Friday's three-game slate includes an early start with Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings in Game 2 of the Global Series.
It’s Day 2 of the Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden, so puck drop for the first game of a three-game slate will be at 2 p.m. ET with the Maple Leafs vs. the Red Wings, who are playing the second half of their back-to-back.
Something else to watch: Paul Maurice said earlier in the week that Friday’s game against the Ducks could see the return of Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour. Be sure to visit The Hockey News’ Panthers site and follow David Dwork for the latest.
Expected Starters
(ranked by matchup)
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, BUF at WPG (15% rostered)
Devon Levi was pulled in his previous start, setting the stage for Luukkonen to get the start against the Jets. Without top center Tage Thompson, I’m not sure if the Sabres offense can compete with a Jets offense that’s scored at least five goals in four of their past five games, especially with the Sabres’ defense being so porous. With a three-game slate it’s slim pickings, and I wouldn’t force it unless you really need a start.
Alex Lyon, DET vs. TOR (1% rostered)
Ville Husso is back in Detroit to attend to the birth of his child, which means Lyon will make his season debut in the Wings’ 17th game of the season. This is a really difficult spot for Lyon to come in, who last played on June 5, allowing three goals on 15 shots in a 7-2 loss after coming in relief for Sergei Bobrovsky. The Wings allowed five goals in the opening Global Series game and there’s not much confidence that Lyon would fare better against the Leafs’ elite scoring talent.
Forwards (Add/Hold)
Matthew Knies, LW, TOR at DET (24% rostered)
As the top left wing, Knies is worth a speculative add. He hasn’t found his stride on offense just yet and he won’t play every single shift with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, but the opportunity is certainly there.
Casey Mittelstadt, C, BUF at WPG (18% rostered)
Dylan Cozens will slide into Tage Thompson’s usual spot between Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch, but it also means that Mittelstadt’s minutes will increase as well. He’s been great with JJ Peterka on the second line, and played at least 21 minutes in two of the past four games. The Jets are outscoring their opponents, not grinding out low-scoring wins and, honestly, the Sabres’ recipe for winning is to simply outscore their opponents because they can’t defend.
Cole Perfetti, C, WPG vs. BUF (13% rostered)
Lost in all the talk about Quinton Byfield and Alexis Lafrenière’s breakout seasons is Perfetti’s excellent campaign. He’s up to 13 points in 15 games after scoring just two points in the first five games on a suddenly-explosive Jets offense. His points streak is now at seven games and the Sabres have been poor on defense all season.
Nick Robertson, LW, TOR at DET (3% rostered)
Adding and holding Robertson rather than just streaming him is an aggressive move, but it could pay off. A month-and-half into the season, we already know who’s good and who’s not, so it’s hard to find productive scorers off the wire. Robertson has now scored a point in every game, and while his minutes are limited, surely they will climb if he continues this pace.
Forwards (Stream)
Lucas Raymond, DET vs. TOR (48% rostered)
Raymond was featured in this space yesterday and responded with a goal in consecutive games. Playing in front of his home country should give him a little extra pop, and the 18:39 he skated was one of the highest totals of this young season. Playing L1 and PP1 will ensure he gets the best offensive deployments.
Max Domi, C/LW, TOR at DET (32% rostered)
There’s no “home” team while everyone’s in Sweden, but the Leafs have the benefit of playing against a team that’s playing their second game in two nights. Domi has yet to score a goal this season but seems to have established some good chemistry with Nick Robertson, scoring five assists in four games. Domi’s not a particularly good center because of his subpar defensive play, but playing the middle of the ice does put his playmaking ability at maximum effectiveness.
Defensemen
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, FLA at ANA (49% rostered)
An assist against the Sharks keeps Ekman-Larsson’s hot streak going. With 10 points on the season, seven have been scored in the past six games. This might be the last time he’s worth streaming with Montour and Ekblad slated to come back soon, perhaps as early as the game against the Ducks.
