NHL Grind Down: Thursday, April 7th
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 Boston Bruins – 07:00 PM EDT
| Detroit Red Wings | Boston Bruins | ||||||||
 | Jimmy Howard |  | Tuukka Rask | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 40-28-11 | 41-30-9 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.56 | 2.67 | 19.30% | 81.20% | Team Stats | 2.88 | 2.75 | 20.80% | 82.00% |
The Detroit Red Wings can wrap up third place in the Atlantic with a win tonight over the Boston Bruins. Both teams have two games with this being one of them but by virtue of Detroit’s win last night, they have the two point advantage. Look for the second line that features Pavel Datsyuk and Darren Helm to get in on the scoring act tonight. Henrik Zetterberg has three assists from the top line while Dylan Larkin has netted two goals over the past 11 days. Niklas Kronwall gets to quarterback the team’s top power play unit while Mike Green has been getting his share of points lately as well. Look for Detroit to be a bit tired in this one but if you can’t get up for a big game like this, you are probably better off not playing in the playoffs.
Thanks to just two wins over the last ten games the Bruins now find themselves in a battle for their playoff lives. Detroit comes in fresh off of playing Philadelphia last night so look for the top line to do some damage tonight. Over the last four games both Loui Eriksson and Patrice Bergeron have netted four points while second liner but top power play accomplice David Krejci has lit the lamp three times and assisted on two other goals over the last ten days. Brad Marchand has three points in the last four games and can be used with Eriksson and Bergeron as that is the team’s top line. Torey Krug is the choice on defense as he has accrued four assists in as many games.
Elite Plays
DET: None
BOS: Loui Eriksson, Patrice Bergeron
Secondary Plays
DET: Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Dylan Larkin, Niklas Kronwall
BOS: Torey Krug, David Krejci, Brad Marchand
Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals – 07:00 PM EDT
| Pittsburgh Penguins | Washington Capitals | ||||||||
 | Matt Murray |  | Braden Holtby | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 47-25-8 | 55-17-7 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.95 | 2.41 | 18.80% | 84.00% | Team Stats | 3.04 | 2.33 | 22.70% | 84.50% |
In any other year this would have been a great match up but the only thing left to determine here is if the Penguins can hold on to second place in the Metropolitan division. The Penguins have been doing some damage as they have won nine of their last ten with almost everyone having healthy scoring numbers. Sidney Crosby makes for a decent one-off play on the road as he has registered seven points in the last six games. The second line is very much in play here as they have nine goals and ten assists over the last ten days. Nick Bonino, Phil Kessel and Carl Hagelin all have at least six points in the last six games so it will be interesting to see how Washington will try to shut them down tonight. Kris Letang and Justin Schultz are the defensive choices with Letang being the better of the two with Schultz being a cheap option.
It’s tough to ignore Alexander Ovechkin, T.J. Oshie and Marcus Johansson on home ice as they all have netted at least four points in their last five games. Ovechkin has four goals while Oshie has collected five points with three of them being goals over the last ten days. Evgeny Kuznetsov and Justin Williams have just two points each while skating on the second line over the last five games and could make a decent GPP play tonight. Matt Niskanen is the play on the point as he prepares to face his old team with just two assists over the last ten days. Look for a good game tonight that could go either way.
Elite Plays
PIT: Sidney Crosby
WSH: Alexander Ovechkin
Secondary Plays
PIT: Patric Hornqvist, Phil Kessel, Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino, Kris Letang
WSH: T.J. Oshie, Marcus Johansson, Matt Niskanen, Evgeny Kuznetsov
Montreal Canadiens at Carolina Hurricanes – 07:00 PM EDT
| Montreal Canadiens | Carolina Hurricanes | ||||||||
 | Carey Price |  | Cam Ward | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 36-38-6 | 35-29-16 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.59 | 2.86 | 16.20% | 81.60% | Team Stats | 2.40 | 2.65 | 16.60% | 84.20% |
The Hurricanes will try to do everything they can to shut down Montreal’s top line that has accumulated four goals and five assists in their last ten combined games played. Max Pacioretty leads the way with two goals and two assists while Brandon Gallagher has a goal and an assist in his last two games. Thomas Plekanec is the one-off here as he has grabbed two points from the second line while playing on the team’s top power play unit. Andrei Markov gets the top power play minutes but with this being a big slate it’s probably best to look elsewhere for your defensemen. Lars Eller and Daniel Carr skate with Plekanec on the second line and it’s probably best to pass on them as well.
Carolina put together a gritty 2-1 shootout win in Boston on Tuesday night leaving the Bruin faithful shaking their heads as they left the arena. Most of the production for the hurricanes has come from Jeff Skinner and Victor Rask as they have each snared four points over the last five games. Besides defenseman Justin Faulk, who has three points in the last ten days, no other top six Carolina player has over two points in the last five games. Montreal has let in nine goals over the past five games while a man down so maybe taking the Hurricanes power play is a decent play tonight. Rask and Faulk are joined by Jordan Staal, Elias Lindhom and Noah Hanifin to form the team’s top power play line.
Elite Plays
MTL: None
CAR: None
Secondary Plays
MTL: Max Pacioretty, Brendan Gallagher, Alex Galchenyuk
CAR: Justin Faulk, Victor Rask, Jeff Skinner
New York Islanders at New York Rangers – 07:00 PM EDT
| New York Islanders | New York Rangers | ||||||||
 | Thomas Greiss |  | Henrik Lundqvist | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 44-26-9 | 45-26-9 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.76 | 2.54 | 18.60% | 85.10% | Team Stats | 2.86 | 2.61 | 19.10% | 78.40% |
The Islanders will look to jockey for position here as they are just two points behind the Rangers with a game in hand. John Tavares makes a great one-off play tonight as he is red hot as evidence of his four goals and five assists over the last ten days. Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo are the plays here though as the skate on the second line while Tavares centers them on the team’s top power play unit. Both players have combined for nine points over the last five games. Nick Leddy is the choice on defense as his two goals in the last five games are just shy of Anders Lee and his three goals over that same time frame. Stick with the power play unit here as they have scored three goals over the last five games.
The line of Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan and Mats Zuccarello has kept the rangers afloat as this trio has six goals and eight assists over the last ten days. Stepan leads the way with four of each goals and assists while Kreider has five points over the last five games. The top line of Rick Nash, J.T. Miller and Derick Brassard have combined for just four points between them over the last ten days. Keith Yandle gets the top minutes on the power play and makes for a decent play here if you can get him at a good price. For my money I’d stick with the Stepan line here.
Elite Plays
NYI: John Tavares
NYR: Derek Stepan
Secondary Plays
NYI: Frans Nielsen, Kyle Okposo, Nick Leddy, Anders Lee
NYR: Mats Zuccarello, Derick Brassard, Keith Yandle, Chris Kreider
Toronto Maple Leafs at Philadelphia Flyers – 07:00 PM EDT
| Toronto Maple Leafs | Philadelphia Flyers | ||||||||
 | Garret Sparks |  | Steve Mason | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 28-40-11 | 39-26-13 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.35 | 2.87 | 15.50% | 80.80% | Team Stats | 2.56 | 2.56 | 18.90% | 80.10% |
Toronto comes into Philadelphia riding a four game losing streak which could go to five after tonight’s game. The Maple Leafs roster is riddled with uncertainty as not only did they already have a boatload of injuries, Nazem Kadri has been suspended for the rest of the season for a nasty hit on Luke Glendening. Morgan Rielly snared a goal in last night’s game and will get the majority of the minutes against a tired Flyers team that looked very listless last night in Detroit. Colin Greening, William Nylander and Kasperi Kapanen make for a decent GPP play here as they skate on the team’s second line and should get some decent looks at the net tonight. Greening has three goals in his last six games while Nylander has picked up three points over the last 11 days.
The Flyers are doing their usual ‘Hey! Let’s be almost relevant!’ bit again as they can see the playoffs in sight, but just can’t close the deal. With the loss to Detroit last night they remain at 91 points, which is the same as the Boston Bruins for the eighth and final playoff spot. They do have a game in hand and that could come in handy coming into the last weekend of action. Toronto has had a bit of an identity problem of late so deviating away from the top power play unit may be fatal for your cash game play tonight. Wayne Simmonds has four goals and six points over the last five games while Claude Giroux and Brayden Schenn have identical numbers of a goal and three assists over that same time frame. Jakub Voracek joins them on the team’s top power play unit with defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere. Look for the Flyers to give it the old college try tonight as their playoff lives depend on it.
Elite Plays
TOR: None
PHL: Wayne Simmonds
Secondary Plays
TOR: Morgan Rielly, Colin Greening, William Nylander, Tyler Bozak
PHL: Claude Giroux, Brayden Schenn, Shayne Gostisbehere, Jakub Voracek