NHL Grind Down: Saturday, February 25th
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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.
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Anaheim Ducks at Los Angeles Kings
| Anaheim Ducks | Los Angeles Kings | ||||||||
 | Jonathan Bernier |  | Peter Budaj | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 32-20-10 | 29-27-4 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.56 | 2.50 | 19.50% | 84.70% | Team Stats | 2.42 | 2.45 | 17.10% | 84.20% |
The Ducks added what could possibly be a vital piece to their Stanley Cup run when they acquired Patrick Eaves from the Dallas Stars Friday afternoon. The expectation is that the team does not want to break up the line of Andrew Cogliano, Ryan Kesler and Jakob Silfverberg so according to head coach Randy Carlyle, his center wil either be Ryan Getzlaf or Rickard Rakell. Nothing like stating the obvious, thanks for nothing Randy. Anaheim is just three points away from the top spot in the Pacific Division but have played two more games than the San Jose Sharks, who are the leaders. Kesler and Silfverberg look good here as they are on the road and should see some more room on the ice as there’s no doubt the Kings will look to shut down the Getzlaf line. Kesler is just one point off of the team scoring lead with 19 goals and 26 assists while Silfeverberg has netted 17 goals and 20 assists in the 59 games he has suited up for. Corey Perry could also be in play here as he and Rakell could be the beneficiary of the eaves trade as he could wind up on their line. Besides Getzlaf, Perry has the second most points on the team over the last nine games with two goals and four assists. Cam Folwer is the play on the back line as he has seen 11 of his 31 points come via the man advantage. Fowler quarterbacks the team’s top power play unit which has scored just once in the 10 games they have played since February 1st.
Colorado is the only team the Kings have beaten in the last five games and if you follow hockey, you know that isn’t good. Los Angeles is almost on the verge of dropping out of playoff contention and if they have another five games like that you may as well put the nails in the coffin. They are four points away from Calgary who now hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with 66 points. Jeff Carter, Tanner Pearson and Dustin Brown should be the line to target here as most of the teams scoring runs through Carter and his team leading 53 points. Pearson is next up with 19 goals and 15 assists while Brown has 29 points so far this season. Anze Kopitar centers Tyler Toffoli and Dwight King and for all intents and purposes Kopitar looks like a one-off here. Toffoli has been good in the past and has been okay when he has not been injured as he has racked up 22 points in the 41 games he has played in. Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin are the options from the back line with Doughty being the safer play as he has recorded 33 points so far this season while Muzzin has managed just seven goals and 11 assists this season. Alec Martinez started off the season on fire but has cooled off by just finding the score sheet eight times since January 1st.
Elite Plays
ANA: Ryan Getzlaf
LAK: Jeff Carter
Secondary Plays
ANA: Ryan Kesler, Jakob Silfverberg, Rickard Rakell, Corey Perry, Cam Fowler
LAK: Tanner Pearson, Anze Kopitar, Tyler Toffoli, Drew Doughty
New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils
| New York Rangers | New Jersey Devils | ||||||||
 | Antti Raanta |  | Cory Schneider | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 39-19-2 | 25-25-10 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 3.28 | 2.57 | 19.20% | 82.00% | Team Stats | 2.27 | 2.83 | 17.80% | 80.80% |
The Rangers have seemed to stabilize a bit by winning eight of their last ten games which now has the team in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points. This is actually eight more points than the Atlantic Division leaders which has the team in good shape to make the playoffs. New York runs three lines that can score on any night at any time which is why J.T. Miller leads the team with 47 points and his line mate in Michael Grabner leads the team with 26 goals. Mika Zibanejad, Mats Zuccarello and Chris Kreider are next up as Zuccarello has 43 points while Kreider has lit the lamp 22 times and has accumulated 40 points this season. Rick Nash and Derek Stepan skate on the third scoring line with Stepan being the one-off here as his 42 points has him fourth on the team’s scoring list. Ryan McDonagh is the safest choice from the back line as he leads all Ranger defensemen with 34 points. Brady Skjei has been pretty consistent as well as the 22 year old American defenseman has grabbed 28 points so far this season.
The Devils have lost ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race and are now eight points from the final playoff spot with five teams ahead of them. They have only scored 12 times in the last six games which has seen Travis Zajac, Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri combine for five of them while skating on the top line. They also get the first shot when the team draws a penalty so using them in a GPP could be a way to go here. Adam Henrique centers Beau Bennett and P.A. Parenteau on the team’s second line while Miles Wood joins the Zajac line when the Devils have the man advantage. Andy Greene plays the point on the power play but defenseman Damon Severson still has the most points where the Devils defensemen are concerned. 12 of his 26 points have come with the man advantage. New Jersey always has trouble scoring so maybe using Hall as a one-off is the way to go tonight.
Elite Plays
NYR: J.T. Miller
NJ: Taylor Hall
Secondary Plays
NYR: Michael Grabner, Mats Zuccarello, Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh
NJ: Kyle Palmieri, Travis Zajac, Damon Severson, Adam Henrique
Washington Capitals at Nashville Predators
| Washington Capitals | Nashville Predators | ||||||||
 | Philipp Grubauer |  | Pekka Rinne | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 41-12-7 | 29-22-9 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 3.36 | 2.07 | 21.90% | 84.50% | Team Stats | 2.85 | 2.73 | 18.80% | 82.20% |
Washington is the best team in the league but we all know what the real question is. Will this be the year that the finally win the Cup? The Capitals play a 5pm game today after playing at home against Edmonton last night but should still have enough left in the tank tonight to compete. Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom Justin Williams are the team’s top line while Evgeny Kuznetsov centers the second line with Zach Sanford and Marcus Johansson. Usually T.J. Oshie would skate on the top line but he has been ruled out for today’s game. Ovechkin leads the team in goals while Backstrom paces the team with the most points. Johansson joins the top line when the Capitals go on the power play. Kuznetsov looks like a decent one-off here as he is third on the team with 47 points so far this season. John Carlson quarterbacks the team’s top power play unit and looks to be the choice here as he has grabbed 11 of his 29 points on the man advantage. Dmitry Orlov can be had if you are looking for a punt play as he notched his 27th point in last night’s game against Edmonton. Washington is always tough as they look to improve on their 16-7-6 record away from the home crowd.
Nashville’s 5-4-1 record over the last 10 games have kept them securely in the playoff hunt as their 67 points has them tied with the St Louis Blues for third place in the Central Division. Washington is the best defensive team in the league but that wouldn’t make me shy away from the top line of Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson on home ice. Forsberg’s hat trick the other night has separated him from the pack as he now leads the team with 22 goals so far this season while Johansen’s 43 points is tops on the team. Kevin Fiala and Mike Fisher skate on the team’s second line but the guy you want as a one-off is James Neal. He moves up to play on the top power play unit and has lit the lamp 18 times this season while collecting 30 points in 51 games. There is a hot debate as to which defenseman to take as both P.K. Subban and Roman Josi should be considered for GPP play. Josi has collected eight points in the last six games while Subban’s seven points adds to his total of 27 points in the 44 games he has suited up for. I wouldn’t go crazy here as Washington is good defensively and should be a nice test for a team that has scored 24 goals in the past six games.
Elite Plays
WSH: Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Ovechkin
NSH: Viktor Arvidsson
Secondary Plays
WSH: Evgeny Kuznetsov, Marcus Johansson, John Carlson
NSH: Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, James Neal, Roman Josi, P.K. Subban
New York Islanders at Columbus Blue Jackets
| New York Islanders | Columbus Blue Jackets | ||||||||
 | Thomas Greiss |  | Sergei Bobrovsky | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 29-21-10 | 37-16-5 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.98 | 2.87 | 16.10% | 79.90% | Team Stats | 3.19 | 2.45 | 22.20% | 82.20% |
The Islanders are one of three teams tied for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 68 points. The unfortunate thing for the islanders is that they are a one line team and if John Tavares, Anders Lee and Josh Bailey do not score, they probably don’t win the game. All three not only lead the team in points over the last eight games, they lead the team period. Tavares has chalked up 23 goals and 52 points while Bailey’s 31 assists has boosted his scoring total up over the 40 point mark. After losing three road games the Islanders started this nine game road trip with wins against Detroit and Montreal. The goaltending has been spot on as Thomas Greiss has given up just one goal in those two games. Ryan Strome moves up from the second line to get the extra minutes on the power play while Anthony Beauvillier and Brock Nelson skate with him at even strength. Nick Leddy is the choice from the blue line as he has grabbed 12 of his 32 points while quarterbacking the team’s top power play unit. The Islanders need to keep winning if they want to control their own destiny as tonight’s opponent will certainly provide a test to see exactly where the team is.
Columbus comes into this one looking to improve on their 21-9-1 record in front of the home crowd. Their 79 points is good enough for fourth place in the Metropolitan Division and should be in good shape provided they don’t go on an extended losing streak. Nick Foligno, Alexnader Wennberg and Oliver Bjorkstrand should be the target for your cash games tonight as Wennberg leads the team with 38 assists while Foligno’s 10 power play goals is tops on the team. Cam Atkinson has cooled of a little over the last eight games but I wouldn’t hesitate to put him with line mate Brandon Dubinsky if you are looking for a nice GPP duo. Atkinson leads the team 27 goals and 50 points while Dubinsky’s three goals and five assists over the last eight games has him at 30 points on the season. Brandon Saad has been dropped down to the third line to play with Sam Gagner and Scott Hartnell. This is an interesting move especially if they were on the road, but I think I would lay off of them tonight. Defensemen Zachary Werenski and Seth Jones are the options from the point with Werenski getting the first crack on the top power play unit. They both are a good option here however as Werenski leads Jones in points by a slim 36-34 margin.
Elite Plays
NYI: John Tavares
CBJ: Alexander Wennberg, Cam Atkinson
Secondary Plays
NYI: Josh Bailey, Anders Lee, Nick Leddy, Ryan Strome
CBJ: Nick Foligno, Brandon Dubinsky, Seth Jones, Zachary Werenski
Montréal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs
| Montréal Canadiens | Toronto Maple Leafs | ||||||||
 | Carey Price |  | Frederik Andersen | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 32-21-8 | 28-20-12 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.74 | 2.56 | 21.00% | 80.30% | Team Stats | 3.10 | 2.87 | 23.10% | 83.50% |
Injuries have struck the Ottawa Senators which has stalled their trek to the top of the Atlantic Division for the time being. This means that Montreal is still in first place despite winning just two of their last ten games. The Canadiens are certainly on the down swing as they had to fire their head coach a few weeks ago just to keep the peace in the locker room. Max Pacioretty, Phillip Danault and Alexander Radulov skate on the team’s top line while Andrew Shaw replaces Danault when the Canadiens draw a penalty. Pacioretty leads the team with 10 points in the last nine games while his 28 goals and 52 points also lead the team. Believe it or not defenseman Andrei Markov is the next in line with four points in the last nine games. This is good for Markov but bad for the team as it is hard to believe that with Pacioretty grabbing that many points that no one else is even close to him over that time. Markov is joined by Shea Weber to quarterback the team’s top power play unit which has scored just two goals this month. Alex Galchenyuk, Brendan Gallagher and Artturi Lehkonen skate on the team’s second line and could make for a decent GPP play here, as long as you are one who likes to multi enter. Gallagher has played in four games since returning from injury and needs to get his feet under him. When that happens this second line should start to score a bit more than they have been.
With this being ‘Hockey Night in Canada’ it’s good to see two of the original six go up against each other especially when both teams are in the playoff hunt. Toronto finds themselves four points away from Montreal for the division lead and with a win tonight could make the race even tighter. Toronto has scored the most goals in the division so there’s no reason to think that that will stop any time soon. Auston Matthews leads the team with 28 goals and 58 points while centering Zach Hyman and William Nylander. Mitchell Marner was on the ice for yesterdays practice but much like Hoffman and Stone from Ottawa yesterday, it looks like the Maple Leafs will have to wait a little while longer to get their young superstar back in the lineup. The line of Nazem Kadri, Leo Komarov and the very cheap Josh Leivo have been lighting up the lamp over the last11 games as they have combined for eight goals and 18 assists in the last 30 man-games they have played in. Connor Brown, James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak make up a third Toronto scoring line which is why they lead the division in goals as any of these three lines are capable of a big night at any time. Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev look to be the defensive choices tonight as Gardiner has grabbed eight of his 31 points over the last 11 games. Meanwhile Zaitsev has seen a considerable amount of power play time but has just one assist on nine shots over the last five games. Look for Gardiner to be back on the top unit sooner rather than later.
Elite Plays
MTL: Max Pacioretty
TOR: Auston Matthews
Secondary Plays
MTL: Alexander Radulov, Shea Weber, Andrei Markov, Phillip Danault, Alex Galchenyuk
TOR: Nazem Kadri, Tyler Bozak, James van Riemsdyk, Jake Gardiner