NHL Grind Down: Friday, October 27th

by Ben (benwell311) Last Updated 2017-10-27 16:39:48 Premium Content Part of the product SimLabs+

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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.

Note: As always, if you want to try a new DFS site, be sure to click through a RotoGrinders link and use our DraftKings promo code and FanDuel promo code to receive the best perks in the industry.

Stackability Rating System (Offense):

Green : Friendly matchup at 5v5 and/or on the power play; multiple lines worth stacking
Yellow : Line specific matchup at 5v5 and/or friendly power play matchup
Orange : Stacking is best left for GPPs, secondary scoring units and/or power play in tough matchup
Red : Difficult 5v5 and/or power play matchup, stacking not advisable

Stackability Rating System (Goalies):

Green : Goalie has a plus draw and is playable in all formats
Yellow : There is risk at 5v5 or the penalty kill; iffy for cash games and better for GPPs
Orange : Realistic risk at 5v5 and the penalty kill; not advisable in cash games but viable in GPPs
Red : Elevated risk in all situations and not a recommend crease to chase

Note – current season advanced statistics will be featured beginning next week

Colorado Avalanche at Vegas Golden Knights

Colorado Avalanche					Vegas Golden Knights
			Semyon Varlamov					Oscar Dansk
			Record					Record
			5-4-0					7-1-0
Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%	Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%
Team Stats	3.11	2.67	15.00	77.78	Team Stats	3.38	2.38	14.71	84.62

Avalanche Offensive Outlook

2016-17 5v5 (adj): 50.49 CF/60 (26) | 57.44 CA/60 (7) | 1.76 xGF/60 (30) | 2.14 xGA/60 (19)

The Avalanche will be the next time that gets the chance to be in line when the inevitable regression hits the NHL’s newest franchise. Colorado should not be confused with a numbers-correcting offense, necessarily, but their top six provides enough skill to be able to put up points in this game.

Colorado has a middling CF% at 5v5 but they are a bit better than Vegas thus far. The Avs have a low xGF/60 (2.04, 27th) while Vegas’s xGA/60 is right around league average (2.35, 16th). The Golden Knights are getting platinum level goaltending from some netminders that shouldn’t be playing so well, so there is some pain looming.

The Avs have exactly two usable lines. Nathan MacKinnon, Sven Andrighetto, and Mikko Rantanen have been the more consistent producer, but Matt Duchene and Nail Yakupov have the strong underlying numbers. Duchene’s line gets a boost with Gabriel Landeskog joining the line over the past few games. Overall the Duchene line should be in a great spot. They have strong on-ice CF% numbers and against a team that struggles in such an area, the opportunity should be there. For all his talent, MacKinnon has struggled a bit to push play. The MacKinnon line is the secondary option here, but still in a favorable matchup.

Tyson Barrie becomes a great play on the blueline as he will have a nice floor against a team that allows plenty of shot attempts. If looking for a way to differentiate on the blueline on a shorter slate, Mark Barbeiro and Nikita Zadorov could fit the bell. Both see a fair number of minutes at 5v5 and have healthy iCF/60 rates.

Avalanche Special Teams Outlook
Colorado’s power play has actually posted some strong numbers this year, ranking highly in shot attempt and scoring chance generation. They also sit fourth best at generating high-danger shot attempts at 5v5. This is a good thing because Vegas has been quite adept on the penalty kill this year, and an average or below power play could struggle here.

We also get done a solid by the Avalanche as the top two lines are used on the top two units respectively. The top unit is topped off with Alexander Kerfoot and has Erik Johnson on the blueline. The second unit uses Carl Sodeberg and Tyson Barrie.