NHL Grind Down: Thursday, February 2nd
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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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Montréal Canadiens at Philadelphia Flyers
| Montréal Canadiens | Philadelphia Flyers | ||||||||
 | Carey Price |  | Michal Neuvirth | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 30-14-7 | 25-20-6 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 3.02 | 2.47 | 23.40% | 79.40% | Team Stats | 2.67 | 3.06 | 21.50% | 80.60% |
The Canadiens hit the All-Star break in a somewhat disappointing fashion, but they quickly took their frustrations out on the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night as they skated to an easy 5-2 victory. They’ll head back out on a quick one-game stop in Philadelphia tonight to face a Flyers team who they’ve defeated in both prior meetings this season. Montreal sits very comfortably atop the Atlantic Division and, with the likes of Andrei Markov and David Desharnais recently returning to the lineup, are finally starting to get healthy once again. Offensively, the continued absence of offensive weapons Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher have pushed the weight of the scoring load firmly on the top forward line headlines by captain Max Pacioretty. Pacioretty record a hat trick against the Sabres on Tuesday and now leads the team with 24 goals and 42 points. Joining him on that top line is sniper Alexander Radulov and impressive former first-round pick Phillip Danault. Radulov has racked up two goals and five assists in his last five games and has torched this Philadelphia team for a goal and three assists in their two prior meetings this season. It does sound like Galchenyuk will finally return to action tonight, so monitor the morning skate to see if this alters Michel Therrien’s line combinations (mainly how it effects Danault). On defense, Shea Weber continues to be the focal point. The veteran blue-liner has posted 31 points in 51 games and showed off his booming slap-shot once again over the weekend during the All-Star in Los Angeles. Alternatively, Andrei Markov picked up an assists immediately upon his return and has proven to be a dangerous weapon on the point of the Montreal power-play for years and his return puts a small dent into the fantasy outlook of Jeff Petry (who should return tonight after missing Tuesday’s game). This is a solid matchup for Montreal and I’ll be looking for exposure here, but just keep in mind that this team has been far less dangerous away from the Bell Centre this season.
Philly’s ten game winning streak is now well in the past, and after being rolled out in a 5-1 decision against Carolina on Tuesday night, this team finds itself narrowly holding on to the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They own just a 6-10-3 record since their hot streak in December and the five-game home stand they start tonight may turn out to be the turning point of this season; for good or bad. Montreal is a solid defensive hockey club and squaring off against Carey Price is never ideal, but ignoring the offensive firepower in this Philly lineup could be a mistake. Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek combine forces to form one of the most dangerous offensive duos in the NHL. They’ve combined for two goals and three assists in the first two meetings between these teams this season and are joined by Michael Raffl on the top forward line. It’s also worth noting that Voracek has thrived at the Wells Fargo Center this season, where he’s posted 12 goals and 18 assists in just 25 home games. Wayne Simmonds and Brayden Schenn both loom as a very capable “secondary” scoring line and those two also benefit from joining Giroux and Voracek on the Flyer’s top power-play unit. With Montreal owning a subpar 79.4% penalty kill, the matchup may not be quite as daunting as it appears on the surface. With that poor penalty kill still on the mind, both Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov are intriguing options on the blue-line. Both youngsters have shown plenty of offensive upside during their young careers and soak up nearly all of the available minutes on the point of the power-play.
Montreal Canadiens
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 52.41 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential 25, 115.24 CP60
Elite Options
Max Pacioretty ($7,800 FD, $7,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 65.94 CF60, 2.81 xGF60, 100.22 PDO
Alexander Radulov ($6,800 FD, $5,700 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 61.34 CF60, 2.99 xGF60, 101.56 PDO
Shea Weber – 16-17 Metrics – 57.85 CF60, 2.58 xGF60, 102.3 PDO
Secondary Options
Phillip Danault ($5,600 FD, $4,800 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 64.2 CF60, 2.81 xGF60, 99.05 PDO
Andrei Markov ($4,900 FD, $4,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 66.08 CF60, 3.09 xGF60, 103.12 PDO
Nathan Beaulieu ($4,100 FD, $4,200 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 60.93 CF60, 2.74 xGF60, 102.71 PDO
Jeff Petry ($4,900 FD, $4,500 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 66.7 CF60, 3.09 xGF60, 101.18 PDO
Expected Netminder
Carey Price – My Ratings (out of 10): 8 Cash, 8 GPP
Philadelphia Flyers
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 51.15 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential -25, 115.07 CP60
Elite Options
Jakub Voracek ($7,200 FD, $6,500 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 59.35 CF60, 2.45 xGF60, 97.12 PDO
Claude Giroux ($7,500 FD, $6,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 60.82 CF60, 2.26 xGF60, 96.9 PDO
Secondary Options
Wayne Simmonds ($7,100 FD, $6,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 59.35 CF60, 2.18 xGF60, 97.45 PDO
Brayden Schenn ($6,200 FD, $6,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 57.79 CF60, 2.2 xGF60, 97.56 PDO
Ivan Provorov ($4,900 FD, $4,600 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 54.12 CF60, 1.99 xGF60, 99.27 PDO
Shayne Gostisbehere ($4,600 FD, $4,700 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 63.9 CF60, 2.69 xGF60, 95.41 PDO
Expected Netminder
Steve Mason – My Ratings (out of 10): 5 Cash, 6 GPP
New York Rangers at Buffalo Sabres
| New York Rangers | Buffalo Sabres | ||||||||
 | Henrik Lundqvist |  | Robin Lehner | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 31-18-1 | 20-20-9 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 3.38 | 2.68 | 20.50% | 82.20% | Team Stats | 2.43 | 2.78 | 22.70% | 74.30% |
The New York Rangers came out flat out of the break and rather quickly found themselves in a 6-0 hole on Tuesday night against Columbus. While they did manage to fight back a bit with four third-period goals, the ultimately dropped their second straight game and now posted a disappointing 5-6-0 record during the month of January. With that said, only the Pittsburgh Penguins are averaging more goals per game than New York (3.38 GF/G) and they do have a rather appealing matchup awaiting for them tonight against the Buffalo Sabres. Up-front, the Kevin Hayes injury does hurt a bit, but Alain Vigneault still has about as much forward depth to work with as any head coach in the NHL. He’s been shuffling his forward lines a bit lately (and you’ll want to monitor the morning skate for more clarification), but it looks like Derek Stepan is slated to center Rick Nash and Jimmy Vesey on one line, with Mika Zibanejad flanked by Mats Zuccarello and Chris Kreider on another. Meanwhile, former first round pick Michael Grabner has quietly racked up 22 goals on the young season and he’ll skate alongside J.T. Miller who has racked up seven goals and seven assists in his last 13 games. Summary: This team can score with the best of them, but pinpointing the source can be a headache. On defense, Ryan McDonagh is the clear #1 option despite his recent cold streak. He’s locked into 20+ minutes of playing time per game and quarterback’s their #1 power-play unit. Alternatively, Brady Skjei has flashed a nice offensive skillset and the former first-round pick is starting to carve out an increased role with this team (including time on the point of the #2 power-play unit). With Buffalo owning an Eastern Conference worst 74.3% penalty kill, both players are fine options.
After losing in Montreal on Tuesday night, the Buffalo Sabres will head back home sitting tied with the Detroit Red Wings for last place in the Eastern Conference. While they have been rather inconsistent all season, they’re finally back to full health and have actually defeated the Rangers in both prior meetings between these two teams this season. Dan Bylsma has spread his offensive weapons across three different forward lines, but it’s his top two lines that deserve your attention tonight. Kyle Okposo leads the team with 15 goals and 31 points this season and has developed a very nice rapport with Ryan O’Reilly (and Tyler Ennis) on the top forward line. Meanwhile, Jack Eichel has averaged nearly a point-per-game at the First Niagara Center this season (6 goals, 5 assists in 12 home games) and has already lit the lamp three times against New York in those first two meetings. He’ll skate alongside fellow second-overall draft pick Sam Reinhart on the second line and those two also join Okposo and O’Reilly on the top power-play unit. This leaves Evander Kane out of the mix to some degree, but the talented winger has heated up lately with two goals and five assists during his four game point streak and is an alluring GPP option. Rasmus Ristolainen has stood out as the top option on the Buffalo blue-line all season. While some of his advanced stats may try to disagree, his offensive numbers can’t be ignored as he’s 28 points in 49 games and has averaged over 27 minutes of ice-time per game this season. If you’re bargain hunting, Cody Franson has scored a goal and added four assists in his last five games and did show plenty of offensive upside in his years with Toronto.
New York Rangers
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 47.92 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential 9, 110.73 CP60
Elite Options
Derek Stepan ($6,500 FD, $6,700 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 55.27 CF60, 2.68 xGF60, 101.83 PDO
Chris Kreider ($6,600 FD, $6,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 63.37 CF60, 2.97 xGF60, 97.53 PDO
Mats Zuccarello ($6,600 FD, $6,400 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 58.48 CF60, 2.86 xGF60, 99.84 PDO
Secondary Options
Rick Nash ($6,800 FD, $6,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 50.94 CF60, 2.78 xGF60, 101.5 PDO
Mika Zibanejad ($5,800 FD, $5,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 59.74 CF60, 3.05 xGF60, 99.91 PDO
Michael Grabner ($4,900 FD, $5,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 49.88 CF60, 2.69 xGF60, 105.85 PDO
Ryan McDonagh ($5,500 FD, $4,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 52.84 CF60, 2.71 xGF60, 100.17 PDO
Brady Skjei ($4,000 FD, $3,200 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 53.59 CF60, 2.57 xGF60, 102.09 PDO
Expected Netminder
Henrik Lundqvist – My Ratings (out of 10): 7 Cash, 7.5 GPP
Buffalo Sabres
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 47.37 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential -13, 110.44 CP60
Elite Options
Ryan O’Reilly ($5,600 FD, $5,500 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 56.76 CF60, 2.64 xGF60, 100.99 PDO
Jack Eichel ($7,700 FD, $6,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 54.85 CF60, 2.38 xGF60, 99.86 PDO
Secondary Options
Kyle Okposo ($6,200 FD, $4,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 54.56 CF60, 2.65 xGF60, 99.65 PDO
Sam Reinhart ($5,500 FD, $4,400 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 56.79 CF60, 2.83 xGF60, 99.67 PDO
Evander Kane ($6,400 FD, $5,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 53.87 CF60, 2.46 xGF60, 98.1 PDO
Rasmus Ristolainen ($5,300 FD, $5,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 51.21 CF60, 2.46 xGF60, 100.95 PDO
Cody Franson ($3,600 FD, $3,200 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 54.25 CF60, 2.53 xGF60, 99.6 PDO
Expected Netminder
Robin Lehner – My Ratings (out of 10): 4.5 Cash, 6 GPP
Ottawa Senators at Tampa Bay Lightning
| Ottawa Senators | Tampa Bay Lightning | ||||||||
 | Mike Condon |  | Ben Bishop | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 26-16-6 | 22-23-6 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.67 | 2.67 | 16.90% | 82.80% | Team Stats | 2.69 | 2.90 | 22.30% | 80.00% |
Ottawa has dropped each of their last two games, but they’re still likely quite pleased to be sitting in second place in the Atlantic Division and know they need to take advantage of the games they have in hand on their closest competition to better position themselves in the tightly contested Eastern Conference playoff race. They’ll make the short trip from Miami to Tampa for tonight’s game looking to get things turned around as well as avenge an early season 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Senators have several dangerous offensive weapons, but Guy Boucher’s line combinations have been quite fantasy unfriendly all season long. With that in mind, and with Tampa owning a subpar 80.0% penalty kill, it’s just much easier to focus on the Ottawa power-play. Mike Hoffman, Kyle Turris and Mark Stone are arguably their three most dangerous offensive weapons up-front and those three join forces on the #1 power-play unit. All three have nearly identical offensive stats this season, but Hoffman leads the way with 10 power-play goals. On defense, Erik Karlsson is an elite option on the blue-line on a nightly basis. The former Norris Trophy winner leads the team with 41 points in 48 games and is second in the NHL with 128 blocked shots for good measure. He quarterback’s that #1 power-play unit and can be targeted with confidence tonight even considering his big-ticket asking price.
There hasn’t been a more disappointing team in the NHL this season than the Tampa Bay Lightning. They hit the All-Star break having posted an ugly 3-7-2 record during the month of January and promptly lost the first game of the second half against the Bruins on Tuesday. John Cooper’s squad looks unlikely to turn things around in time to climb back into the playoff race, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook them in DFS as they have several nice options. Nikita Kucherov is in the midst of the best season of his young career and he leads the team with 44 points in 44 games. He headlines the top forward line alongside Ondrej Palat and Vladislav Namestnikov and also leads the charge alongside the talented Jonathan Drouin on the top power-play unit. Tampa’s power-play has clicked at an impressive 24.2% clip on home ice this season and that’s where I’m most comfortable looking tonight. Drouin and Kucherov aside, Tyler Johnson is also a fine option as he runs the show on the #2 power-play unit. The speedy center has scored two goals and added three assists in the last four games and should benefit from playing alongside someone just as quick as him in Brayden Point. On defense, Victor Hedman QB’s the top power-play unit and has proven to be a top-tier fantasy option on the blue-line all season. He’s posted 41 points in 48 games and dished out three assists against Boston in their last game. Alternatively, Anton Stralman has regained his spot as the point man on the second power-play unit (with Nestorov traded to Montreal) and he’s quite cheap across the industry for a defenseman who has easily topped 30+ points in each of the last two seasons.
Ottawa Senators
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 47.9 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential -2, 113.5 CP60
Elite Options
Mike Hoffman ($6,800 FD, $5,700 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 55.32 CF60, 2.36 xGF60, 104.03 PDO
Kyle Turris ($6,200 FD, $5,600 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 53.44 CF60, 2.42 xGF60, 101.2 PDO
Erik Karlsson ($7,200 FD, $7,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 55.13 CF60, 2.48 xGF60, 100.38 PDO
Secondary Options
Mark Stone ($6,300 FD, $5,600 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 62.15 CF60, 2.75 xGF60, 99.79 PDO
Derick Brassard ($5,700 FD, $4,700 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 62.6 CF60, 2.6 xGF60, 98.77 PDO
Bobby Ryan ($5,100 FD, $4,200 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 57.22 CF60, 2.33 xGF60, 100.72 PDO
Ryan Dzingel ($4,500 FD, $3,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 55.12 CF60, 2.54 xGF60, 102.87 PDO
Dion Phaneuf ($4,800 FD, $4,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 53.5 CF60, 2.35 xGF60, 99.64 PDO
Expected Netminder
Mike Condon – My Ratings (out of 10): 5.5 Cash, 6 GPP
Tampa Bay Lightning
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 50.92 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential -15, 109.26 CP60
Elite Options
Nikita Kucherov ($7,700 FD, $6,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 59.09 CF60, 2.91 xGF60, 101.97 PDO
Jonathan Drouin ($6,000 FD, $5,100 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 55.6 CF60, 2.46 xGF60, 98.71 PDO
Victor Hedman ($6,700 FD, $6,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 57.61 CF60, 2.47 xGF60, 100.04 PDO
Secondary Options
Tyler Johnson ($5,800 FD, $4,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 51.8 CF60, 2.23 xGF60, 98.54 PDO
Ondrej Palat ($5,700 FD, $4,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 54.81 CF60, 2.56 xGF60, 98.16 PDO
Brayden Point ($3,400 FD, $3,400 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 56.48 CF60, 2.47 xGF60, 98.96 PDO
Anton Stralman ($4,400 FD, $3,400 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 56.66 CF60, 2.66 xGF60, 99.55 PDO
Expected Netminder
Ben Bishop – My Ratings (out of 10): 6 Cash, 7 GPP
Edmonton Oilers at Nashville Predators
| Edmonton Oilers | Nashville Predators | ||||||||
 | Cam Talbot |  | Pekka Rinne | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 28-16-8 | 24-18-8 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.90 | 2.56 | 21.30% | 82.20% | Team Stats | 2.76 | 2.62 | 18.40% | 82.80% |
Edmonton was not at their best in the first game out of the break, but they have posted an impressive 6-1-1 record over their last eight games and find themselves right in the thick of things for the crown in the Pacific Division. Connor McDavid is obviously a major reason for this team’s sudden emergence and the phenom will take the ice tonight leading the entire NHL with 59 points (in 52 games). With the Predators willing to push the pace on most nights, both he and his linemate Leon Draisaitl (and Patrick Maroon) figure to skate into an abundance of scoring chances. Draisaitl tends to be slightly overlooked by his superstar linemate, but the former first-round pick owns a six game scoring streak and has posted a very impressive 20 goals and 27 assists in 52 games. With McDavid and Company receiving the lion’s share of Peter Laviolette’s attention, the tandem of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle should find a bit more open ice as they play together on the second forward line. Both Andrej Sekera and Oscar Klefbom draw the majority of the available minutes on the point of the Edmonton power-play. Neither player oozes offensive talent, but they have been rock solid cash game options all season considering their very reasonable price-tags.
Nashville has had an up-and-down season thus far, and after dropping Tuesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, they’ll open a very important three-game home stand tonight narrowly hanging on to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. These two teams just squared off two weeks ago and Nashville skated to a 3-2 shootout victory while unloading 44 shots on goal against Cam Talbot in the process. With both of these teams willing to get push the pace, I kind of expect this game to have a bit more offense than our friends in Vegas are projecting. Peter Laviolette has done his best to spread his scoring weapons across three different forward lines, but it’s still the trio of Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson that require the most attention. Johansen leads the team with 36 points in 50 games and dished out a pair of assists in the first meeting between these two teams. Meanwhile, Mike Fisher widely goes overlooked on a nightly basis but the veteran center scored two goals and dished out eight assists in 13 games during the month of January and has thrived at the Bridgestone Arena where he owns 18 points in 21 games this season. On defense, there are rumblings that Roman Josi may finally return to the lineup tonight, but nothing will be clear until after the morning skate. Operating under the assumption he’s still sidelined, P.K. Subban is locked into as many minutes as he can handle both at even strength and on the point of the power-play. His offensive abilities are well documented and he’s a fine option in all formats. With Josi sidelined, both Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis have seen their roles expand. Both defensemen are still very reasonably priced and should continue to offer some value (at least while Josi is still out of action).
Edmonton Oilers
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 50.66 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential 11, 110.15 CP60
Elite Options
Connor McDavid ($8,700 FD, $7,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 60.58 CF60, 3.01 xGF60, 102.38 PDO
Leon Draisaitl ($7,100 FD, $6,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 57.27 CF60, 2.68 xGF60, 100.98 PDO
Secondary Options
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins ($5,600 FD, $4,700 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 56.59 CF60, 2.37 xGF60, 97.52 PDO
Jordan Eberle ($6,500 FD, $4,900 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 60.49 CF60, 2.84 xGF60, 100.54 PDO
Patrick Maroon ($5,200 FD, $5,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 61.97 CF60, 2.94 xGF60, 102.89 PDO
Oscar Klefbom ($5,100 FD, $4,500 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 56.64 CF60, 2.48 xGF60, 99.32 PDO
Andrej Sekera ($4,600 FD, $4,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 54.36 CF60, 2.54 xGF60, 101.31 PDO
Expected Netminder
Cam Talbot – My Ratings (out of 10): 5.5 Cash, 6.5 GPP
Nashville Predators
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 51.29 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential 12, 115.28 CP60
Elite Options
Ryan Johansen ($6,600 FD, $5,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 68.49 CF60, 2.69 xGF60, 100.11 PDO
Filip Forsberg ($7,300 FD, $5,800 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 62.66 CF60, 2.62 xGF60, 100.79 PDO
P.K. Subban ($6,000 FD, $5,500 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 64.35 CF60, 2.85 xGF60, 98.22 PDO
Secondary Options
Viktor Arvidsson ($5,500 FD, $5,500 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 69.36 CF60, 2.81 xGF60, 101.02 PDO
James Neal ($7,000 FD, $5,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 62.22 CF60, 2.63 xGF60, 98.73 PDO
Mike Fisher ($5,000 FD, $4,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 50.95 CF60, 2.38 xGF60, 101.14 PDO
Mattias Ekholm ($4,500 FD, $3,700 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 60.5 CF60, 2.53 xGF60, 101.3 PDO
Ryan Ellis ($5,000 FD, $4,500 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 58.45 CF60, 2.59 xGF60, 100.9 PDO
Expected Netminder
Pekka Rinne – My Ratings (out of 10): 6.5 Cash, 7 GPP
Toronto Maple Leafs at St. Louis Blues
| Toronto Maple Leafs | St. Louis Blues | ||||||||
 | Frederik Andersen |  | Jake Allen | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 23-16-9 | 24-21-5 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 3.06 | 2.77 | 23.60% | 84.90% | Team Stats | 2.80 | 3.12 | 22.10% | 82.80% |
The Maple Leafs have proven to be a dangerous hockey club this season, but they are still quite young and sometimes it shows. After losing each of their last two games, Mike Babcock has switched up his forward lines a bit recently. Auston Matthews has taken the NHL by storm this season and is now set to center William Nylander and Zach Hyman on the top forward line, leaving the trio of James van Riemsdyk, Nazem Kadri and Mitchell Marner to work together on the second line. Both forward lines are very aggressive offensively and should be eager to get a crack at the shaky goaltending that has been between the pipes in St. Louis all season. While Matthews has seemingly snagged most of the attention (for good reason, he owns 23 goals and 16 assists), it’s actually fellow rookie Mitchell Marner that leads the team with 41 points. He and his two previously mentioned linemates combined for a ridiculous 15 goals and 30 assists in 15 games during the month of January and yet may still draw a bit more favorable matchup as Alexander Steen will likely be asked to help slow down Matthews. On defense, the Leafs are hopeful to get Morgan Rielly back into the lineup tonight. We’ll know more after the morning skate, but his return would put a small dent into the minutes of Nikita Zaitsev. Meanwhile, Jake Gardiner continues to hold the reigns as the point-man of the #1 power-play unit and been solid (yet unspectacular) all season.
The Blues have been a perennial Stanley Cup contender for the last few seasons, but the 2016-17 campaign has been widely disappointing. Defensive lapses, lack of scoring depth and goaltending issues are all to blame for St. Louis’ mediocrity thus far this season and it all came to a head yesterday when they announced the firing of head coach Ken Hitchcock following a poor effort in a 5-3 loss to Winnipeg on Tuesday. New head coach Mike Yeo will seize control of this team tonight and knows his players certainly have the talent to get things turned back around. Tonight, St. Louis will play host to a Toronto team that happens to be the fastest paced team in the NHL (121.10 CP60) and that bodes well for some potential offensive fireworks. Vladimir Tarasenko is the clear #1 scoring threat in this St. Louis lineup and he figures to draw plenty of attention from both fantasy owners and Mike Babcock, alike. He scored his 22nd goal of the season in their last game and leads the team with 49 points in 50 games. He’s slated to be joined by Jaden Schwartz and Jori Lehtera to once again form the “STL” line that has been dominant at times in recent seasons. With those three drawing plenty of defensive attention, Alexander Steen, Paul Stastny and David Perron will be counted on to pick up their games offensively. Steen has been quiet most of the season, but he did score a goal on Tuesday night, posted six goals and eight assists in 13 games last month, and has tallied seven goals and 15 assists in 24 games at the Scottrade Center. The trio of Kevin Shattenkirk, Alex Pietrangelo and Colton Parayko continue to be fine defensive options on a nightly basis. All three see a very healthy dose of playing time with the man-advantage and should benefit from Toronto’s desire to push the pace of this game.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 50.3 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential 5, 121.1 CP60
Elite Options
Auston Matthews ($7,500 FD, $7,700 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 64.25 CF60, 3.26 xGF60, 99.68 PDO
Mitchell Marner ($6,800 FD, $6,200 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 61.16 CF60, 3.1 xGF60, 101.24 PDO
James van Riemsdyk ($7,600 FD, $6,600 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 62.7 CF60, 3.05 xGF60, 100.33 PDO
Nazem Kadri ($6,900 FD, $6,100 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 62.69 CF60, 2.85 xGF60, 99.12 PDO
Secondary Options
William Nylander ($5,300 FD, $5,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 64.86 CF60, 3.18 xGF60, 98.85 PDO
Zach Hyman ($4,900 FD, $4,400 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 65.99 CF60, 3.33 xGF60, 99.96 PDO
Tyler Bozak ($5,700 FD, $4,800 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 62.71 CF60, 3.15 xGF60, 100.88 PDO
Jake Gardiner ($4,400 FD, $4,400 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 65.53 CF60, 3.26 xGF60, 101.05 PDO
Expected Netminder
Frederik Andersen – My Ratings (out of 10): 4.5 Cash, 6.5 GPP
St. Louis Blues
Team Metrics – 2016-17 – 51.68 CF%, 5×5 Goal Differential -8, 102.91 CP60
Elite Options
Vladimir Tarasenko ($8,100 FD, $7,400 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 59.43 CF60, 2.71 xGF60, 100.8 PDO
Jaden Schwartz ($5,700 FD, $5,100 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 57.01 CF60, 2.45 xGF60, 102.71 PDO
Alex Steen ($6,500 FD, $4,800 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 47.03 CF60, 1.91 xGF60, 98.88 PDO
Kevin Shattenkirk ($6,100 FD, $5,000 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 52.12 CF60, 2.33 xGF60, 98.8 PDO
Secondary Options
Paul Stastny ($5,800 FD, $4,600 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 50.78 CF60, 2.06 xGF60, 100.38 PDO
David Perron ($5,000 FD, $4,300 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 53.48 CF60, 2.2 xGF60, 97.51 PDO
Colton Parayko ($5,000 FD, $4,700 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 54.37 CF60, 2.14 xGF60, 99.09 PDO
Alex Pietrangelo ($5,500 FD, $5,100 DK) – 16-17 Metrics – 55.63 CF60, 2.27 xGF60, 101.13 PDO
Expected Netminder
Jake Allen – My Ratings (out of 10): 4.5 Cash, 6.5 GPP