The Heritage Classic between the Flames and Oilers is today, which means an early start for the other games before the prime time outdoor game.
Welcome to Heritage Classic day. With the Oilers and Flames struggling right now, we can at least take in the spectacle and avert our eyes from the awful on-ice performances.
The Heritage Classics have usually featured fewer goals than average, with only two of six games – 2003 and 2022 – featuring at least six goals. Both the Flames and Oilers are 1-1 in the outdoor affair.
As per NHL Public Relations:
"The 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic will be the third regular-season outdoor game for both the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers. Calgary defeated the Montreal Canadiens in the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic by a score of 4-0. The Flames were defeated 2-1 by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2019 NHL Heritage Classic. In the inaugural NHL Heritage Classic on Nov. 22, 2003, the Oilers lost 4-3 to the Montreal Canadiens and in the 2016 NHL Heritage Classic, Edmonton defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-0."
Connor McDavid will likely be a game-time decision, and if he does play, the ice certainly tilts in the Oilers’ favor. You wonder, however, if the Oilers and McDavid are desperate enough to dress him even if he’s not 100 percent healthy. Things are that dire in the place formerly nicknamed ‘The City of Champions.’
The Heritage Classic will be prime time TV at 7 p.m. ET, which means those on the west coast will have an early start again with Avalanche at Sabres at 1 p.m. ET and then a pair of 2 p.m. ET games with Wild at Devils and Sharks at Capitals.
Expected Starters
(ranked by matchup)
Akira Schmid, NJ vs. MIN (43% rostered)
There’s no sugarcoating anything; the Devils offense is bailing out their goalies. With neither Vitek Vanecek nor Schmid able to get a firm hold on the No. 1 job, based on their current rotation, look for Schmid to get the start. This isn’t a great matchup but your options are limited, and you hope the Devils offense can carry them to a win.
Jack Campbell, EDM vs. CGY (31% rostered)
The Oilers are stuck behind a rock and a hard place. Campbell allowed six goals on 30 shots in his previous start and Stuart Skinner is coming off a 3-0 loss to the Rangers. Based on their rotation, and with Campbell starting the home opener, he’s expected to get the start. Past history has shown that Heritage Classics are low-scoring affairs, and you hope that’s the case in this coin flip matchup.
Forwards (Add/Hold)
Ryan Hartman, C/RW, MIN at NJ (49% rostered)
We’re looking for matchups against weak goalies for Sunday. Hartman scored his fourth goal in three games and provides plenty of faceoff wins and shots. Against a team with weak goaltending, perhaps a few of those will go through.
Tom Wilson, RW, WSH vs. SJ (44% rostered)
Wilson’s on a three-game point streak and in every single game has provided at least a combined three shots and hits. This is a great matchup for the Caps, who can really build some positive momentum with their third straight win. Wilson’s back on the top line with Alex Ovechkin with Matthew Phillips dropped to the fourth line.
Dylan Strome, C, WSH vs. SJ (28% rostered)
Strome scored his fifth goal in four games and for the second straight game skated over 21 minutes. "The more the merrier," Strome said during his hot stretch.
It took a while for Spencer Carbery to come around, but he’s realized that Strome’s his top center. In daily fantasy games, Strome, Wilson and Ovechkin would be a nice line stack against a team that is on track to be one of the worst in the cap era.
Ryan Johansen, C, COL at BUF (28% rostered)
Johansen was held off the score sheet for the first time in four games in a rare shutout loss for the Avs. The good news was Johansen skated a season-high 19:58, and once again won plenty of faceoffs. The Sabres are weak in the dot and in net, where both Devon Levi and Eric Comrie are nursing injuries, so this is a chance for the Avs to pile up the points.
Forwards (Stream)
Marcus Foligno, LW/RW, MIN at NJ (18% rostered0
When Foligno’s scoring like this – a three-game point streak – he’s worth streaming in banger leagues. The hits will always be there and the Devils are allowing 3.71 goals per game, fourth-highest in the league.
Marcus Johansson, LW, MIN at NJ (5% rostered)
If you’re looking for points, Johansson’s a much better option than Foligno. After a slow three-game start, Johansson’s put together a five-game point streak playing on a line with Joel Eriksson Ek. I question whether Patrick Maroon is really the best option on their second line, but the Wild don’t have a lot of options with Matt Boldy and Frédérick Gaudreau injured. With a 11-7 roster, Johansson might get more ice time than usual, too.
Marco Rossi, C, MIN at NJ (2% rostered)
When it comes to offensive upside, Rossi is the higher-risk, higher-reward option than Johansson. He’s centering the third line but there’s additional upside playing PP2, which he shares with Foligno and Hartman. The Devils generally don’t take a lot of penalties, so Johansson’s role on PP1 might be negated to make their fantasy values a little more even.
Defensemen (Stream)
Bowen ByramBowen Byram, COL at BUF (37% rostered)
Byram is healthy, so that’s good, but he hasn’t quite lived up the billing as a potential fantasy stud as an offense-first defenseman. He’s scored just two points this season and he’s never been a high-volume shooter even though he jumps up on the play a lot. This is just a good matchup if you have an extra slot on D to take advantage of.
Mattias Samuelsson, BUF vs. COL (5% rostered)
The Avs will likely bury the Sabres in their offensive zone, which means plenty of opportunities to block shots for Samuelsson if you’re looking for banger-league categories. He’s their top defender with 17 hits and 19 blocks so far this season.
