NHL Grind Down: Sunday, February 19th
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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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Washington Capitals at New York Rangers
| Washington Capitals | New York Rangers | ||||||||
 | Philipp Grubauer |  | Henrik Lundqvist | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 39-11-7 | 37-19-1 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 3.41 | 2.09 | 21.50% | 84.20% | Team Stats | 3.37 | 2.63 | 20.10% | 82.30% |
Washington had a tough time in Detroit last night, as the Red Wings won the game by a score of 3-2 in shootout style. Washington was able to salvage a point out of the loss, which has added to their league best 85 points this season. Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and T.J. Oshie are the usual targets when looking at the Capitals, and for good reason. Backstrom leads the team with 61 points, while Ovechkin’s 26 goals lead the team. Marcus Johansson jumps up to join the top line when the Capitals go on the power play, while Evgeny Kuznetsov and Justin Williams serve as his line mates on the second line. If you don’t want to pair up Johansson with any of his line mates, Kuznetsov makes for a nice one-off here, as he has netted three goals and seven points in the last eight games. Washington had five power plays yesterday and didn’t connect on any of them, as defenseman Matt Niskanen was quarterbacking the top unit. Niskanen has 32 points in 55 games, while fellow defenseman John Carlson has seen 10 of his 28 points come via the power play. Look for Washington to bounce back here, with the second line getting a few more opportunities this afternoon.
After winning their last six games, the New York Rangers fell to the New York Islanders by a score of 4-2 on Thursday night. Their record of 37-19-1 has them in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points. If they were in the Atlantic Division, their record would be good enough for first place, which is an indication of how tough the Metro Division is. Jimmy Vesey, Derek Stepan, and Rick Nash are just one of three units the Rangers run out there that has the ability to score goals. Stepan leads this group with 41 points and is one of four Rangers who have played in every game this season. Mats Zuccarello, Mika Zibanejad, and Chris Kreider is another line to choose tonight, as Zuccarello leads the team with 31 assists and is second on the team with 41 points. Surprisingly for New York, the line of Michael Grabner, J.T. Miller and Kevin Hayes has been the go-to line for most of the season. Hayes has registered seven points in the five games he has played in since returning from injury, while Grabner’s 26 goals is a team high, and Miller trumps everyone with 46 points so far this season. The Capitals are a good defensive team, so this is definitely a good test for the Rangers here in front of the home crowd. Ryan McDonagh leads the defensive corps with 32 points, but Brady Skjei can be used for a little salary relief, as he has grabbed six assists in the last six games.
Elite Plays
WSH: Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom
NYR: J.T. Miller, Michael Grabner
Secondary Plays
WSH: T.J. Oshie, Marcus Johansson, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Matt Niskanen
NYR: Mats Zuccarello, Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh
Detroit Red Wings at Pittsburgh Penguins
| Detroit Red Wings | Pittsburgh Penguins | ||||||||
 | Petr Mrazek |  | Matt Murray | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 23-25-10 | 36-13-8 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.37 | 3.00 | 12.20% | 80.80% | Team Stats | 3.51 | 2.77 | 22.10% | 79.90% |
Well, if the blind squirrel keeps looking, he will eventually find a nut. This was the case yesterday, as Niklas Kronwall notched his seventh point of the season, assisting on the power play goal the Red Wings scored in the first period. If you’ve been taking notes, you know that I think Mike Green should be quarterbacking the top power play unit, as he has a lot more to offer offensively than the aging Kronwall does. Anyway, Detroit had a nice win yesterday against Washington and now needs to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in their own building. Henrik Zetterberg now leads the team with 43 points, as he plays on the team’s top line with Anthony Mantha and Tomas Tatar. The second line of Andreas Athanasiou, Thomas Vanek, and Frans Nielsen may be the one to target for tournament action, as they will no doubt have a little more room on the ice, while the Penguins are busy putting their best defensive line against Zetterberg and Company. Vanek has collected five points in the last eight games, as he leads the team with 14 goals so far this season. Detroit isn’t a good team, and there’s a reason they are in last place in the Atlantic Division; use your better judgement here.
The Penguins come into this one a little depleted on the back line, as both Justin Schultz and Olli Maata will not suit up for tonight’s game. This leaves the defensive scoring in the capable hands of Kris Letang, who leads the team with nine points over the last eight games. He also has grabbed 11 of his 32 points while on the man advantage, which isn’t bad considering he has played in 39 games this season. Sidney Crosby centers the top line of Chris Kunitz and Jake Guentzel, while Evgeni Malkin has his old line mates back on his wings in the form of Carl Hagelin and Patric Hornqvist. Crosby leads the team with 64 points, while Malkin’s 35 assists is tops on the team. Phil Kessel comes up from the third line to skate with Crosby, Malkin, and Hornqvist on the team’s top power play unit, while Letang holds down the fort on the point. Kessel makes for a decent one-off here, as he has lit the lamp 21 times this season while collecting 55 points in 57 games. With the Red Wings playing yesterday, I’d look for the Penguins to break out here and score more than one goal like they did the other night in Columbus.
Elite Plays
DET: Henrik Zetterberg
PIT: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin
Secondary Plays
DET: Thomas Vanek, Anthony Mantha, Frans Nielsen
PIT: Phil Kessel, Patric Hornqvist, Kris Letang, Jake Guentzel
Winnipeg Jets at Ottawa Senators
| Winnipeg Jets | Ottawa Senators | ||||||||
 | Michael Hutchinson |  | Mike Condon | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 27-29-5 | 31-19-6 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.87 | 3.17 | 17.60% | 77.20% | Team Stats | 2.62 | 2.64 | 16.90% | 83.70% |
Winnipeg went into Montreal last night and upended the heavily favored Canadiens by a score of 3-1. The injury to Andrew Copp has forced Winnipeg to use their best six players on the top two lines, and it’s amazing what happens when teams do that. They actually have a chance to beat some of the better teams in the league. Mathieu Perreault had a goal and an assist while taking Copp’s place on a line that features rookie phenom Patrik Laine and the team’s scoring leader in Mark Scheifele. Laine leads the team with 28 goals, while Schiefele has lit the lamp 25 times to go along with 33 assists. Bryan Little centers the team’s other scoring line along with Blake Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers. Wheeler’s 48 points is tied with Laine for second on the team, while Ehlers is just one point back with 19 goals and 28 assists so far this season. Either line should be in play today, as the Jets’ problem usually isn’t on the offensive end. Dustin Byfuglien and Jacob Trouba are the choices on the back line. Both defensemen have a goal and two assists over the last six games but it is Byfuglien, who has the seasonal edge by a tally of 36 to 24 points, which is 12 more than Trouba has collected so far. The Jets should be able to generate a little offense this afternoon.
With three games in hand, the Ottawa Senators have pulled within two points of the Montreal Canadiens for the Atlantic Division lead. Their 6-3 drubbing of the Toronto Maple Leafs last night marked the ninth time that the team had scored five or more goals in so far this season. They return home tonight to face a team that is notorious for allowing goals behind their own netminder. Winnipeg has given up a whopping 193 goals, which is tied with Dallas for the most in the league. Mark Stone, Derick Brassard, and Ryan Dzingel skate on one scoring line, while Mike Hoffman, and Kyle Turris have Zack Smith on their win to complete the second line. Smith and Dzingel are the odd men out when it comes to playing on the top power play unit. Stone has grabbed seven points over the last six games and has taken the team lead with 21 goals, while Turris is third on the team with 41 points on the season. Erik Karlsson is the choice from the back line, as he leads the team with 40 assists and 49 points while soaking up most of the ice time when the Senators have the extra attacker. Dion Phaneuf saw a little more power play time last game and could be serviceable, as he has registered 12 of his 24 points with the man advantage.
Elite Plays
WIN: Mark Scheifele
OTT: Erik Karlsson
Secondary Plays
WIN: Patrik Laine, Blake Wheeler, Nikolaj Ehlers, Mathieu Perreault, Dustin Byfuglien
OTT: Mark Stone, Kyle Turris, Mike Hoffman, Derick Brassard
Nashville Predators at Columbus Blue Jackets
| Nashville Predators | Columbus Blue Jackets | ||||||||
 | Pekka Rinne |  | Sergei Bobrovsky | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 27-22-8 | 37-15-5 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.79 | 2.64 | 18.80% | 81.90% | Team Stats | 3.19 | 2.42 | 22.40% | 82.20% |
As expected, the Nashville Predators fell to the Minnesota Wild last night by a score of 5-2. The Wild were too much for them, as they handed Nashville their 15th home loss of the season, which included a P.K. Subban sighting. Subban tallied his eighth goal of the season, which is a good indication that he may be getting back to form considering he has played in just 41 games this season. Fellow defenseman Roman Josi is the better play, however, as 12 of his 28 points have come while quarterbacking the team’s top power play unit. Ryan Johansen, Viktor Arvidsson, and Filip Forsberg may have trouble again tonight, as Columbus has only given up 10 goals in the last five home games. Arvidsson leads the team with nine points in the last seven games, while Johansen’s 40 points is tops on the tam. James Neal should be looked at as one-off here, as he skates on the third line but does get the top minutes when Nashville draws a penalty. He is not shy to shoot the puck either, as his 151 shots on goal has produced 17 goals in the 48 games he has suited up for. Some say Columbus has lost a step, and it’s up to Nashville to prove that those people aren’t lying.
The Blue Jackets won a statement game last, beating the defending Stanley Cup Champions in overtime by a score of 2-1 on home ice. Nashville will provide some competition here, although they did play last night in Minnesota. Their 79 points has them in third place in the Metropolitan Division, and barring some sort of monumental collapse, should easily make the playoffs. Brandon Dubinsky has garnered 10 of his 30 points over the last eight games, which has made his line the one to target tonight. Cam Atkinson leads the team with 27 goals and 50 points and will line up to his right, while Boone Jenner has been showing signs of life skating to the left of the talented center. Alexander Wennberg, Brandon Saad, and Oliver Bjorkstrand can also be looked at here, as Wennberg and Saad each have 40 or more points on the season. Bjorkstrand was called up two games ago and was able to light the lamp once so far. Nick Foligno has been dropped to the third line but remains in the conversation, as he skates on the team’s top power play unit while leading the team with 10 goals when the Jackets have the man advantage. Zachary Werenski and Seth Jones are the options on defense, and quite frankly, either can be used tonight. Both are hovering around 32 points on the season, with Werenski getting the shoulder tap when Columbus draws a penalty. Look for the Blue Jackets to improve on their 21-8-1 record in front of the home crowd this evening.
Elite Plays
NSH: None
CBJ: Cam Atkinson, Alexander Wennberg
Secondary Plays
NSH: James Neal, Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson, Roman Josi
CBJ: Brandon Dubinsky, Brandon Saad, Nick Foligno, Zachary Werenski
Chicago Blackhawks at Buffalo Sabres
| Chicago Blackhawks | Buffalo Sabres | ||||||||
 | Scott Darling |  | Robin Lehner | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 35-18-5 | 26-23-10 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.88 | 2.56 | 19.30% | 76.50% | Team Stats | 2.45 | 2.69 | 23.00% | 74.70% |
Chicago played like a team that had a week off last night, as they just couldn’t get it going in front of the home crowd, losing to the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 3-1. Jonathan Toews and Richard Panik were rewarded for their hard work, as they joined Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin on the team’s top power play unit last night. Panik responded by scoring his fourth goal in the last four games for Chicago’s only tally. Nick Schmaltz joins Toews and Panik on the top line, while Artem Anisimov centers Kane and Panarin. Kane leads the team with 58 points, while Panarin has garnered 51 points so far this season. This line is the one to target for your cash game plays tonight, as there is no doubt they will be a bit more prepared than they were last night. Duncan Keith was the lone defenseman on the power play last night at least where the top unit was concerned. Keith makes for a decent play if you can afford him, as he has found the score sheet 40 times this season.
Buffalo has been playing some decent hockey of late, as their 15-10-4 record at home isn’t as bad as some teams in the league, and they beat the St Louis Blues last night by a score of 3-2. Ryan O’Reilly, Kyle Okposo and Justin Bailey will skate on the team’s top line, while Jack Eichel and Evander Kane will play alongside of Nick Baptiste, who took the spot of the injured Sam Reinhart in last night’s game. Baptiste had a goal and an assist last night, which gives this whole line a tournament-play feel to it. Eichel grabbed his 32nd point of the season last night and makes for a decent one-off here, as he skates with O’Reilly and Okposo on the team’s top power play unit. Rasmus Ristolainen is the play from the back line, as he soaks up all of the minutes on the top power play unit. His assist last night gave the young defenseman his 53rd point so far this season. This one looks easy: O’Reilly, Okposo, and Ristolainen are borderline cash plays, while Eichel makes a great one-off in either format.
Elite Plays
CHI: Patrick Kane
BUF: Kyle Okposo
Secondary Plays
CHI: Arten Anisimov, Artemi Panarin, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith
BUF: Jack Eichel, Ryan O’Reilly, Rasmus Ristolainen