Bryan Little Daily Fantasy News, Rankings, Projections

After scoring 18 goals in 12 November game, Patrik Laine's goalscoring touch has completely dried up. He has just 4 goals in 24 games since December 1st which is absolutely discouraging. However, that is the streakiness of this kind of player. He's playing on a line with Bryan Little and Jack Roslovic which doesn't necessarily scream optimism, but his presence on the top power play unit is always going to give him an opportunity to put the puck in the net. This is a line you might as well stack in its' entirety as Laine is on PP1 while the other two — Little and Roslovic — are on PP2, so there is no PP1 mini-stack to take advantage of.

Despite having just 31 points, Patrik Laine has an impressive 24 goals which is fourth in the NHL. His lack of assists is a bit troubling as goals can be very streaky, but when he's on he puts them in the net in bunches. This second line has been solid this season, with Kyle Connor being a surprise as the second-highest shot producer on the team behind Laine. With Little down the middle, he's not the best option but the three work well together. Laine and Connor play on the top power play unit together so they make for an obvious two-man mini-stack if you want to leave Little off the full line stack.

Patrik Laine is easily the hottest goal-scorer in the NHL right now. He has 13 goals in his last 10 games and while that number is a bit inflated due to a 5-goal game, he still has 8 in the other 9 games (albeit goalless in three straight). He's a streaky player as he started the season off slow at even strength. He leads the Winnipeg Jets in shots with 105 (3.89 per game) and is playing on a line with Kyle Connor who is second on the team in shots with 79 (2.93 per game), and Brian Little who doesn't really shoot much or get that many points but is just along for the ride. Laine and Connor play on the top power play unit together which makes the two-man mini-stack a viable play as well.

With Mark Scheifele likely watching from the press box once again, Bryan Little will move up to the top line to center Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor. While Little hasn't been overly productive of late, the former first round picks play-making abilities are not in doubt. He racked up 21 goals and 26 assists in just 59 games last season and has a fine matchup awaiting him tonight as the Washington Capitals have given up the second most high-danger scoring chances in the NHL this season (702 of them). Little lit the lamp against the Capitals in their only previous meeting this season so enjoy the discount while it lasts.

Little is not a household name and he is something of a boom or bust option. The reason to like him tonight is the fact the Jets are on home ice and they are facing the sieve-like Ranger defense. Little centers a dominant 5v5 line with Mathieu Perreault and Nikolaj Ehlers, and given how much the Rangers have struggled in terms of possession at 5v5 this year (league worst 45.16% CF%), this line should dominate. In nearly 200 minutes together at 5v5, the Little-Perreault-Ehlers line has an insane 62.74% CF% and generates close to 84 shot attempts (15+ of the high-danger variety) per hour. While Little may be a bit riskier for some cash game players, there is plenty of reason to like his setup today.

Jets' veteran center Bryan Little has not been one to have big games like we have seen in the past, but he is still a solid option at center, especially while Mark Scheifele is out. With Scheifele out, Jets' captain Blake Wheeler has moved over to center on the team's top line while Little has assumed his second line center role as usual. Winnipeg's top line is sure to be popular (for good reason), and Little is a sneaky alternative to the Connor / Wheeler / Laine trio. Little centers the underrated Danish dash Nikolaj Ehlers and Mathieu Perreault who is a solid player in his own right. Furthermore, the Jets figure to take on the catastrophically bad Chad Johnson, rather than Robin Lehner who has been solid all season long.

The game at the Bell MTS Place tonight should be high scoring, with the Winnipeg Jets coming out on top. The Chicago Blackhawks remain one of the weakest defensive teams in the National Hockey League, ranking 24th in CA/60, 28th in HDCA/60 and 24th in SCA/60, and those numbers would certainly be worse, if not for the stellar play of one Corey Crawford (2.20 GAA, .933 SV%). The Jets have two very potent scoring lines and I will have heavy exposure to both lines in tournaments. As for cash games, there are many ways to go, with all six members of the top two lines in play, but Kyle Connor and Bryan Little represent the best value.

If you're looking to differentiate your lineup in tournaments tonight, consider taking Winnipeg's second line which features Little, Laine, and Ehlers. A matchup against a stingy Vancouver team may seem risky, but this team has dealt with a number of key injuries and can be exposed away from ice; entering tonight's game allowing the most scoring chances among available road teams. In a game that could go overlooked in favor of higher projected scoring games, look for this trio to use their talent and speed to create prime scoring opportunities with the potential to carry you to the top of a GPP.

Bryan Little has a goal in three of his last four games, and the matchup does not get any better tonight as the Jets welcome a road-weary Vegas team to Winnipeg. Bryan Little has always thrived on home ice, and while linemate Patrik Laine has yet to really get it going, this seems like one of those nights where the Jets could go off for five-plus goals, with all the production coming from their talented top six. Center is absolutely loaded at the top tonight, and Bryan Little could offer some salary-saving differentiation at the position, much like Islanders' rookie Mathew Barzal.

The Montreal Canadiens have been an abomination defensively as they have allowed the third-most goals per game (3.92) in the National Hockey League. Winnipeg is riding a wave of confidence right now as they have won three consecutive games in impression fashion. Bryan Little is priced down across the industry, which is understandable given he is not relied upon for scoring anymore, but he is someone well capable, especially at home, of putting up a big game. Al Montoya is not the answer in net for Montreal. It seems the offseason departures of Andrei Markov (to the KHL) and Alexei Emelin to the Nashville Predators has left a lot of holes that shaky goaltending cannot cover up. Bryan can make Montreal pay.