NHL Grind Down: Wednesday, November 9th
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.
Anaheim Ducks at Columbus Blue Jackets
| Anaheim Ducks | Columbus Blue Jackets | ||||||||
 | John Gibson |  | Sergei Bobrovsky | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 6-5-2 | 5-3-2 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.69 | 2.31 | 27.90% | 83.70% | Team Stats | 3.20 | 2.10 | 39.30% | 90.60% |
After winning two out of three games at home the Anaheim Ducks head to the east coast for three games starting in Columbus tonight. The Ducks top line that features Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are almost always in play as they have recorded over a point per game and are the mainstay on the team’s top power play unit. The second line that features Ryan Kesler is the play here however as Kesler has notched four goals and two assists while playing on the team’s top power play unit. You can pair him with either Andrew Cogliano or Jakob Silfverberg as they flank him on both wings on the second line, which should see a little room on the ice while Columbus tries to shut down the top line. Your one-off play here is Rickard Rakell who has been red hot since returning to the lineup by lighting the lamp three times and assisting on three other goals in the four games he’s been in. On defense the choices are Cam Fowler or Sami Vatanen as both see over 22 minutes of ice time on a nightly basis.
If you had Columbus players in your lineups a few nights ago there’s no doubt you won money as they destroyed the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 10-0. They followed that up with a road loss to the St Louis Blues by a score of 2-1 in overtime. Columbus has switched up their lines a bit as Scott Hartnell will get a bump in value as he is skating with Alexander Wennberg and Nick Foligno who both lead the team in scoring with 12 points in the first ten games. Brandon Saad and Sam Gagner find themselves on the third line and could do some damage considering they have a combined five goals and five assists over the last five games. Zachary Werenski is the play on defense as he quarterbacks the top power play unit while leading the defensive corps with two goals and eight assists. His role could be increased even more with the injury to Seth Jones, who is out at least three weeks.
Elite Plays
ANA: Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf
CBJ: Alexander Wennberg
Secondary Plays
ANA: Ryan Kesler, Rickard Rakell, Cam Fowler, Sami Vatanen
CBJ: Nick Foligno, Zachary Werenski, Brandon Saad, Sam Gagner
Ottawa Senators at Buffalo Sabres
| Ottawa Senators | Buffalo Sabres | ||||||||
 | Mike Condon |  | Robin Lehner | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 7-5-0 | 5-5-2 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.55 | 2.55 | 12.10% | 83.80% | Team Stats | 2.08 | 2.33 | 20.50% | 79.10% |
The Senators look to avenge a 2-1 loss they suffered at the hands of this same Buffalo team that beat them in Ottawa on Saturday night. With all the scoring problems they have had of late, it’s a wonder they were able to win four of their last eight games by lighting the lamp just 13 times. As with most teams, it is tough to distinguish the first line from the second line which almost makes it impossible for us to tell what the home team coach is thinking when he goes to pair up his lines tonight. Common sense would tell us that the line of Mike Hoffman, Kyle Turris and Tom Pyatt will probably be the line the Sabres try to shut down as Turris leads the team in goals with six while Hoffman has accrued seven points in 12 games, which is good for fourth on the team. Erik Karlsson is the play here as he had a hand in 33% of the Senators goals so far this season. He receives over 26 minutes of ice time per night and should be higher owned in cash game play tonight with only three games on the slate. Bobby Ryan Derick Brassard and Mark Stone comprise the team’s other top line and need to start getting it going as they have a combined 16 points through the first 12 games this season. Ryan Dzingel makes a nice one-off play here as he saw ample time on the power play unit last night. Opportunity equals reward in most cases. Ottawa lost in Nashville last night and now travel up to Buffalo, so look for some tired legs tonight.
Believe it or not Buffalo has actually fared better on the road than on home ice so far this year. Tonight they will look to improve on their 1-3 record in front of the home crowd by taking advantage of a more than likely tired Ottawa team. As mentioned above, the Senators have only scored 13 goals in their last eight games, so maybe three goals will bring home a win tonight. The problem arises when you realize that the Sabres have only scored 11 goals in their last seven games so it will be up to the top line to take care of business tonight. This would put Kyle Okposo square in your sights for cash games as he leads the team in goals with five while grabbing three assists through the first 12 games. He will get to see the favorable match ups all night long being on home ice as well as playing on the team’s top power play unit. Evander Kane returns and will most likely play the top unit on both the regular line and the power play but should be used as the third option here as there now seems to be an issue with Ryan O’Reilly, as he did not skate this morning and is listed as a game time decision. Fun stuff on a three game slate! Sam Reinhart makes a nice one-off play here as he skates from the second line but joins Okposo and company when the team has the man advantage. The crazy GPP play of the day on this three game slate is Brian Gionta and Johan Larsson. They both have six points in the first 12 games which could give them a fifty-fifty chance of scoring tonight. Rasmus Ristolainen is the play on the back line as he sees north of 24 minutes of ice time a night and has collected eight assists so far in the process.
UPDATE
According to @amymoritz O’Reilly is not officially out for tonight, but Cole Schneider is on his way to Buffalo, but he could be taking the spot of Tyler Ennis, who is out. Stick with the safe bets here.
Tom
@elctrceye
@amymoritz any idea who is skating with Kane and Oks in O’Reilly’s absence?
Amy Moritz @amymoritz 2h2 hours ago
Amy Moritz Retweeted Tom
O’Reilly was not ruled out. Unsure. Could be a call-up.
Elite Plays
OTT: Erik Karlsson
BUF: Kyle Okposo
Secondary Plays
OTT: Kyle Turris, Mike Hoffman, Bobby Ryan, Derick Brassard
BUF: Rasmus Ristolainen, Sam Reinhart, Evander Kane
Chicago Blackhawks at St. Louis Blues
| Chicago Blackhawks | St. Louis Blues | ||||||||
 | Corey Crawford |  | Jake Allen | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 9-3-1 | 7-4-2 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 3.54 | 2.46 | 20.40% | 65.20% | Team Stats | 2.38 | 2.54 | 16.70% | 90.40% |
Here we have a classic Central division battle that pits the top two team’s against each other early in the season. Chicago leads the Blues by three points as we head look to finish the first quarter of the season. The question we have here is, which line will St Louis choose to ‘try’ to shut down? My guess is the line of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Nick Schmaltz which should mean that Artemi Panarin, Artem Anisimov and Marian Hossa should have a bit more room to work with on the ice tonight. You can pair them up any way you want but for cash games don’t be surprised to see a lot of Anisimov and Panarin as they get exposure to Kane on the top power play unit. Speaking of the top power play unit, either Duncan Keith or Brent Seabrook make for a fine play as they man the points on the top unit when the team draws a penalty. Keith is the better play however as he has 11 assists and 33 shots vs Seabrook’s 10 points and only 16 shots.
The Blues have won their last two games and which has upped their home record to a very respectable 5-1-1. The top line of Vladimir Tarasenko, Jaden Schwartz and Jori Lehtera will no doubt be popular cash plays this evening with only three games on the docket. Tarasenko leads the team in scoring with five goals and six assists through the first 13 games. Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk is the play on the point as he is second in scoring with ten points while six of those points have come with the man advantage. Alexander Steen and Paul Stastny make excellent one-off plays here as they complete the team’s top power play line which could be very active against a Chicago team that has been taking at least three penalties in six of the last seven games.
Elite Plays
CHI: Patrick Kane
STL: Vladimir Tarasenko
Secondary Plays
CHI: Artem Anisimov, Artemi Panarin, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook
STL: Kevin Shattenkirk, Jaden Schwartz, Jori Lehtera, Paul Stastny, Alexander Steen