NHL Grind Down: Sunday, December 3rd


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.

Los Angeles Kings at Chicago Blackhawks

Los Angeles Kings Chicago Blackhawks
Article Image Jonathan Quick Article Image Anton Forsberg
Record Record
16-8-3 12-9-5
Stats GF/GP GA/GP PP% PK% Stats GF/GP GA/GP PP% PK%
Team Stats 2.96 2.22 16.67 89.01 Team Stats 3.16 2.68 17.14 84.62

The Kings are back at the top of the Pacific Division standings and by the looks of it, they plan to stay there a while. Los Angeles has given up a league low 60 goals through their first 27 games which will help any team make the playoffs, let alone lead a division. Their 82 goals for is a bit surprising considering that Jeff Carter has only played in six games so far this season. Anze Kopitar has taken the reins of this team by leading the team with 13 goals and 16 assists. Dustin Brown has been the recipient of Kopitar’s dynamic play as he skates with him on both the top power play unit and on most 5×5 situations. Alex Iafallo is the third component of the top line but is not afforded the extra ice time when the Kings have the man advantage. Marian Gaborik appears to be a one-off here as he jumps up and joins Kopitar and Brown on the top power play unit while playing on the second line with Trevor Lewis and Adrian Kempe. Tyler Toffoli, Tanner Pearson and Devin Shore make up yet another scoring line for the Kings with Toffoli having the hot hand as he has netted five of his 13 goals over the last two weeks. Jake Muzzin and Drew Doughty are the choice from the back line and there can be a case made for both of them this evening. They both get the extra power play time while doughty holds a 19-16 lead in the points department. Although this will be the Kings third game in four nights it is the Blackhawks that should be a little tired as they come in from playing at Dallas last night.

Without goaltender Corey Crawford it is going to be awfully hard for Chicago to wrestle two points away from their opponents if the game goes into a shootout. That is exactly what happened last night as although Anton Forsberg stopped 33 Dallas shots to keep the team in the game he could not stop a shot by either Alexander Radulov or Tyler Seguin to earn the win. The Hawks run into a hot team in the Los Angeles Kings as they get set to play their third game in four nights. Jonathan Toews, Brandon Saad and Richard Panik will skate as the top line while Patrick Kane heads up the second line with Artem Anisimov and Nick Schmaltz. Kane and Anisimov are the ones to pair up here as Kane’s 17 assists and 27 points are tops on the team while Anisimov leads with 12 goals through 26 games. They also have the luxury of soaking up a lot of minutes with the man advantage which has seen Kane grab nine of his 27 points with the extra attacker to lead the team. Alex Debrincat has started to turn some heads over the past few weeks as he is now second on the team with 19 points while skating with Ryan Hartman and Patrick Sharp on the team’s third line. Stacking a third line is almost never recommended but it may be a viable option here on a four game slate if you are looking to deviate away from the crowd in a GPP tournament tonight. Duncan Keith, Gustav Forsling and Brent Seabrook are the choices on the back line and all of them get a shot at the extra ice time when Chicago draws a penalty. Keith is the obvious choice as he leads the blue liners with 14 points while Jan Rutta is in play as by scoring three of his six points over the last six games. The Kings have given up just 10 goals in their last six games so tread carefully here tonight.

Top Plays

LAK: Anze Kopitar
CHI: Patrick Kane

Secondary Plays

LAK: Dustin Brown, Tyler Toffoli, Drew Doughty, Jake Muzzin, Marian Gaborik
CHI: Jonathan Toews, Brandon Saad, Duncan Keith, Artem Anisimov, Alex Debrincat

Unlock the complete breakdown of EVERY matchup today with a free 7-Day Trial!

  • To read this full article for today’s NHL games, you need to have a subscription to RotoGrinders Premium, our advanced content package.
  • A Premium subscription will allow you to access this article, as well as Consensus Value Rankings, LineupHQ, premium videos, daily picks from top-ranked players and more.
Start your FREE 7-day trial

About the Author

elctrceye
Tom Woollam (elctrceye)

Tom Woollam is a freelance DFS writer and has been a member here at RotoGrinders.com since December 2011. He has played Fantasy Sports for the last 30 years and has been in the daily fantasy sports game for the last four. You can find him on twitter @elctrceye.