The NHL season is just heating up and is already filled with domination and surprises. This slate is no exception as five games continue the fight on the ice.
Lace the Skates (Cash Play)
Slap Shot (Gpp Play)
Ice time (Value Play)
Penalty Box (Fades)
Calgary Flames V. Toronto Maple Leafs
This game features two teams who are sitting in second place in their respective divisions. The flames are on a back-to-back game, which for some reason seems to be the Leaf’s weakness this season as they are the most vulnerable against unrested teams. Toronto will also need to get past the eagle eye of Jacob Markstrom who currently holds a save rate of .940. That is saying Calgary’s coach decides to go with him back-to-back nights. If not it will be Vladar, who holds two wins already this season. Toronto’s defense has been sub-par this season, and that is good news for a flames team who is on “fire” to the start of the season. Toronto could be without their lead scorer in Tavares again, which could be disastrous as the line adjustments are going to be moved around. They will have to rely on the hot hand of Austin Matthews to lead the team and do everything they can to grab the win.
Lace the Skates:
Austin Matthews
William Nylander
Johnny Gaudreau
Matthew Tkachuk
Slap Shot:
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Mitch Marner
Alexander Kerfoot
Andrew Mangiapane
Ice Time:
Blake Coleman
Oliver Kylington
Penalty Box:
John Tavares
Jason Spezza
Morgan Reilly
Noah Hanifin
Edmonton Oilers V Buffalo Sabres
This game holds probably the best players in the NHL, yes that is plural. The Edmonton Oilers are heavy favorites against a 5-5-2 Sabre team. The Oilers have only lost two games this season, and that stat will hold true after this one as well. They are in the top 10 in almost every category, and holding first in goals for average with a 4.25 average so far this season. Put that against the Sabres who are 16th in that field with 2.92. That is actually not bad for them missing a couple of components. Each team’s goalie duos are struggling, but Edmonton’s offense paves the way to help them secure those wins.
Lace the Skates:
Leon Draisaitl
Jesse Puljujarvi
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Rasmus Asplund
Slap Shot:
Kyle Okoposo
Victor Olofsson
Zach Hyman
Kailer Yamamoto
Evan Bouchard
Ice Time:
Cody Ceci
Penalty Box:
Arttu Ruitsalainen
Jeff Skinner
Tyson Barrie
Philadelphia Flyers V. Carolina Hurricanes
The Flyers just looked awful the other night and failed to score a goal. I do not see this as a bounce-back game one bit as Carolina has been simply amazing so far this season with just 1 loss. When it comes to stats, the Hurricanes are only out of the top 5 in two categories, other than that, they are dominating. They allow less than 2 goals a game while scoring an average of 3.73 a game. Their penalty kill is just as impressive at 86%. This game will be a huge challenge for the Flyers who have to rely on their top line to make something happen as they will most likely be playing their guts out from behind most of this game. Especially if Andersen is in the net, who has a .939 save rate so far this season? This game also holds my favorite Defense skater on the slate in DeAngelo. Expect Carolina to win this one with ease by 2+ and never look back.
Lace the Skates:
Sebastian Aho
Andrei Svechnikov
Tony DeAngelo
Slap Shot:
Teuvo Teravainen
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Vincent Trocheck
Cam Atkinson
Sean Couturier
Claude Giroux
Ice Time:
Rasmus Ristolainen
Penalty Box:
James Van Riemsdyk
Carter Hart
Washington Capitals V Columbus Blue Jackets
Two teams that are heating up at the same time, yes please! This game will be overall very popular and hold huge ownership. Washington has a top 5 high-powered, fast skating offense, but they will have to deal with Elvis Merzlikins who allows less than 2 goals a game. Both sides have obvious studs for skaters and each team’s last five games shows that in the numbers! Overall these two are fairly evenly matched when it comes to stats, which will make for a great game.
Lace the Skates:
Oliver Bjorkstrand
Jakub Voracek
Alex Ovechkin
Slap Shot:
Evgeny Kuznetsov
Anthony Mantha
Tom Wilson
Jack Roslovic
Ice Time:
Trevor Van Riemsdyk
Penalty Box:
John Carlson
Alexandre Texier
Arizona Coyotes V Chicago Blackhawks
I do not know how to feel about the Coyotes, they are SO inconsistent, and on paper are the worst team in the NHL but yet, still manage to squeak out a win where a win should not have been warranted. There is absolutely nothing impressive with Arizona except their defense, which is really sad in all honesty. The Blackhawks, on the other hand, are figuring it out. They started out slow without star winger Patrick Kane, but have been impressive of late with him back on the ice. When it comes to him and Debrincat, possibly my favorite duo in NHL DFS year in and year out. Both teams are even on the stat sheet, but the Hawks are slowly building their 2021 resume and it is all up here for them. If it was not for their terrible goalkeeping, their 3-9 record would look totally different. I mean in the last five games, Kane has become the leader in points on his team with 8, unheard of. Overall, even with the Hawks having awful goaltending, the Coyotes will drop again, and prove why they do not even have an arena next season.
Lace the Skates:
Patrick Kane
Alex Debrincat
Seth Jones
Slap Shot:
Johnathan Toews
Dominik Kubalik
Shayne Gostisbehere
Ice Time:
None
Penalty Box:
ALL THE ARIZONA COYOTES (Except Shayne Gostisbehere)
Top goalies:
Frederik Andersen
Elvis Merzlikins
Marc-Andre Fleury
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