NHL Grind Down: Tuesday, February 23rd

by John Britt (jmbwngfn) Last Updated 2016-02-24 17:19:45

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.

Note: As always, if you want to try a new DFS site, be sure to click through a RotoGrinders link and use our DraftKings promo code and FanDuel promo code to receive the best perks in the industry.

Philadelphia Flyers at Carolina Hurricanes – 07:00 PM EST

Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%	Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%
Philadelphia Flyers					Carolina Hurricanes
			Steve Mason					Cam Ward
			Record					Record
			26-21-11					27-23-10
Team Stats	2.45	2.62	18.20%	78.80%	Team Stats	2.47	2.62	17.50%	81.90%

The next several days are going to be highly important for a team like the Flyers who still have at least some hope of making a push into the playoff picture, but could also be “sellers” at next week’s trade deadline with a couple of losses. Philadelphia will wrap up a tough five game road trip in Carolina tonight against a Hurricanes team who they’ve defeated in overtime in all three prior meetings this season. With their leading scorer Claude Giroux ruled out with an upper body injury, Dave Hakstol will be leaning heavily on Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek to carry the load offensively. The Hurricanes have had no answer for Voracek thus far this season and he’s tallied two goals and five assists in their three prior meetings. Simmonds picked up a pair of assists against Toronto on Saturday and has now scored seven goals and added four assists in 11 games since the All-Star break. He’ll be joined by the surging Brayden Schenn and Sam Gagner on the top line and also play alongside Voracek on the #1 power-play unit. On defense, the legend of Shayne Gostisbehere keeps growing. The rookie scored his 12th goal f the season (the game winner) to extend his point streak to 15 games and has now posted 34 points in 40 games. He’s still reasonably priced on several sites and is a rock solid option in all formats.

Much like the Flyers, the next seven days are going to dictate how the rest of the Hurricanes season goes. The player rather well despite a 4-2 loss against Tampa Bay on Sunday and will look to bounce back against a Flyers team that they just can’t seem to solve this season. While the fantasy options up front for Carolina aren’t overly exciting, this is a nice matchup as the Flyers have allowed the second most shots on goal against per game in the NHL this season (31.9 SA/G). Jordan Staal stayed hot with another assist on Sunday and has now picked up at least one point in five straight games to take the team lead with 38 points on the season. He’s posted five goals and 11 assists in his last 13 games and looks like the top option. Alternatively, his brother Eric Staal still centers the top forward line with Kris Versteeg where both are fine GPP options. Versteeg has posted some drastic home vs road splits as he’s tallied eight goals and 17 assists in 30 home games. Justin Faulk looks to be ready to return to the lineup after a two week layoff. While he’s cooled down a bit down the stretch, he’s still a major weapon on the top power-play and would make for a fine play against the Flyers unflattering 78.8% penalty kill if he’s healthy enough to go.

Philadelphia Flyers

CF%: 49.6, CP60: 112.2, 5×5 Differential: 1
Elite Options: Jakub Voracek, Wayne Simmonds, Shayne Gostisbehere
Secondary Options: Brayden Schenn, Sam Gagner, Mark Streit

Carolina Hurricanes

CF%: 53.1, CP60: 106.4, 5×5 Differential: -11
Elite Options: Jordan Staal, Justin Faulk (if healthy)
Secondary Options: Eric Staal, Kris Versteeg, Jeff Skinner

New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils – 07:00 PM EST

Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%	Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%
New York Rangers					New Jersey Devils
			Henrik Lundqvist					Cory Schneider
			Record					Record
			34-19-6					29-24-7
Team Stats	2.85	2.51	17.50%	78.00%	Team Stats	2.18	2.25	21.00%	82.80%

The Rangers outlasted the Detroit Red Wings 1-0 in overtime on Sunday for their second straight victory and have now posted a 7-1-1 record over their last nine games to climb back into second place in the Metropolitan Division. They’ll take the short trip over the George Washington Bridge tonight to battle the New Jersey Devils for the fourth time this season. While New York looks like the superior team, they’ve only managed five total goals in the three prior meetings and they lose some fantasy appeal as this Devils team is easily the slowest paced team in the NHL this season and the Rangers own just a 12-13-3 record away from Madison Square Garden. With that said, the duo of Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello have combined for 42 goals and 49 assists in 59 games this season and lead the charge offensively on both the top forward line and #1 power-play. With Rick Nash still sidelined, they’re joined by J.T. Miller who has posted nine goals and five assists in his last 16 games. Their captain Ryan McDonagh was a non-participant at practice yesterday and looks unlikely to play once again tonight, pushing a very heavy workload on Keith Yandle. Yandle saw his five game point streak come to an end last on Sunday, but will see all the playing time he can handle with the man advantage and is a fine defensive option in all formats.

The Devils came up just short in Washington on Saturday and have now dropped three straight games. However, they’re still very much in the hunt for one of the last playoff spots in the Eastern Conference but will need a strong finish to make it happen. However, their success this season has been in slowing down opposing offenses and simply grinding out victories as they happen to be the lowest scoring team in the NHL (2.21 goals per game). With that in mind, the fantasy options are somewhat limited specially considering the Rangers have allowed just 2.10 goals against per game since the All-Star break. Michael Cammalleri appears to be nearing a return to this lineup, but he was not on the ice for practice yesterday, so he’s at the very least doubtful once again for tonight’s game. Lee Stempniak leads the team with 40 points in 60 games and is joined by Adam Henrique and Joseph Blandisi on the top line, with the duo of Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri joining forces on a capable secondary scoring line. Henrique and Stempniak have been quiet lately, but have combined for three goals and four assists in the three prior meetings against the Rangers and are worthy of GPP consideration. The Devils defense has been a wasteland for fantasy production all season and there’s just no reason to expect that to change tonight.

New York Rangers

CF%: 48.2, CP60: 106.9, 5×5 Differential: 35
Elite Options: Derick Brassard, Mats Zuccarello, Keith Yandle
Secondary Options: Derek Stepan, J.T. Miller,

New Jersey Devils

CF%: 46.4, CP60: 90.8, 5×5 Differential: -8
Elite Options: None
Secondary Options: Lee Stempniak, Kyle Palmieri, Travis Zajac, Adam Henrique

Columbus Blue Jackets at Detroit Red Wings – 07:30 PM EST

Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%	Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%
Columbus Blue Jackets					Detroit Red Wings
			Joonas Korpisalo					Petr Mrazek
			Record					Record
			23-29-7					29-20-11
Team Stats	2.46	3.07	16.70%	80.20%	Team Stats	2.50	2.53	17.70%	81.30%

After a disappointing 4-0 loss to Buffalo on Friday night, the Blue Jackets bounced back with a solid 6-4 victory in Boston last night. They traveled to Detroit overnight in order to face the Red Wings at the Joe Louis Arena tonight having posted a solid 7-2-2 record over their last 11 games. While their improved play is promising, the Blue Jackets still sit in the cellar of the Metropolitan Division and know they’ll miss the playoffs yet again. John Tortorella’s moves may be finally paying dividends, but it’s still tough to trust Columbus in cash games at this point. They do have two strong forward lines, with Scott Hartnell leading the team with 39 points and joining forces with Brandon Saad and Alexander Wennberg on the top forward line. Alternatively, the trio of Boone Jenner, Brandon Dubinsky and Cam Atkinson can be a force on the second line, but they’re likely be tasked with trying to slow down Detroit’s top line that includes the pesky defense of Pavel Datsyuk. On defense, Seth Jones picked up his 11th assist in his 19th game with the Blue Jackets and is logging nearly 24 minutes of ice-time per game with his new team. He joins Jack Johnson on the point of the top power-play unit where both are fine GPP targets.

The Red Wings lost a heart breaking decision in overtime against the Rangers on Sunday and have now dropped four straight games to drop all the way into the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. With a 25-year playoff streak on the line, they simply need to pick up two points against the cellar dwelling Columbus Blue Jackets tonight at the Joe Louis Arena. Coach Blashill has two very dangerous forward lines to throw at the Blue Jackets, with the trio if Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader easily the most threatening. Datsyuk has been held off the scoresheet in each of the last two games but has still tallied six goals and five assists in 11 games this month while Zetterberg and Abdelkader have both chipped in eight points during that span. Fastest skater Dylan Larkin is back to full health and headlines the second line alongside Brad Richards and Tomas Tatar. With Columbus playing on the second half of a back-to-back and allowing an ugly 3.07 goals against per game this season, all six top forwards look like nice targets. On defense, the Wings are finally expecting to get Niklas Kronwall back in action tonight for the first time in over a month. His return will steal some of the minutes Brendan Smith and Danny DeKeyser were logging but, assuming he’s back, Kronwall will join Mike Green as nice plays on the Detroit blue-line.

Columbus Blue Jackets

CF%: 47.9, CP60: 108.4, 5×5 Differential: -15
Elite Options: Scott Hartnell
Secondary Options: Brandon Saad, Brandon Dubinsky, Cam Atkinson, Boone Jenner, Seth Jones

Detroit Red Wings

CF%: 51.3, CP60: 100.3, 5×5 Differential: 5
Elite Options: Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Mike Green
Secondary Options: Dylan Larkin, Justin Abdelkader, Tomas Tatar, Brad Richards, Niklas Kronwall

Nashville Predators at Toronto Maple Leafs – 07:30 PM EST

Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%	Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%
Nashville Predators					Toronto Maple Leafs
			Pekka Rinne					James Reimer
			Record					Record
			27-21-11					20-27-10
Team Stats	2.58	2.59	19.50%	79.70%	Team Stats	2.37	2.93	14.30%	79.70%

Nashville escaped Montreal with a shootout victory over the Canadiens last night and are faced with a very favorable matchup tonight against the struggling Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto has posted a league worst 4.22 goals against per game since the All-Star break and Nashville should be hungry for two more points as they’re fighting for one of the final playoff spots in the Western Conference. Peter Laviolette rolls with three very capable scoring lines, with James Neal and Ryan Johansen headlining the top line with Calle Jarnkrok. While they’re definitely solid options tonight, it’s been the trio of Mike Ribeiro, Filip Forsberg and Craig Smith doing much of the damage lately. The 21 year-old Forsberg has tallied six goals and three assists in his last eight games and he and his linemates have the luxury of joining Shea Weber and Roman Josi on Nashville’s top power-play unit. Weber and Josi are both top tier defensive options on a nightly basis and make for excellent plays this evening. They’re both averaging over 25 minutes of playing time per game this season and should be worth their big-ticket asking prices. If you can’t afford either Weber or Josi, Mattias Ekholm has turned things up offensively since the Seth Jones trade. Ekholm has scored a goal and dished out ten assists in his last 15 games and is locked into 20+ minutes of ice-time a night.

Mike Babcock’s inaugural season on Toronto hasn’t gone overly smoothly, and his Maple Leafs have now dropped six of their last seven games and sit with the worst record in the Eastern Conference. The team has been devastated by injuries up front and just shipped their former Captain and workhorse defenseman Dion Phaneuf to Ottawa last week. Even against a Nashville squad that has been porous on defense at times this season, it’s tough to look Toronto’s way in cash games at this point. To make matters worse for the Leafs, their leading scorer Leo Komarov will be watching from the press-box once again as he continues to serve his three-game suspension. Nazem Kadri broke out of a scoring funk with a two assist performance against the Flyers on Saturday and his 202 SOG this season is the tenth-highest total in the NHL this season. He’ll likely see 20+ minutes of ice-time once again and has the highest ceiling off all the Maple Leafs forwards. On defense, both Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner are locked into huge minutes with Dion Phaneuf no longer in the picture. Both blue-liners see plenty of run with the man advantage and are fine GPP options against Nashville’s subpar 79.7% penalty kill.

Nashville Predators

CF%: 53.1, CP60: 105.5, 5×5 Differential: 1
Elite Options: Filip Forsberg, James Neal, Ryan Johansen, Shea Weber, Roman Josi
Secondary Options: Mike Fisher, Calle Jarnkrok, Mike Ribeiro, Craig Smith, Mattias Ekholm

Toronto Maple Leafs

CF%: 51.2, CP60: 113.9, 5×5 Differential: -17
Elite Options: None
Secondary Options: Nazem Kadri, P.A. Parenteau, Jake Gardiner, Morgan Rielly

Arizona Coyotes at Tampa Bay Lightning – 07:30 PM EST

Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%	Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%
Arizona Coyotes					Tampa Bay Lightning
			Louis Domingue					Ben Bishop
			Record					Record
			27-25-6					33-22-4
Team Stats	2.76	3.09	19.40%	77.80%	Team Stats	2.71	2.46	17.60%	82.70%

After an impressive start to the season, the Coyotes have sputtered down the stretch and now own just a 5-10-2 record over their last 17 games. They’re in the midst of an absolutely brutal stretch of their schedule and will head to the Sunshine State tonight for the second game of a five-game road trip. Oliver Ekman-Larsson leads this team in scoring with 46 points in 59 games and is the only player on my cash game radar in this very tough matchup on the second half of back-to-back games. Up-front, Dave Tippett has two dangerous forward lines at his disposal, but both are simply too inconsistent for my liking. Both Martin Hanzal and Max Domi have tallied nine points in ten games since the break and are joined by Anthony Duclair on the top forward line, giving them seemingly the most upside.

The Lightning have won three straight games to grab control of second place in the Atlantic Division and are looking like they’ll once again be a very tough out come spring time. They’ve posted an impressive 19-10-2 record at the Amalie Arena this season and will likely be heavily targeted tonight as a potential tired Arizona team comes to town sporting the NHL’s worst defense. Each of John Cooper’s top two lines are lethal, with Steven Stamkos often drawing the most attention alongside Ryan Callahan and Alex Killorn on one line and Tyler Johnson centering Nikita Kuckerov and Ondrej Palat on another. Stamkos has lit the lamp in three straight games and has posted 13 goals and 17 assists in 31 home games this season making him a top-tier option. Meanwhile, Kucherov is expected back after missing Sunday’s game with lower-body injury and leads the team with 49 points in 58 games and has also thrived on home ice; tallying 15 goals and 17 assists in 31 games. Just be sure to monitor his status as puck drop approaches. On defense, both Anton Stralman and Victor Hedman soak up nearly all of the available playing time on the point of the power-play and both see a nice bump as the Coyotes sport an ugly 77.8% penalty kill.

Arizona Coyotes

CF%: 46.7, CP60: 107.9, 5×5 Differential: -6
Elite Options: Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Secondary Options: Max Domi, Martin Hanzal, Anthony Duclair, Mikkel Boedker

Tampa Bay Lightning

CF%: 52.2, CP60: 105.5, 5×5 Differential: 11
Elite Options: Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov (if healthy), Tyler Johnson, Victor Hedman
Secondary Options: Ryan Callahan, Ondrej Palat, Anton Stralman