand Rapids line of Tomas Tatar, Riley Sheahan and Gustav Nyquist makes for one of the better third forward lines in the league. They’re a bit too inconsistent for cash game consideration, but have some appeal as a GPP stack. Mike Green and Niklas Kronwall soak up most of the playing time on the power-play and are the top plays from Detroit’s blueline, but both Jakub Kindl and Danny DeKeyser can also be viewed as acceptable “punt” plays.
Elite Plays
LAK: Jeff Carter, Tyler Toffoli, Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty
DET: Henrik Zetterberg, Dylan Larkin
Secondary Plays
LAK: Marian Gaborik, Tanner Pearson, Milan Lucic, Jake Muzzin
DET: Pavel Datsyuk, Justin Abdelkader, Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist, Mike Green, Niklas Kronwall
New Jersey Devils at Edmonton Oilers – 09:00 PM EST
| New Jersey Devils | Edmonton Oilers | ||||||||
 | Cory Schneider |  | Ben Scrivens | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 10-7-1 | 6-12-1 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.44 | 2.33 | 22.60% | 83.30% | Team Stats | 2.63 | 3.26 | 20.00% | 78.00% |
The Devils opened their three-game tour of Western Canada with a loss in Calgary on Tuesday, but have posted a fairly impressive 10-4-0 record since losing each of their first four games of the season. While the results have been encouraging, New Jersey is the slowest paced team in the NHL by a fairly wide margin (88.4 CP60) and there’s just not a ton of fantasy upside in this lineup. However, the Oilers have allowed an ugly 3.26 GA/G on the season so it’s likely a mistake to overlook the Devils in this matchup. Mike Cammalleri once again looks to be the most dangerous offensive weapon for the Devils as the veteran has already tallied six goals and twelve assists in 18 games on the season. He’ll be joined by Adam Henrique and Lee Stempniak on the team’s top line and they’re really the only trustworthy options up front for you cash games. Damon Severson has the luxury of quarterbacking the team’s top power-play unit and is the top option from the Devils blue-line. He’s picked up seven assists in 17 games this season and is very reasonably priced on most sites.
The Connor McDavid injury was a devastating blow to this Oilers team and they’ve now dropped five of their last six games and really need a home win against the Devils tonight before packing things up for a tough five-game road-trip. This will be a battle between two very different hockey clubs as the Oilers will look to push the pace and open things up while the Devils are one of the best teams in the NHL at clogging up the neutral zone and disrupting opponents breakouts. With McDavid M.I.A., Todd McLellan continues to shuffle his forward lines in effort to find some secondary scoring behind the offensive leader of this team Taylor Hall. Hall has already picked up 8 goals and 13 assists in 19 games this season and is joined by the very impressive looking and former 3rd overall pick Leon Draisaitl and Teddy Purcell on the team’s top line. That pushes both Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle onto the second line with Benoit Pouliot alongside them. With Justin Schultz still watching from the pressbox, Andrej Sekera is the only Oilers defenseman that joins the previously mention six forwards as my preferred fantasy options from Edmonton tonight.
Elite Plays
NJD: Mike Cammalleri, Adam Henrique
EDM: Taylor Hall, Leon Draisaitl, Jordan Eberle
Secondary Plays
NJD: Lee Stempniak, Travis Zajac, Kyle Palmieri, Damon Severson
EDM: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Benoit Pouliot, Teddy Purcell, Andrej Sekera