NHL Grind Down: Monday, December 19th
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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Detroit Red Wings at Carolina Hurricanes
| Detroit Red Wings | Carolina Hurricanes | ||||||||
 | Petr Mrazek |  | Cam Ward | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 14-14-4 | 13-11-7 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.31 | 2.78 | 13.00% | 82.80% | Team Stats | 2.58 | 2.68 | 21.70% | 91.30% |
After dropping four straight games, the Red Wings finally stopped the bleeding with a 6-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night. They’ll take the ice tonight owning a very mediocre 14-14-4 record on the season and it’s becoming very obvious that this team has moved into full “rebuild” mode. That six goal outburst aside, this Detroit team has really struggled to generate much offense this season and are averaging just 2.31 goals per game. Henrik Zetterberg has clearly lost a step or two, but he still leads the hockey club with 21 points this season. He’s slated to be joined by talented youngsters Anthony Mantha and Tomas Tatar on the top forward line. Tatar erupted for a hat trick against the Ducks on Saturday and Mantha has looked like Detroit’s best player at times since his call-up. Alternatively, Dylan Larkin is the only Red Wing to have already reached double-digit goals and the speedy center is a matchup problem for opposing teams every time he takes the ice. With snipers Gustav Nyquist and Thomas Vanek on his wings, it seems unlikely that he’ll sit on just two assists this season for long. On defense, Mike Green is the player to target. He sits second on the team in scoring with 18 points and soaks up all of the minutes he can handle as the quarterback of the #1 power-play unit. While he’s a fine play in all formats this evening, it is worth downgrading him slightly thanks to Carolina’s NHL best penalty kill. Update: Mike Green was not on the ice at the morning skate. Monitor his status closely before using him.
Since an uninspiring 3-6-4 start to the season, the Hurricanes have actually quietly played quite well down the stretch; posting a 10-5-3 record over their last 18 games. They picked up a shootout victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday and will seek revenge after dropping a 4-2 decision to the Red Wings when these teams squared off earlier this season. Analyzing this Carolina team is rather straight-forward as their top line of Jeff Skinner, Victor Rask & Derek Ryan has really carried the offensive load lately. Skinner leads the charge with 26 points in 30 games this season and his 112 shots on goal give him the high floor you should be seeking in cash games. He’s scored three goals and added two assists over the last four games and has tallied eight goals and six assists in just 13 games at the PNC Arena this season. Jordan Staal recently returned to the lineup after suffering a concussion and looks to be back to full health after logging over 18 minutes of ice-time on Saturday. He lit the lamp against Detroit in that first meeting and still sports a very reasonable price-tag which makes him a fine play in you’re searching for some salary relief. On defense, Justin Faulk looks to finally be coming alive. He’s racked up two goals and three assists in the last five games and has proven to be a lethal weapon from the point of Carolina power-play (20 goals and 22 assists with the man advantage since the started of the 14-15 season). Noah Hanifin and Jaccob Slavin have also carved out roles on the power-play and have been putting up solid offensive numbers lately.
Detroit Red Wings
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 47.51 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential -1, 104 CP60
Elite Options
Henrik Zetterberg ($6,300 FD, $5,700 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 52.58 CF60, 2.48 xGF60, 104 PDO
Secondary Options
Dylan Larkin ($5,200 FD, $5,400 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 52.05 CF60, 2.23 xGF60, 99.46 PDO
Gustav Nyquist ($5,100 FD, $4,800 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 51.9 CF60, 2.62 xGF60, 105.24 PDO
Anthony Mantha ($4,400 FD, $5,100 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 53.68 CF60, 2.44 xGF60, 103.97 PDO
Tomas Tatar ($4,800 FD, $5,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 48.95 CF60, 2.19 xGF60, 98.41 PDO
Mike Green ($5,100 FD, $4,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 50.81 CF60, 2.26 xGF60, 99.92 PDO
Expected Netminder
Jimmy Howard – My Ratings (out of 10): 6 Cash, 7.5 GPP
Carolina Hurricanes
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 51.85 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential -13, 108.38 CP60
Elite Options
None
Justin Faulk ($5,600 FD, $5,400 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 58.28 CF60, 2.86 xGF60, 95.5 PDO
Secondary Options
Jordan Staal ($5,200 FD, $4,700 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 62.97 CF60, 3.4 xGF60, 99.11 PDO
Victor Rask ($5,800 FD, $5,800 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 56.68 CF60, 2.63 xGF60, 101.22 PDO
Derek Ryan ($3,500 FD, $4,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 54.21 CF60, 2.62 xGF60, 96.53 PDO
Noah Hanifin ($3,800 FD, $3,700 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 55.82 CF60, 2.3 xGF60, 98.21 PDO
Expected Netminder
Cam Ward – My Ratings (out of 10): 6.5 Cash, 7 GPP
Nashville Predators at Philadelphia Flyers
| Nashville Predators | Philadelphia Flyers | ||||||||
 | Pekka Rinne |  | Steve Mason | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 13-12-5 | 19-11-3 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.90 | 2.83 | 19.80% | 80.40% | Team Stats | 3.12 | 2.97 | 23.30% | 82.50% |
Nashville was defeated in a shootout against the New York Rangers over the weekend, and now will head out on quick two-game East Coast road trip. The road has not been kind to this team thus far this season as they own just a 3-9-2 record away from the Bridgestone Arena and it’s clearly something Peter Laviolette will need to address quickly if the Predators want to stay in the hunt in the very competitive Central Division. Their road roes are a big concern here, but with the Flyers having surrendered 2.97 goals against per game this season, they’re still well worth consideration this evening. Up-front, the Predators have a very balanced scoring attack, but it’s the top trio of Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen and James Neal that offers the most upside. Ryan Johansen leads the team with 21 points and has been rather hot lately, posting a goal and three assists over the last four games. Those three didn’t do much in the first meeting against Philadelphia this season, but Dave Hakstol was more than willing to match him up against the offensive minded duo of Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux, which is a plus for their offensive outlook. On defense, the Predators boast one of the best 1-2 punches in the NHL with Roman Josi and P.K. Subban. Both players are locked into heavy workloads on a nightly basis and dominate the playing time with the man advantage. Subban did miss Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury, so be sure to monitor his status after the morning skate. If he’s unable to suit up, Ryan Ellis would inherit a bigger workload and take over as the point-man on the #2 power-play unit, making him a fine value option. Update: Subban will not play tonight. As mentioned, Ryan Ellis is the biggest beneficiary
Philadelphia saw their ten game winning streak snapped on Saturday, but Dave Hakstol clearly has this team prepped to be a factor in the Metropolitan Division. The Flyers have two very dangerous forward lines to throw over the boards, but it’s the tandem of Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux (with Michael Raffl) that are worth the first look. While Giroux continues to be an offensive force in his own right, it’s actually Voracek that leads the team with 33 points in 33 games this season. He’s scored four goals and added 12 assists in his last eleven games and has also thrived at home ice (10 goals and 13 assists in 18 home games). Alternatively, Brayden Schenn joins Wayne Simmonds and Travis Konecny on the second forward line. Both Schenn and Simmonds have already surpassed the 20 point plateau on the young season and join Giroux and Voracek on the #1 power-play unit. Shayne Gostisbehere has the good fortune to quarterback that #1 power-play unit and is a fine option tonight considering the Predator’s middling 80.4% penalty kill. He picked up an assist in the first meeting between these two teams and owns five assists in eight games during the month of December. If you can’t afford Gostisbehere, first-round pick Ivan Provorov still offers some value despite picking up his play recently. He’s routinely seeing 20+ minutes of ice-time per game and has secured the job on the point of the #2 power-play unit.
Nashville Predators
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 53 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential 6, 116.86 CP60
Elite Options
Ryan Johansen ($6,600 FD, $6,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 71.26 CF60, 2.77 xGF60, 99.75 PDO
Roman Josi ($6,800 FD, $6,200 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 65.96 CF60, 2.77 xGF60, 100.02 PDO
Secondary Options
Filip Forsberg ($6,600 FD, $5,800 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 62.23 CF60, 2.6 xGF60, 99.47 PDO
James Neal ($7,100 FD, $6,400 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 65.12 CF60, 2.61 xGF60, 99.08 PDO
Mike Fisher ($4,700 FD, $4,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 52.55 CF60, 2.4 xGF60, 97.09 PDO
Expected Netminder
Pekka Rinne – My Ratings (out of 10): 6 Cash, 7 GPP
Philadelphia Flyers
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 50.96 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential -7, 115.2 CP60
Elite Options
Claude Giroux ($8,000 FD, $7,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 60.68 CF60, 2.28 xGF60, 99.65 PDO
Jakub Voracek ($7,400 FD, $7,100 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 60.3 CF60, 2.42 xGF60, 97.44 PDO
Secondary Options
Brayden Schenn ($6,200 FD, $6,100 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 57.27 CF60, 1.97 xGF60, 99.82 PDO
Wayne Simmonds ($7,100 FD, $6,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 59.37 CF60, 2.07 xGF60, 99.66 PDO
Michael Raffl ($4,100 FD, $4,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 61.37 CF60, 2.39 xGF60, 102.31 PDO
Ivan Provorov ($4,200 FD, $4,700 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 54.69 CF60, 2.02 xGF60, 100.17 PDO
Expected Netminder
Steve Mason – My Ratings (out of 10): 6.5 Cash, 7 GPP
Anaheim Ducks at Toronto Maple Leafs
| Anaheim Ducks | Toronto Maple Leafs | ||||||||
 | John Gibson |  | Frederik Andersen | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 16-11-5 | 12-11-7 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.81 | 2.78 | 24.30% | 80.90% | Team Stats | 2.83 | 2.87 | 18.30% | 83.20% |
The Ducks should be angry tonight after a lackluster performance in Detroit over the weekend and they still find themselves just one point behind the San Jose Sharks for the lead in the Pacific Division. In what should be a rather up-tempo game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, they should see plenty of ownership this evening. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are easily the top two targets here. They’ve been offensive forces for years and will be joined by Rickard Rakell on the top forward line. Getzlaf leads the team with 27 points with Perry trailing just behind at 26 points. As you’d expect, Rakell has thrived as the “third-wheel” this season, scoring 14 goals and adding seven assists in just 21 games. Alternatively, Ryan Kesler is having himself a big bounce-back season. He’s scored 12 goals and dished out 15 assists in 32 games and has the luxury of joining Getzlaf on the #1 power-play unit. On defense, the Ducks have plenty of fine options to target. Cam Fowler leads the group with 20 points in 32 games and holds the reigns as the point-man on that #1 power-play unit, making him the top option. However, Sam Vatanen, Hampus Lindholm and Shea Theodore all also see plenty of run with the man advantage and have proven to be more than capable offensively.
It doesn’t look like this Toronto club is quite ready to make a push into the Eastern Conference playoffs just yet, but they’re certainly headed in the right direction. They’re fresh off of an impressive overtime victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday and should be motivated to pick up two more points in what will be their last home game of 2016. Mike Babcock has done his best to put together three balanced scoring lines, but it’s been pretty clear who has emerged as his top offensive weapons. Auston Matthews owns some of the most impressive advanced stats in the entire NHL (see below) and it’s not surprising to see him sitting tied for the team lead with 23 points in 30 games. Fellow rookie Mitch Marner joins him with 23 points and has really blossomed on a line alongside veterans James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak. WIth Matthews likely drawing plenty a heavy dose of Ryan Kesler disruptive defense, Marner, Bozak and van Riemsdyk will likely have the better matchup but that absolutely does not mean I’m not going to be grabbing plenty of exposure to Matthews. Jake Gardiner and Morgan Rielly are the two blue-liners that should draw your attention. Both players log heavy minutes both at even strength and on the power-play and have flashed plenty of offensive upside. In net, Frederik Andersen will face his former team for the first time. He owns a 1.76 GAA and .940 SV% in six starts this month and becomes a very interesting GPP target here.
Anaheim Ducks
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 48.9 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential -2, 108.48 CP60
Elite Options
Ryan Getzlaf ($7,700 FD, $6,500 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 53.04 CF60, 2.63 xGF60, 98.29 PDO
Corey Perry ($7,300 FD, $6,700 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 56.98 CF60, 2.75 xGF60, 98.54 PDO
Cam Fowler ($5,100 FD, $5,500 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 54.27 CF60, 2.81 xGF60, 100.34 PDO
Secondary Options
Ryan Kesler ($7,000 FD, $6,600 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 56.57 CF60, 2.82 xGF60, 101.64 PDO
Rickard Rakell ($6,000 FD, $6,400 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 48.72 CF60, 2.21 xGF60, 104.73 PDO
Jakob Silfverberg ($5,800 FD, $5,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 55.13 CF60, 2.71 xGF60, 103.26 PDO
Sami Vatanen ($5,300 FD, $4,400 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 56.74 CF60, 2.76 xGF60, 102.31 PDO
Shea Theodore ($3,600 FD, $3,600 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 53.24 CF60, 2.18 xGF60, 94.92 PDO
Expected Netminder
John Gibson – My Ratings (out of 10): 6 Cash, 7 GPP
Toronto Maple Leafs
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 51.24 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential -1, 123.26 CP60
Elite Options
Auston Matthews ($6,800 FD, $7,400 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 65.14 CF60, 3.4 xGF60, 98.7 PDO
Mitchell Marner ($5,600 FD, $6,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 63.24 CF60, 3.32 xGF60, 100.9 PDO
Secondary Options
Tyler Bozak ($5,200 FD, $5,100 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 64.45 CF60, 3.45 xGF60, 101.23 PDO
James van Riemsdyk ($7,200 FD, $6,600 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 64.55 CF60, 3.35 xGF60, 99.94 PDO
Nazem Kadri ($6,500 FD, $5,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 65.02 CF60, 2.95 xGF60, 97.64 PDO
Jake Gardiner ($4,400 FD, $4,600 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 66.76 CF60, 3.63 xGF60, 99.87 PDO
Morgan Rielly ($4,800 FD, $5,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 66.85 CF60, 3.11 xGF60, 96.34 PDO
Expected Netminder
Frederik Andersen – My Ratings (out of 10): 6 Cash, 7.5 GPP
Edmonton Oilers at St. Louis Blues
| Edmonton Oilers | St. Louis Blues | ||||||||
 | Cam Talbot |  | Carter Hutton | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 16-12-5 | 17-11-4 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.88 | 2.67 | 22.20% | 83.20% | Team Stats | 2.81 | 2.88 | 21.90% | 88.50% |
Since their 7-1-0 start to the season, the Edmonton Oilers have struggled to gain much traction since. They did pick up a big shootout victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night but will head out on a three game road trip owning just a 9-11-5 record over their last 25 games. Obviously, with an NHL best 39 points on the young season, Connor McDavid is the focal point of this offense. He’s slated to skate alongside Milan Lucic and Jordan Eberle on the top forward line which is gives both wingers a significant fantasy boost. McDavid scored a goal and added an assist in the first meeting between these two teams this season, and is a top-tier option in all formats tonight despite the perceived tough matchup. Alternatively, Leon Draisaitl has posted 14 goals and 14 assists already this season and grabs some exposure to McDavid as a member of the #1 power-play unit where he’s already reached up eight power-play goals and added five more assists. On defense, both Andrej Sekera and Oscar Klefbom have emerged as the top options and both see all the minutes they can handle with Darnell Nurse out of action. Sekera dished out a pair of assists on Saturday night and sees the bulk of the playing time with McDavid and the #1 power-play unit, making him the preferred option of the two. If you’re really digging for some salary relief, you can do much worse than Kris Russell as he continues to be one of the most consistent sources for blocked shots in the entire NHL.
The month of December has been a struggle for the St. Louis Blues. They’ve yet to win back-to-back games this month and they’ll take the ice tonight after being outplayed in a losing effort to their division rival Chicago Blackhawks. Jake Allen has looked like a liability in net lately, and Ken Hitchcock really needs his team to settle in and get their confidence back. With that said, none of their recent struggles can be pinned on Vladimir Tarasenko as he’s having yet another fantastic season. He trails McDavid by just two points for the NHL lead in points and figures to be one of the most popular plays on the board this evening as Edmonton doesn’t really have anyone to match up against him. Tarasenko will be joined by Robby Fabbri and Jori Lehtera at even strength and him and Fabrri will be joined by Alex Steen and Jaden Schwartz up-front on the top power-play unit. Lehtera aside, the others can be targeted with confidence. On defense, it’s basically the same story on a nightly basis. Kevin Shattenkirk offers the most offensive upside and quarterback’s that very dangerous #1 power-play unit, but both Alex Pietrangelo and Colton Parayko rack up the peripheral stats and see share the point duties with the second power-play unit.
Edmonton Oilers
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 51.34 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential 2, 110.6 CP60
Elite Options
Connor McDavid ($8,700 FD, $8,500 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 61.36 CF60, 3.05 xGF60, 101.49 PDO
Jordan Eberle ($6,600 FD, $6,100 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 62.81 CF60, 2.93 xGF60, 98.99 PDO
Secondary Options
Leon Draisaitl ($6,400 FD, $6,200 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 56.46 CF60, 2.66 xGF60, 99.29 PDO
Milan Lucic ($5,700 FD, $6,100 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 58.83 CF60, 2.85 xGF60, 98.6 PDO
Oscar Klefbom ($4,600 FD, $5,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 58.52 CF60, 2.56 xGF60, 97.01 PDO
Andrej Sekera ($4,300 FD, $4,800 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 54.24 CF60, 2.5 xGF60, 102.67 PDO
Expected Netminder
Cam Talbot – My Ratings (out of 10): 6 Cash, 7.5 GPP
St. Louis Blues
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 52.22 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential -4, 104.49 CP60
Elite Options
Vladimir Tarasenko ($8,800 FD, $7,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 63.45 CF60, 3.07 xGF60, 102.12 PDO
Jaden Schwartz ($6,300 FD, $6,200 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 61.62 CF60, 2.77 xGF60, 102.23 PDO
Kevin Shattenkirk ($6,600 FD, $5,200 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 52.2 CF60, 2.36 xGF60, 98.6 PDO
Secondary Options
Alex Steen ( FD, DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 47.44 CF60, 1.83 xGF60, 95.66 PDO
Robby Fabbri ($5,100 FD, $5,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 55.66 CF60, 2.29 xGF60, 100.95 PDO
David Perron ($4,900 FD, $4,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 53.21 CF60, 2.21 xGF60, 97.14 PDO
Alex Pietrangelo ($5,700 FD, $5,400 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 56.76 CF60, 2.41 xGF60, 100.54 PDO
Colton Parayko ($5,500 FD, $4,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 56.11 CF60, 2.23 xGF60, 98.74 PDO
Expected Netminder
Jake Allen – My Ratings (out of 10): 6.5 Cash, 7.5 GPP
Calgary Flames at Arizona Coyotes
| Calgary Flames | Arizona Coyotes | ||||||||
 | Chad Johnson |  | Mike Smith | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 16-15-2 | 11-15-5 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.52 | 2.88 | 17.00% | 78.50% | Team Stats | 2.16 | 3.10 | 14.60% | 80.40% |
After rattling off six straight wins, the Flames have dropped each of their last two games and will kick off a road trip in Phoenix desperately needing two more points to continue their climb into the playoff picture of the Pacific Division. Luckily for the them, the Arizona Coyotes are arguably the worst team in the NHL this season and have allowed an ugly 3.10 goals against per game as we head toward the mid-way point of the season. Calgary has defeated the Coyotes in both prior meetings this season, but neither one saw much offense as the Flames won each game by a 2-1 decision in overtime. Still, the Flames have the highest implied goal total on the board this evening and figure to be very popular selections. Despite missing nearly a month, Johnny Gaudreau still leads the Flames with 21 points (in 23 games) and is a top-tier option on the wing in all formats. He’ll be joined by Sam Bennett and Alex Chiasson at even-strength and by Sean Monahan and Troy Brouwer (and Kris Versteeg) up-front on the #1 power-play unit. Not playing alongside Gaudreau at even strength is a small dent to Monahan’s fantasy outlook, but it hasn’t slowed him down much lately as he owns four goals and five assists in just seven games this month. On defense, the Flames have three very fine targets in Mark Giordano, Dougie Hamilton and T.J. Brodie. Giordano is generally viewed as the #1 option of the three, but Dougie Hamilton leads the group with 17 points in 33 games and his advanced metrics are easily the most impressive of the three as well.
“Will most people will naturally target the other side of this game rather heavily, it’s not like the Calgary Flames are going to bring home any defensive-related hardware this season. They’ve allowed an sub-par 2.88 goals per game and their 78.5% penalty kill is 24th in the NHL. Arizona has plenty of weaknesses, but they do have some offensive firepower and shouldn’t be overlooked in this matchup. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is immediately the first player that comes to my mind when i’m considering rolling with anyone from Arizona. He’s one of the best puck-moving defenseman in the entire NHL and is off to another fine start this season with six goals and nine assists in 31 games. OEL averages over 24 minutes of ice-time per game and is the catalyst of the team’s #1 power-play unit. Up-front, Martin Hanzal and Radim Vrbata are a dangerous duo on the top forward line (alongside former first-round pick Brendan Perlini). All three are very reasonably priced across the industry and stacking this trio will free up enough salary to pretty much give you the freedom to target whoever you please throughout the rest of your roster. Tobias Rieder joins Hanzal and Vrbata on the top power-play unit and he’s already lit the lamp once against this Calgary team this season. Aside from Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Alex Goligoski is also worth consideration on the blue-line. He also sees playing time on the point of the #1 power-play unit and has a 42 point season on his resume. Update: Brendan Perlini will be scratched. Lawson Crouse will take his spot and is another former first-round pick with similar upside.
Calgary Flames
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 49.29 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential -4, 109.98 CP60
Elite Options
Johnny Gaudreau ($7,600 FD, $7,100 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 52.28 CF60, 2.21 xGF60, 97.56 PDO
Sean Monahan ($6,800 FD, $6,100 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 54.61 CF60, 2.2 xGF60, 98.87 PDO
Mark Giordano ($6,400 FD, $6,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 57.23 CF60, 2.3 xGF60, 101.26 PDO
Dougie Hamilton ($5,700 FD, $5,800 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 65.62 CF60, 2.83 xGF60, 98.49 PDO
Secondary Options
Troy Brouwer ($4,800 FD, $4,600 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 49.38 CF60, 1.76 xGF60, 100.61 PDO
Sam Bennett ($4,700 FD, $4,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 50.37 CF60, 1.99 xGF60, 99.43 PDO
T.J. Brodie ($4,200 FD, $4,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 46.82 CF60, 1.75 xGF60, 95.56 PDO
Expected Netminder
Chad Johnson – My Ratings (out of 10): 7 Cash, 7 GPP
Arizona Coyotes
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 44.65 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential -16, 118.04 CP60
Elite Options
Radim Vrbata ($4,900 FD, $5,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 54.39 CF60, 2.16 xGF60, 98.22 PDO
Oliver Ekman-Larsson ($6,100 FD, $5,100 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 52.18 CF60, 2.08 xGF60, 100.39 PDO
Secondary Options
Martin Hanzal ($5,800 FD, $5,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 51.79 CF60, 1.91 xGF60, 95.62 PDO
Tobias Rieder ($4,500 FD, $4,100 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 54.38 CF60, 2.23 xGF60, 100.18 PDO
Alex Goligoski ($4,500 FD, $4,100 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 50.33 CF60, 1.93 xGF60, 101.44 PDO
Expected Netminder
Mike Smith – My Ratings (out of 10): 5 Cash, 6 GPP