NHL Slate Summary: Saturday, October 26th
Each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, a daily fantasy hockey analyst will overview the upcoming daily fantasy hockey slate, picking out the most favorable sports to attack. NOTE: This article will primarily focus on FanDuel and DraftKings NHL DFS contests.
Saturday, October 26th
The Blackhawks and Hurricanes provide some matinee entertainment tonight, but with that game absent from the Main Slates, we’ll be focusing on what looks like a very intriguing eight-game evening slate. The potential late-night hammer, Calgary vs Winnipeg, is the 2019 Heritage Classic game which will be played outdoors at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Saskatchewan. These outdoor games have proven to be a bit of a wildcard in the past as ice conditions, weather, sunshine, etc. have all played major factors in past events. Kevin Roth took a look at the weather for us and here was his report: “looks like snow is gone by game time, winds still 15-20mph, so it’ll be a bit breezy, but I don’t think it’s the kind of wind that would impact a hockey game.”
General Observations
Our Player vs Opponent Tool unveils that we could see some fireworks when the Canadians host the Maple Leafs tonight. Max Domi posted a goal and an assist against the Leafs when these two teams squared off earlier this season and has torched them for eight points in five games since the beginning of last season. Meanwhile, Carey Price has had many sleepless nights on the eve of a game against Auston Matthews. Matthews potted a pair of goals in that previous meeting this season after racking up three goals and a pair of assists in four clashes last season.
We have a rematch of the Stanley Cup Finals as the St. Louis Blues return to the location where they won their first-ever Stanley Cup, the TD Garden. Unfortunately for St. Louis, they not only have to deal with one of the toughest matchups in the game opposite Boston’s Big-3, but they will also be without their offensive superstar Vladimir Tarasenko.
The Avalanche have cruised to an NHL best 8-1-1 record, but now face some adversity for the first time as Mikko Rantanen will be sidelined for the foreseeable future. J.T. Compher picked up an assist and played every minute with the #1 power-play unit in last night’s win, which will likely make him quite popular given the very modest asking price.
The Winnipeg Jets have been one of the most penalized teams in the NHL seemingly year after year lately. However, through their first 11 games, they now happen to be averaging an NHL low 4.18 PIM/G. On the surface, this seems like a positive transgression, but I have a feeling it may say more about their lack of defensive muscle and fight than anything else. The best way to lessen the effectiveness of Johnny Gaudreau is to consistently put a body on him, clog up the neutral zone and finish checks… and I’m less convinced this version of the Winnipeg Jets can do that for 60 straight minutes.
James van Reimsdyk finally found the back of the net in Chicago on Thursday night (and added an assist), but we still can buy low here tonight. JVR’s 2.25 iXG/60 is the highest mark among all NHL skaters with 100+ minutes of ice-time this season and it’s likely not a coincidence that he finally broke out after joining Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek on the Flyer’s top forward line. Shot volume alone can help him approach value this evening.
Players to target
If you’ve read these before, you know the drill by now. These are not my “top plays” for the slate, but rather guys who can help fill in your roster and/or differentiate yourself from most of the field in GPP’s. If you’re looking for which top-tier options to feature in your lineups, check out the projections, value rankings, expert survey and LineupHQ tags.
Tyler Seguin – Dallas Stars – Ok, so he’s a stud and still listed here, but it’s because I expect his recent goal-scoring drought coupled with Jim Montgomery’s odd line combinations to suppress his ownership a bit. Seguin hasn’t scored a goal in eight straight games, but it hasn’t been for a lack of opportunities as he’s unloaded 25 SOG during the stretch (40 iCF). Seguin racked up 20 goals and 24 assists in 41 home games last season and will face a Penguins team that has dropped three straight games.
Brendan Gallagher – Toronto Maple Leafs – I mentioned him here on Thursday and he was held off of the scoresheet, however, he did unload five SOG in Montreal’s loss to the San Jose Sharks. Tonight, I’ll have no hesitation going right back to the well. Gallagher posted an NHL best 24.74 iCF/60 last season and tonight’s matchup with the Maple Leafs figures to be played at a high pace as both of these teams are ranked in the top four of the NHL in CF/60.
James van Reimsdyk – Philadelphia Flyers – He finally found the back of the net in Chicago on Thursday night (and added an assist), but we still can buy low here tonight. JVR’s 2.25 iXG/60 is the highest mark among all NHL skaters with 100+ minutes of ice-time this season and it’s likely not a coincidence that he finally broke out after joining Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek on the Flyer’s top forward line. Shot volume alone can should help him approach value this evening.
Nick Ritchie – Anaheim Ducks – After being drafted 10th overall back in 2014, Nick Ritchie hasn’t lived up to expectations just yet. However, he did show flashes of his offensive upside with 31 points in just 60 games last season and, tonight, he looks likely to get a crack alongside Ryan Getzlaf on the Ducks’ top forward line and #1 power-play unit. He’s a high-volume shooter and has the raw offensive ability to replicate Ondrej Kase production.
Colton Parayko – St. Louis Blues – I don’t love the matchup by any means, but Tarasenko’s injury presumably opens the door for Parayko to grab some well-deserved power-play minutes with St. Louis’ top unit. He possesses a booming slapshot that is lethal when given space and it’s only a matter of time before he finds the back of the net (zero goals on 22 shots to start the season). He’s racked up four assists in the last three games and provides a nice floor thanks to his shot volume and shot-blocking abilities.
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