Key Three Skaters
Artemi Panarin (CBJ)
The Coyotes are in a bad way right now with a lot of players hurt and in the midst of a four-game losing streak. The Jackets just busted out of a five-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory in Colorado the other night and Panarin contributed with an assist. That was Panarin’s fifth straight game with a point as he’s compiled two goals and six assists on 14 shots over that span. The Coyotes have allowed the second-most points to left-wingers over the last four weeks, including 12 goals and 13 assists over the 11-game stretch putting Panarin in a good spot to register at least one point in his sixth straight contest.
Tyler Seguin (DAL)
The streaky Seguin is on fire of late with five goals in his last five games and he’s fired 21 shots over that span. This is a game that I don’t particularly love to have a ton of scoring with two very solid defensive teams, but I love the upside of Seguin here in a spot where I don’t think he’ll be very popular. The Preds have allowed the third-most fantasy points to centers over the last four weeks, notably 19 goals and 16 assists over the 10-game span. The 122 shots allowed to the position is third-most of any team over that span and that plays right into the hand of Seguin who averages the 10th-most shots per 60 among NHL forwards.
Eric Staal (MIN)
With Mikko Koivu out for the season, the Wild are suddenly very thin at the center ice position. Staal comes in without recording a point in each of his last two games, but prior to that had a four-game point scoring streak which saw him compile three goals and four assists. Edmonton has been a disaster defensively, including melting down the other night at home against Chicago. Over the last four weeks, they’ve allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to the position with 21 goals and 22 assists surrendered over that span. Staal will see top power-play minutes against the league’s 30th-ranked penalty kill. Edmonton also averages nearly 10 penalty minutes per game which is fourth-most in the league and have lost six straight games. Staal is third on the Wild in points and is a great mid-range center on home ice tonight.
Favorite Line Stacks
Blue Jackets First Line
Panarin – Dubois – Atkinson
The Jackets were playing like shit, to put it politely, leading John Tortorella to come out and blast them publicly before briefly shuffling lines around heading into their last game. Well, that didn’t last long as the “Cannon Line” ended up skating together nearly 20 percent of the time at even strength. There’s full power-play correlation here as Panarin, first on the team in points, Atkinson, first on the team in goals, second in points, and Dubois, third on the team in points, should ride the momentum off of their last game, a 6-3 win in Colorado to dominate the gameplay against the floundering Coyotes. It’s worth noting that the Coyotes have been solid defensively throughout the season, however, they’ve tailed off a bit of late allowing five goals in each of their last two games and this will be their third game in four nights returning home after a long six-game road trip.
Wild First Line
Zucker – Staal – Granlund
Staal, who I mentioned above, should be centering Jason Zucker and Mikael Granlund on the top line tonight and moving forward for the Wild. Both wingers are tremendous value plays on DK tonight with Zucker, who’s third on the team in goals coming in at $4,500 and Granlund, second on the team in points coming in at $5,300. There isn’t full power-play correlation here with Zucker seeing his time on the man advantage on the second unit, but Staal and Granlund provide that full correlation on the top unit. Zucker’s salary alone is enough for me to ignore the lack of power-play time with his even strength linemates in a spot where Minnesota should light the lamp quite a bit.
Flames First Line
Gaudreau – Monahan – Lindholm
This line has been one of, if not the best line in hockey with all three skaters ranking in the top 30 in points per 60 among forwards (Gaudreau 2nd, Monahan 15th, Lindholm 28th) and correlate on the top power-play unit as well, a unit that ranks eighth in the league with a 23.8 percent success rate. In these two teams’ last matchup on December 31st in Calgary, the Flames controlled the gameplay with three goals in the first period, two in the second, and three more in the third period en route to an 8-5 victory. In that game, a game started by Aaron Dell, Gaudreau had two goals and two assists, Lindholm has a goal and two assists, and Monahan dished out five helpers. We likely see Martin Jones in net tonight so I wouldn’t expect a thrashing from Calgary’s offense here, but with these three skaters controlling the game so well at home, I can’t see them laying an egg here. They’re expensive but the upside is as high as you’ll find tonight from a full line.
Jets First Line
Connor – Scheifele – Wheeler
Montreal has been playing very well of late winning seven of their last 10 games, however, the competition level hasn’t been to the quality of the Winnipeg Jets. Of their last seven wins, the Habs have beaten the Ducks, Oilers, Devils, Panthers, and struggling Avalanche. The Jets come in winners of seven of their last 10 in their own right and with the top line quiet of late, this is a good spot for them to bust out in a big way.
Value Line Stacks
Senators First Line
Dzingel – Duchene – Ryan
Full power-play correlation here as well boosting this lines upside. They were flying last night and should have their way with a Ducks team that has quit.
Blackhawks Second Line
Kahun – Strome – DeBrincat
The Canucks are still banged up, notably on the back end with Alex Edler out indefinitely. Strome and DeBrincat have power-play correlation on the top unit as well boosting their value against the Canucks who average almost 10 penalty minutes per game and have a lackluster penalty kill, especially with Edler, their best penalty killer out.
Flames Second Line
Tkachuk – Backlund – Frolik
Tkachuk highlights this line as he’s fourth on the team with 57 points and has contributed nine goals and 21 points on the power play skating on the first unit. Backlund and Frolik offer very nice value and this is a solid secondary line if you’re not looking to pay up for Calgary’s first grouping.
Panthers Second Line
Hoffman – Trocheck – Brassard
With Matt Murray not likely to play, the Panthers are worth a look here on home ice and I like the value of this second line. Hoffman is the top skater here for me as he’s also slotted in on the top power-play unit. Trocheck, the Pittsburgh native, has points in each of his last three games against the Pens and will be looking to break a three-game pointless drought. Brassard at $3,500 is bargain basement value and could come out with a little bit of an edge playing against the Pens who just traded him away a couple of weeks ago.
Top Positional Plays
Center
Aleksander Barkov (FLA) – The Pens have allowed the second-most fantasy points to centers over the last four weeks, including 22 goals and 22 assists over the 10-game span.
Nathan MacKinnon (COL) – The Avalanche have been going through a brutal stretch of late losing four straight and eight of their last 10 games. MacKinnon has just two points in his last four games but should be able to get back on track against the Caps who have allowed the most fantasy points to centers over the last month, including 25 goals and 25 assists over the 11 games.
Matt Duchene (OTT) – I’m not sure if you people have been watching, but the Ducks have clearly quit. Duchene should have his way with Anaheim tonight.
Jack Eichel (BUF) – Jack has points in back to back games and was a hog shooting the puck in his last game firing the puck nine times. This could have been a result of the lines being shuffled around as Jack will clearly be the focal point of the scoring here. In his last three games against Carolina, the Sabres captain has three goals, three assists, and 14 shots.
Jonathan Toews (CHI) – Toews has been on fire over his last five games with six goals and six assists.
Elias Pettersson (VAN) – Chicago has allowed 16 goals and 16 assists to centers in their last nine games. The Canucks’ leader in points who is also fifth amongst centers in goals per 60 is back and healthy it would seem as he scored a late goal in their last game in 18 minutes of action.
Wing
Patrick Kane (CHI) – The hottest wingers in the league with points in each of his last 12 games and multi-point efforts in eight of those games.
Evander Kane (SJ) – In his last four games against the Flames, Kane has seven goals, four assists, and 18 shots.
Jeff Skinner (BUF) – Skinner will look to victimize his former team as he did the first time they met with a goal and four shots.
Brendan Gallagher (MTL) – I said he was due heading into his last game for a goal or two and he came up big lighting the lamp twice against the Ducks. His ability to generate high-danger scoring chances and get pucks to the net makes him a worthy play every night at his low salary.
Mikko Rantanen (COL) – He’s tailed off a bit, as the rest of the Avs have, but this is a good spot for the right-winger against the Caps who have allowed the second-most fantasy points to the position over the last four weeks. Even though he’s been a bit cold, Rantanen is still fourth among wingers in points per 60.
Patrik Laine (WPG) – At under 6K on DK, Laine will continue to be a high-upside player based on his shot volume alone. He has a goal in each of his last three games against Montreal, two of which games were played in the Bell Center.
Anders Lee (NYI) – Nine goals in his last 15 games against the Devils and three goals in his last two against the Tri-State rival.
Brock Boeser (VAN) – Seven goals in his last six games and a good pairing with Pettersson against Chicago who still leave a lot to be desired defensively.
Brady Tkachuk (OTT) – Good value option to attack the Ducks with.
Defense
Seth Jones (CBJ) – Arizona has allowed the most fantasy points to centers over the last four weeks, including 10 goals and 19 assists.
Kris Letang (PIT) – Defensemen always have success against Florida and Letang is sixth in goals per 60 at the position.
Thomas Chabot (OTT) – The Ducks have allowed the third-most fantasy points to defensemen over the last four weeks and Chabot is fifth in goals per 60 and seventh in points per 60 among defensemen.
John Carlson (WSH) – Always a strong play, heavily involved in the offense, and Colorado has struggled with defensemen.
Rasmus Ristolainen (BUF) – Carolina has allowed eight goals and 18 assists to the position in their last 11 games.
Roman Josi (NSH) – Third in shots per 60 among defensemen and one of the more offensively involved defensemen in the league.
Mark Giordano (CGY) – Tough matchup but Gio has been great ranking third among defensemen in points per 60.
Shea Weber (MTL) – Weber has points in back to back games and Winnipeg allows a lot of opportunities to defensemen.
Keith Yandle (FLA) – The Penguins have allowed the third-most fantasy points to defensemen over the last four weeks.
Ryan Suter (MIN) – Edmonton have allowed 24 points to defensemen in their last 10 games. Suter is seeing power-play time on the top unit, has seen 27-plus minutes of ice time in each of his last six and has recorded six points over that span.
Value
Zach Werenski (CBJ)
Shea Theodore (VGK)
Oliver Ekman-Larsson (ARI)
T.J. Brodie (CGY)
Justin Faulk (CAR)
Dylan DeMelo (OTT)
Top Goalies
Robin Lehner (NYI)
Devan Dubnyk (MIN)
Connor Hellebuyck (WPG)
Andrei Vasilevskiy (TB)
Sergei Bobrovsky (CBJ)
GOOD LUCK!!
