NHL Grind Down: Saturday, March 25th
Jump to Page 1 2 3
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.
Vancouver Canucks at Minnesota Wild
| Vancouver Canucks | Minnesota Wild | ||||||||
 | Richard Bachman |  | Devan Dubnyk | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 29-35-9 | 44-23-6 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.25 | 2.92 | 13.90% | 77.60% | Team Stats | 3.21 | 2.46 | 21.10% | 83.90% |
The Canucks were able to wrestle away a 5-4 win from the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night but outside of that, the team has been pretty putrid. They have lost the seven other games that have been around that lone win and have scored just 10 goals in those seven games. Only Colorado has scored less than this team all season as they have managed just 167 goals so far this season. Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi are probably your best bets here as they skate on the second line that has yielded Horvat 47 points so far this season. Those 47 points lead the team while Henrik Sedin has racked up five of his 45 points over the last six games. Sedin has Michael Chaput and Daniel Sedin as his wingers and will more than likely be bottled up tonight. Minnesota has had a rough time of it of late as they have won two games in their last 10 but should surely be able to handle these guys this afternoon. Alexander Edler and Chris Tanev man the points on the top power play unit but all that means is that will log more ice time as the Canucks have lit the lamp just three times in the last 17 games when they had the extra attacker.
If the Wild want to have any shot of getting out of the first playoff round they had better start getting their act together. The team has dropped eight games over the last 10 tries which seems like a lot when you consider that their record is 44-23-6. This means that more than a third of their losses have come in those last 10 games and will need to find a way to rectify the problem immediately. The Wild had an optional skate day yesterday after a few film meetings so look for the lines to stay intact for tonight’s game. Jason Zucker, Mikko Koivu and Mikael Granlund will skate on the top line while Eric Staal will center Zach Parise and Charlie Coyle on the second line. This makes a bit more sense as I think the team was trying to squeeze three scoring lines out of seven skill players. Sure Martin Hanzal skates with Nino Niederreiter and Jason Pominville but Hanzal is not the type of player to just come in and start lighting it up. He needs pieces around him but has done okay so far with six points he has played in a Wild sweater. Granlund leads the team with 25 goals and 41 assists while Staal has lit the lamp five times en route to leading the team with seven points over the last eight games. Ryan Suter and Mathew Dumba man the points on the team’s top power play unit. Dumba has managed five points in the last seven games while Suter’s one point in the last eight games is surely something to stay away from in cash games this afternoon.
Elite Plays
VAN: None
MIN: Mikael Granlund
Secondary Plays
VAN: Bo Horvat, Sven Baertschi, Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin
MIN: Mikko Koivu, Eric Staal, Charlie Coyle, Jason Zucker, Zach Parise, Mathew Dumba
Philadelphia Flyers at Columbus Blue Jackets
| Philadelphia Flyers | Columbus Blue Jackets | ||||||||
 | Steve Mason |  | Sergei Bobrovsky | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 34-31-8 | 47-19-7 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.53 | 2.92 | 19.50% | 79.50% | Team Stats | 3.14 | 2.32 | 21.10% | 82.80% |
In typical Philadelphia fashion the Flyers went into Minnesota the other night and beat the second place Central Division contenders by a score of 3-1. This afternoon they visit an old friend in Sergei Bobrovksy as they now try to take down the third place team in the Metropolitan Division in the form of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Claude Giroux will center the top line along with Jakub Voracek and Matt Read while Valtteri Filppula centers the second line with Wayne Simmonds and Jordan Weal. Simmonds feels like a one-off here as he skates on the second line but is parked in front of the net when the Flyers have the extra attacker. He is just one goal shy of his second 30 goal campaign and just may get it on the power play where he has already scored over half his goals from. Voracek and Giroux will more than likely be blanketed tonight which means we can drop even deeper on the depth chart and take a look at Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn who skate on the team’s third line. Schenn is tied with Simmonds for the team lead with 15 power play goals this season while Couturier has racked up six of his 27 points over the last seven games. Defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere has been manning the point on the top power play unit while Ivan Provorov handles the second unit duties. Based on last game both got about the same amount of ice time where the power play is concerned as both have tallied four points apiece in their last seven games. Philadelphia should have a let down here as the Blue Jackets try to keep pace with the leaders in the Metropolitan Division.
Columbus came into last night with a playoff berth under the belts as they are just three points shy of the division leaders in the Washington Capitals. Oliver Bjorkstrand is still on the sidelines for tonight’s game which will force the Blue Jackets to put the old lines back together for at least another night. Nick Foligno, Alexander Wennberg and Brandon Saad are the chalk plays here as they are the team’s most consistent scoring unit this season. Wennberg leads the group with 54 points while the other two are just a shade under scoring 50 points on the season. Cam Atkinson is back to being a decent one-off here as he will skate on the team’s top power play unit where he has collected 21 of his team leading 60 points. Defenseman Zachary Werenski is the choice on the back line here as he has been very consistent this season by racking up 47 points while playing in all 73 games so far this season. He also leads the team with eight points in the last seven games while fellow defenseman Seth Jones has dropped off a bit but still has been able to tally a respectable 40 points. Look for Columbus to improve on their 27-10-1 record in front of the home crowd tonight.
Elite Plays
PHL: Wayne Simmonds
CBJ: Cam Atkinson
Secondary Plays
PHL: Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Brayden Schenn, Shayne Gostisbehere
CBJ: Alexander Wennberg, Nick Foligno, Brandon Saad, Zachary Werenski
Calgary Flames at St. Louis Blues
| Calgary Flames | St. Louis Blues | ||||||||
 | Brian Elliott |  | Jake Allen | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 41-29-4 | 40-28-5 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.70 | 2.68 | 19.10% | 80.90% | Team Stats | 2.79 | 2.67 | 22.00% | 84.90% |
Barring a total collapse here in the last eight games it appears that the Calgary Flames will indeed make the playoffs this season. Their 86 points has the team as the seventh seed as of now with the Los Angeles Kings and their 77 points being the closest team that could knock them out. Michael Ferland, Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan would seem to be the line that the blues will need to stop if they want to grab the victory tonight. Gaudreau leads the team with 54 points in 64 games while Monahan’s 24 goals is tops on the team. Mikael Backlund could be a one-off here as he centers the second line along with Sam Bennett and Michael Frolik. Backlund has notched 50 points so far this season which is good enough for third on the team. Troy Brouwer and Kris Versteeg skate on the team’s third line but do get the cookie here as they skate with Gaudreau and Monahan on the top power play unit. Now, with that said, they really haven’t produced much this season and should only be used as a punt selection for tournament plays. T.J. Brodie gets the extra ice time from the back line when the Flames draw a penalty but Dougie Hamilton is clearly the better cash game play here. Hamilton leads the team with 204 shots on goal which has yielded 12 goals and 36 assists so far this season.
The Blues have put together a nice string of games here as they have only lost once in their last 10 games. The 18 points have done wonders for the team as they now sit in an 85 point tie for third place in the Central Division with the Nashville Predators going into tonight’s action. Los Angeles is the closest team that can knock them out of playoff contention so a lot has to happen for that to transpire as we head into the final three weeks of the season. Vladimir Tarasenko, Alexander Steen and Jaden Schwartz should be the line to target for your cash game options tonight. Tarasenko has five goals and two assists in the last seven games while he leads the team with 34 goals and 31 assists. Schwartz and Steen are second and third on the team in scoring with 46 and 45 points respectively. Paul Stastny and Jori Lehtera have been on the sidelines over the past few games which has opened the door for Patrik Berglund to step up and get some exposure to the top line when the Blues have the extra skater. David Perron and Zachary Sanford skate with Berglund at even strength and could be used as a deeper tournament line stack tonight. Perron has racked up five points in the last seven games while Sanford has a goal and two assists in the last three games he has played in. Alex Pietrangelo has seen his duties increase since the big trade and has responded well by finding the score sheet seven times in the last 10 games. Look for the Blues to continue their winning ways tonight.
Elite Plays
CGY: Johnny Gaudreau
STL: Vladimir Tarasenko
Secondary Plays
CGY: Sean Monahan, Dougie Hamilton, Mikael Backlund, Michael Frolik
STL: Alexander Steen, Jaden Schwartz, Alex Pietrangelo, Patrik Berglund
Carolina Hurricanes at New Jersey Devils
| Carolina Hurricanes | New Jersey Devils | ||||||||
 | Cam Ward |  | Cory Schneider | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 32-27-13 | 27-34-12 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.61 | 2.81 | 18.20% | 85.20% | Team Stats | 2.27 | 2.92 | 18.80% | 80.20% |
If you are looking for cash game plays you can probably skip this game as only Taylor Hall or Jeff Skinner could fit the bill as one-offs here. The Hurricanes 77 points had the team just five points away from the Boston Bruins for the last playoff spot in the eastern Conference. Can the Hurricanes go on a run over the last 10 games and make thing interesting? Sure they can, the question is will they. Skinner is the one-off here as he skates with Derek Ryan and Lee Stempniak on the team’s third line and has scored eight goals over the last eight games. Sebastian Aho, Elias Lindholm and Phil Di Giuseppe skate on the second line while Jordan Staal anchors the top line with Brock McGinn and Teuvo Teravainen as his wingers. It’s tough to tell what line is the top line as the Hurricanes really don’t have their top six in the top six, especially with Victor Rask skating on the fourth line. Is it any wonder why this team is a mess? I think not. Justin Faulk gets the extra minutes from the back line and has 10 power play points to show for it. Again, there’s not too many cash game plays here but if you want to stack a line and wish them well, be my guest.
New Jersey comes into this one as the worst team in the Eastern Conference with just 66 points. Their only two wins over the last 15 games have come at home against division rival Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers. Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri are the closest thing the Devils have that resembles any consistency as they both not only lead the team in points over the last six games but on the season as well. Hall has 49 points to his credit in just 63 games while Palmieri needed 71 games to achieve the 50 points he has so far this season. Travis Zajac centers the talented duo so stacking them in a GPP could pay off here tonight. Joseph Blandisi centers Adam Henrique and Beau Bennett on the second line but that line is as bad as it sounds although they have combined for seven goals and eight assists over the last seven games. You can put the names of Damon Severson, Andy Greene and John Moore in a hat and pull one out and you will have your New Jersey Devil defenseman of the night. In other words, look elsewhere.
Elite Plays
CAR: Jeff Skinner
NJ: Taylor Hall
Secondary Plays
CAR: Sebastian Aho, Elias Lindholm, Jordan Staal, Justin Faulk
NJ: Kyle Palmieri, Travis Zajac
Boston Bruins at New York Islanders
| Boston Bruins | New York Islanders | ||||||||
 | Tuukka Rask |  | Thomas Greiss | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 38-30-6 | 35-26-12 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.84 | 2.69 | 21.20% | 84.50% | Team Stats | 2.92 | 2.99 | 15.80% | 80.70% |
Well, well, well. What do we have here? Thanks to the Islanders win over the Penguins last night they have moved into a virtual tie with the Boston Bruins for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and they have a game in hand. Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Backes have been the top line for a while now while David Krejci and David Pastrnak have had problems finding a third piece as the Bruins have dropped four straight games. Matt Beleskey was up there with them but now it seems that the team has gone back to Drew Stafford as the flavor of the week. Marchand has chalked up 14 points over the last 10 games and leads the team with 37 goals and 43 assists so far this season. Bergeron is the choice here if you want to pair him up as his team leading 270 shots on goal has yielded 17 goals and 32 assists going into the last eight games. Pastrnak looks like a one-off here as he plays on the top power play unit along with Marchand and Bergeron. The Bruins power play has struck for five goals in the last four games and that should play right into Pastrnak’s wheelhouse as he is second on the team with 22 power play points this season. Defenseman Torey Krug has Pastrnak one better with 23 power play points as he soaks up a lot of the extra ice time when the Bruins have the extra attacker. Krug has found the score sheet seven times in the last 10 games as he is just two points shy of attaining his first 50 point season.
The Islanders will just not go away as they have knocked of both Pittsburgh and the rangers on the road to pull into a tie with the Bruins for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Yes, this is a big game. John Tavares, Josh Bailey and Andrew Ladd should draw the decent match ups all night as they have the last line change being the home team. Tavares has snared 12 points over the last 12 games and leads the team with 62 points and 243 shots on goal. This is the line can be targeted as a tournament play and is a borderline cash play as well. Tavares is at least worth a look as a one-off as when the Islanders score, he is usually around the puck. Anthony Beauvillier, Josh Ho-Sang and Anders Lee skate on the team’s second line but can be looked at as no more than a GPP play here. If the Islanders are going to win the top line is going to have a lot to say about it. Defenseman Nick Leddy is the choice on the blue line as he gets a lot of extra minutes when the Islanders draw a penalty. His eight points over the last 12 games has pushed him up to 40 points on the season which is good enough for fourth on the team. Sit back and watch the playoff seeding unfold before your very eyes.
Elite Plays
BOS: Brad Marchand
NYI: John Tavares
Secondary Plays
BOS: David Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron, Torey Krug, David Backes, David Krejci
NYI: Josh Bailey, Andrew Ladd, Nick Leddy, Josh Ho-Sang, Anders Lee