NHL Grind Down: Sunday, February 5th
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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Los Angeles Kings at Washington Capitals
| Los Angeles Kings | Washington Capitals | ||||||||
 | Peter Budaj |  | Philipp Grubauer | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 27-21-4 | 35-11-6 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.55 | 2.35 | 17.40% | 83.50% | Team Stats | 3.25 | 2.12 | 20.90% | 84.20% |
The Kings started their four-game road trip on the right foot yesterday afternoon as Jeff Carter scored the game’s only goal against his former team, the Philadelphia Flyers. The win has the team in seventh place in the Western Conference, and now they look to win their sixth game in a row. Unfortunately, the Capitals are not the Flyers, which means the Kings could have a little trouble this afternoon. Tyler Toffoli returned to the lineup yesterday and joined Jeff Carter and Dustin Brown on the team’s top line. It may take Toffoli a little time to get back in to the swing of things, so using carter as a one-off here seems optimal. Carter leads the teams with 27 goals and 46 points. Meanwhile, Anze Kopitar has been helping Marian Gaborik get back on track over the last few games that has seen Gaborik register four of his 13 points over the last five games. Meanwhile, Kopitar not only leads the team with 26 assists, he has found the score sheet nine times in the last eight games. Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin are the choices on the back line with Doughty, being the better play of the two. Much like Kopitar, Doughty has also registered seven points in the last nine games. With only three games on the docket, it may be tough to not take any players form a hot Kings team, even if they are playing in Washington.
Washington continues to be the class of the league, as their 76 points are the most so far this season. The Capitals look to improve on their 20-5-1 record in front of the home crowd and should be able to do that tonight even though both teams played yesterday. Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie is the line to target here, as they also serve as the team’s top power play unit. Ovechkin leads the team with 25 goals while Backstrom’s 37 assists and 53 points are tops on the team. The second line consists of Evgeny Kuznetsov, Justin Williams, and Marcus Johansson. Kuznetsov makes for a great one-off play here, as he has found the score sheet 11 times in the last eight games, which leads the team. Johansson plays on the top power play unit with the top line but has only tallied eight points with the man advantage, which has his point total at 32 on the season. Andre Burakovsky is an interesting play here as he skates on the third line but has ramped up his play over the last eight games by virtue of finding the score sheet nine times over the last eight games. It’s a pick like Burakovsky that could possibly take down a GPP with only three games on the slate. Defenseman John Carlson logs a lot of ice time when the Capitals draw a penalty and has registered 10 of his 25 points on the power play. Matt Niskanen could be another option from the point, as he has registered seven of his 28 points over the last 17 days.
Elite Plays
LAK: Jeff Carter
WSH: Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Ovechkin
Secondary Plays
LAK: Anze Kopitar, Tyler Toffoli, Drew Doughty, Marian Gaborik, Tanner Pearson
WSH: T.J. Oshie, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Justin Williams, John Carlson
Edmonton Oilers at Montréal Canadiens
| Edmonton Oilers | Montréal Canadiens | ||||||||
 | Cam Talbot |  | Al Montoya | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 28-18-8 | 30-16-7 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.81 | 2.54 | 20.50% | 82.00% | Team Stats | 2.98 | 2.48 | 22.80% | 79.10% |
The Oilers come into this one on a three-game losing streak as they wrap up their brief three-game road trip this afternoon in Montreal. They currently are in third place in the Pacific Division with 64 points, which for now seems to pretty safe considering that the Los Angeles Kings are six points behind them in the division. It will be interesting to see if Edmonton sticks with the lines they used last game, as Milan Lucic was moved up to the second line to play with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle. This makes a lot of sense, as the player Lucic replaces in Benoit Pouliot has been basically useless, as he has recorded just 10 points in 49 games. Lucic should represent an opportunity for Nugent-Hopkins and Eberle to better their stats, as he is willing to go into the corners and dig the puck out. Eberle leads this bunch with 32 points while Lucic and Nugent-Hopkins are close behind with 30 and 26 points respectively. Montreal will obviously be busy trying to shut down the top line, which may lead to a bit more room for the second line to maneuver this afternoon. Just because Montreal will try to shut down Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Patrick Maroon does not mean that they actually will. McDavid leads the league with 60 points and has basically drug Draisaitl along with him as the winger has lit the lamp 20 times to go along with 27 assists so far this season. Maroon isn’t a bad play either as he has managed 26 points without the benefit of skating on the top power play line. Andrej Sekera and Oscar Klefbom are the choice on the back line with Sekera being the better play by virture of getting his exposure to McDavid on the top power play unit. Sekera has eight points with the man advantage, which gives him 25 points on the season.
Okay, here’s the tricky part. It seems that Phillip Danault has suffered an injury late in yesterday’s game and will be re-evaluated later this morning, making him a true game-time decision. Danault has been a key part to the Montreal offense, as he has racked up 28 points so far this season. Most of those pits have come skating alongside Max Pacioretty and Alexander Radulov who are the team leaders in points. The thought process is that if Danault cannot play today that Alex Galchenyuk will move up from the second line and center the best players on the team. This will leave the second line wingers Artturi lehkonen and Paul Byron to be centered by Tomas Plekanec or possibly David Desharnais, who was a healthy scratch last game. With all of this confusion on the top two lines, it is probably best to use Pacioretty and Radulov in your cash games and call it a day. Shea Weber and Nathan Beaulieu take the points when the Canadiens draw a penalty with Weber being the better play of the two. Even though Weber has tallied 31 points so far this season, that doesn’t mean that Beaulieu can’t be productive at his reduced price. Look Montreal to improve on their 18-6-1 record in front of the home crowd.
Elite Plays
EDM: Connor McDavid
MTL: Max Pacioretty, Alexander Radulov
Secondary Plays
EDM: Leon Draisaitl, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Milan Lucic, Andrej Sekera
MTL: Shea Weber, Alex Galchenyuk, Nathan Beaulieu, Artturi Lehkonen
Calgary Flames at New York Rangers
| Calgary Flames | New York Rangers | ||||||||
 | Brian Elliott |  | Henrik Lundqvist | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 27-24-3 | 32-18-1 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.61 | 2.80 | 21.20% | 80.50% | Team Stats | 3.35 | 2.65 | 20.80% | 82.60% |
You have to the Calgary Flames some credit, as they won their last three games and precariously hold on to the last playoff spot in the Western Conference with 57 points. Sure, the St. Louis and Winnipeg are hot on their heels but just to be part of the playoff conversation as we head into the last quarter of the season is still something that should breed some good hockey in the coming weeks. The top line of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Troy Brouwer should attract the most attention from the Rangers best defensive line an could be shut down here at Madison Square Garden this afternoon. Monahan and Gaudreau each tallied seven of their 34 points over the last seven games and could be a factor if the rangers decide to get sloppy and take a few penalties. New York has given their opponents 13 power play opportunities in the last six games in which Philadelphia was able to score the only goal three games ago. Mikael Backlund leads the team in scoring from the second line with 35 points as he skates alongside of Matthew Tkachuk and Michael Frolik. The problem with taking one-offs on a three-game slate is that you run out of players to use very quickly, especially if you are trying not to take players who are shooting against your goalie. Tkachuk and Frolik registered 31 and 30 points respectively with Folik having the edge in the goal department by a score of 12-9. If you aren’t using the Ranger goalie, pairing one of these two with backlund may just win you a tournament today. Dougie Hamilton is the play from the back line as he has risen above T.J. Brodie and Mark Giordano to take a 10-point lead over both of them with seven goals and 25 assists so far this season. You can still use Giordano or Brodie, as 22 points still isn’t bad for a one-off from the back line to get exposure to different players.
A lot of controversy has been swirling around goaltender Henrik Lundvist over the past few months, as he is posting career lows in both goals against average and save percentage. This is the exact reason he makes for a decent tournament play today as the Rangers should find a way to beat the Calgary Flames in front of the home crowd this afternoon. Look for the top line of Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider and Mats Zuccarello to get in the scoring as Zuccarello leads the team with 39 points, while Zibanejad is trying to get back to full strength from his injury. New York probably has the best scoring depth in the league, as they have 11 players with 20 points or more so far this season. Three of those players make up the team’s second line of Jimmy Vesey, Derek Stepan and Rick Nash. Vesey gets the promotion here, as he is the low man on the totem pole with 12 goals and eight assists while Stepan’s 38 points has him tied with J.T. Miller for second on the team. Speaking of Miller, he skates on the third line with Michael Grabner who leads the team by lighting the lamp 22 times so far this season, as they draw Jesper Fast as their right winger. Ryan McDonagh is the defensive choice here, as he soaks up a good chunk of the ice time when New York draws a penalty. He leads the team with 11 power play points and should be considered as one of your defensemen this afternoon. I think the Rangers will score some goals but the question is, as always, where will they come from. Choose a line and go with it.
Elite Plays
NYR: Mats Zuccarello, Chris Kreider
CGY: Sean Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau
Secondary Plays
NYR: Derek Stepan, Michael Grabner, Ryan McDonagh, Rick Nash, J.T. Miller
CGY: Mikael Backlund, Dougie Hamilton, Matthew Tkachuk, Michael Frolik