NHL Grind Down: Wednesday, December 13th

by Ben (benwell311) Last Updated 2017-12-13 20:37:01 Premium Content Part of the product SimLabs+

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.

Stackability Rating System (Offense):

Green : Friendly matchup at 5v5 and/or on the power play; multiple lines worth stacking
Yellow : Line specific matchup at 5v5 and/or friendly power play matchup
Orange : Stacking is best left for GPPs, secondary scoring units and/or power play in tough matchup
Red : Difficult 5v5 and/or power play matchup, stacking not advisable

Stackability Rating System (Goalies):

Green : Goalie has a plus draw and is playable in all formats
Yellow : There is risk at 5v5 or the penalty kill; iffy for cash games and better for GPPs
Orange : Realistic risk at 5v5 and the penalty kill; not advisable in cash games but viable in GPPs
Red : Elevated risk in all situations and not a recommend crease to chase

Dallas Stars at New York Islanders

Dallas Stars					New York Islanders
			Ben Bishop					Jaroslav Halak
			Record					Record
			17-13-1					17-10-3
Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%	Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%
Team Stats	2.87	2.87	18.75	81.82	Team Stats	3.53	3.30	19.42	73.40

Stars Offensive Outlook

5v5 (adj): 58.92 CF/60 (14) | 51.93 CA/60 (31) | 2.34 xGF/60 (14) | 1.96 xGA/60 (29)

Dallas’s offense looked more like the Stars of old in their last game, as they dominated the Rangers at 5v5. Of course, they only scored one goal and weren’t rewarded for their efforts. Still, it was nice to see Dallas pummel an opponent (albeit the Rangers).

The other New York team isn’t as poor defensively, so the Stars are likely to look more like what we’ve become accustomed this year. The Islanders are middle of the road in virtually every category at 5v5. Over the last month of play New York has allowed an elevated number of scoring chances and have had goaltending issues, so it’s not a completely unfavorable matchup.

The usual suspects for Dallas have been split up. Tyler Seguin is now centering Devin Shore and Remi Elie. Alexander Radulov is down on the second line with Jason Spezza and Mattias Janmark, while Jamie Benn hopes to the third line to try and dominate on-ice matchups with Radek Faksa and Tyler Pitlick.

From a talent standpoint, the best overall line is the Spezza line. Seguin and Shore stick together on the top power play unit and Seguin’s shots are bankable. Benn has been coming on a bit of late after a lull, while Faksa has cooled off a bit in December.

Matchups are a bit of a concern here, especially with the Islanders toying with giving the Barzal line a bit more defensive responsibility. It’s difficult to guess what the line matchups will be as Dallas just rearranged theirs and the Islanders have had one home game since December 1 (and they changed how they used the defensively stout Barzal line — they covered the Ovechkin line).

In the end, it’s going to be something of a coin flip/personal preference. The Spezza line could fly under the radar with New York focusing on the Benn and Seguin lines. Overall, given Dallas’s slower offensive pace, this game makes the Stars more of a secondary play.

Stars Special Teams Outlook
New York has been horrible killing penalties this year, killing off just 73.4% of their penalties. Lucky for them, they haven’t been a highly undisciplined team. The Islanders are fine with allowing shot attempts and scoring chances to their opponent on the power play, but they clamp down against high-danger shot attempts. The volume of shot attempts and scoring chances allowed could easily lead to a big night for a dangerous Dallas power play.