NHL Grind Down: Sunday, January 1st
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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Detroit Red Wings at Toronto Maple Leafs
| Detroit Red Wings | Toronto Maple Leafs | ||||||||
 | Petr Mrazek |  | Frederik Andersen | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 16-16-4 | 16-12-7 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.33 | 2.83 | 12.00% | 82.00% | Team Stats | 2.91 | 2.69 | 20.00% | 84.90% |
The Detroit Red Wings will try to kick off the New Year on the right foot as they will face the Maple Leafs outside at BMO Stadium in Toronto. They currently sit in seventh place of the Atlantic Division and are three points away from Toronto who occupies the fifth spot in the division. Detroit will go with the top line of Henrik Zetterberg, Anthony Mantha and Tomas Tatar. This line has accounted for eight of the last 16 goals the team has scored with Tatar leading the way with four while Mantha has netted three goals and assisted on three others. They also get to play on the top power play unit that has scored just two goals over the last 13 games. The second line of the Red Wings makes for an intriguing play today as Thomas Vanek skates alongside Frans Nielsen and Gustav Nyquist. While I like this line as a tournament play I also like Vanek as a one-off and here’s why. Vanek has been notoriously known as one of the streakiest players in the league but over the past few years things seem to be a bit different. 13 of his 20 points in the 25 games he has played in have not come by way of lighting the lamp but by assisting on other goals. Not to mention the fact that he has two goals and three assists over the last five games. Dylan Larkin skates on the third line and makes for a decent one-off play here as he leads the team with 103 shots but has just 14 points to show for it.Defenseman Mike Green has started some light skating but will not be available for this afternoon’s game so this leaves your choices down to ‘Slim’ and ‘None’. Sure Niklas Kronwall logs time on the top power play unit but it’s not like he does anything with it as he has just three assists in the 23 games he has played in. The next defenseman in line is not much better as Jonathan Ericsson has six points has six points over 33 games so now you see why even with three games on tap today it’s probably best to pass on this bunch. The Red Wings should score some goals in this one so stick with the forwards as they are your best bet to get most of the points.
Toronto has won four of their last five games and look to continue to climb the standings in the Atlantic Division. Their 39 points are just six points away from the eighth and final playoff spot so keeping the rhythm going here could go a long way. Auston Matthews has led the way with four goals and three assists over the past six games as he remains to lead the team in points with 18 goals and 12 assists. Zach Hyman and Connor Brown complete the second line while Matthews moves up to the top power play unit to play alongside of Nazem Kadri, Leo Komarov and William Nylander. Komorov seems to be the one lacking here as he has just 12 points so far this season while Nylander has registered a team high 14 points when the Maple Leafs have the man advantage. The top line could arguably be the line that features James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Mitchell Marner as both Marner and van Riemsdyk sit second and third on the team scoring chart. Defensemen Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev are the choices on the back line with Gardiner having a slight advantage as he quarterbacks the team’s top power play unit. The Leafs should be able to score a few goals and come away with the win here so rostering a few of them in either format makes a lot of sense tonight.
Elite Plays
DET: None
TOR: Auston Matthews
Secondary Plays
DET: Anthony Mantha, Henrik Zetterberg, Thomas Vanek, Dylan Larkin
TOR: Mitchell Marner, James van Riemsdyk, Mitchell Marner, Nazem Kadri, Jake Gardiner
Ottawa Senators at Washington Capitals
| Ottawa Senators | Washington Capitals | ||||||||
 | Mike Condon |  | Braden Holtby | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 20-12-4 | 21-9-5 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.50 | 2.64 | 16.50% | 82.30% | Team Stats | 2.65 | 2.09 | 17.00% | 86.90% |
The Senators come into this one tied for second place with the Boston Bruins in the Atlantic Division with 44 points. Unfortunately they will be without their top scorer over the last six games in Zack Smith who had registered seven of his 15 points over that time frame. The Capitals will no doubt try to shut down the top line of Mike Hoffman, Derick Brassard and Mark Stone which means that second line better be prepared to do some of the dirty work tonight. Both Stone and Hoffman are in the top three on the Senators scoring chart as Hoffman leads Stone by three points as he has 10 goals and 15 assists so far this season. They both get the extra ice time while skating on the top power play unit. Bobby Ryan, Kyle Turris and Ryan Dzingel could be the line to win some tournaments tonight as they have all been chipping in over the last six games. Ryan has three goals and an assist over the last six games while Turris makes for a decent one-off play here as he plays on the top power play unit as well. Erik Karlsson continues to be the play on the back line as he has 32 points through 36 games so far this season. Dion Phaneuf makes for a cheaper option as he has been manning the back line with Karlsson when the Senators draw a penalty. Eight of Phaneuf’s 15 points have come with the man advantage. The only thing going for Ottawa tonight is the fact that the Washington Capitals played yesterday in New Jersey.
The Capitals switched up their lines for yesterday’s game and came away with six goals which is only the second time they have done that all year. Alexander Ovechkin, T.J. Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov should be the line to target tonight as they will have every advantage to expose the Senators worst defensive line. Ovechkin leads the team in both goals and shots with 16 and 138 respectively while Oshie has lit the lamp ten times in the 25 games he has played in. Both play on the Capitals top power play unit that has not scored a goal in the last five games. Nicklas Backstrom and Marcus Johansson join Ovechkin and Oshie on the top power play unit while skating with Justin Williams at even strength. Either line is in play here as it looks like the Capitals have finally figured out how to utilize their top six to their fullest potential while playing either on the road or at home. John Carlson mans the point when the Capitals draw a penalty and leads the defensive corps with 18 points so far this season. This does not mean you can’t use either Matt Niskanen or Dmitry Orlov for some salary relief as they are much better plays than anyone that Detroit has to offer. That will go a long way on a three game slate.
Elite Plays
OTT: Mike Hoffman, Erik Karlsson
WSH: Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom
Secondary Plays
OTT: Kyle Turris, Bobby Ryan, Mark Stone, Dion Phaneuf, Ryan Dzingel
WSH: Evgeny Kuznetsov, Marcus Johansson, T.J. Oshie, John Carlson
Philadelphia Flyers at Anaheim Ducks
| Philadelphia Flyers | Anaheim Ducks | ||||||||
 | Steve Mason |  | John Gibson | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 20-14-4 | 18-12-8 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.87 | 2.97 | 21.80% | 80.50% | Team Stats | 2.68 | 2.76 | 24.40% | 81.60% |
The Flyers end their four game road trip tonight with a visit to Honda center to face the Anaheim Ducks. Philadelphia has scored just seven goals in the last six games since their ten game winning streak ended. If you are into magic then you will love Claude Giroux as the team captain is doing his best ‘Houdini’ impression by scoring just one goal over the last six games. This is part of the reason why the Flyers have only won one game in those six games as you need your leader to lead and not have just one point when the chips are down. The current three game losing streak now has them in a three way tie for the last playoff spot on the Eastern Conference with 44 points. Giroux and line mate Jakub Voracek skate on the team’s top power play unit that found the back of the net just once in the last eight games. Voracek does lead the team with 35 points in 38 games but even he has managed just two assists over their last six games. Wayne Simmonds and Brayden Schenn seem to be the plays here as they skate on the second line but skate with Giroux and Voracek on the top power play unit. Simmonds leads the team with 17 goals while Schenn has registered 14 of his 23 points with the man advantage. Travis Konecny was a healthy scratch for the first time all season as it was Tayler Leier taking his place last game. Shayne Gostisbehere gets the extra minutes on the power play from the blue line but that hardly does any good when the team isn’t scoring. Ivan Provorov would make a better defensive play here as he has 16 points compared to Gostibehere’s 17. As mentioned above the Flters haven’t been scoring much of late so maybe it’s best to wait until they get back on home ice before using them in cash games tonight.
Why the Aanaheim Ducks would start messing with their lines against a team like Vancouver is beyond me. The 3-2 overtime loss is exactly what they deserved as their attempt to make three scoring lines looks to have failed miserably. First off you have to have more talent to pull something like this off. Teams like Pittsburgh and Toronto can get away with this as they have players like Crosby and Matthews that actually make the players around them better. In my opinion neither Corey Perry or Ryan Getzlaf can do this as it’s kind of like the Flyers with Giroux and Voracek, they can never seem to get a winger to respond to them. In the Ducks defense they did have to try something as their 12 goals in the last six games have them now tied for third place in the Pacific Division with 44 points. Perry will play alongside of Rickard Rakell and Antione Vermette and for all intents and purposes this is probably the line to target for your cash game play tonight. Vermette has chalked up four points in the last four games while Rakell leads the team in goals with 16. Perry is second on the team in scoring as his seven goals and 22 points are just two points less than team leader Ryan Kesler. Speaking of kesler, he makes a decent one-off play tonight as almost half of his 31 points have come with the man advantage. Jakob Silfverberg and Andrew Cogliano join him at even strength so if you are looking to pair Kesler with someone I’d look to Silfverberg as he has 11 goals and 13 assists so far this season. Getzlaf also makes for a nice one-off play here as he centers Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie as he sees most of the time on the team’s top power play unit that has scored seven goals in the last seven games. There isn’t much of a choice on the back line other than Cam Fowler who quarterbacks the Ducks top power play unit. Fowler has recorded 11 of his 22 points with the man advantage as he logs over 24 minutes of ice time on a nightly basis. With both teams looking for offense this could be the most interesting game of the day.
Elite Plays
PHL: Wayne Simmonds
ANA: Ryan Kesler
Secondary Plays
PHL: Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Brayden Schenn, Ivan Provorov
ANA: Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Rickard Rakell, Cam Fowler