Caps at Sens and Pens at Wings are your games for tonight. Here's what you need to know for fantasy hockey.
Capitals at Senators, 7 p.m. ET
The Caps have scored just two goals in two games and Spencer Carbery is switching up his lines in an effort to get his team going. Nicklas Backstrom (9% rostered) is dropped down the third line with Dylan Strome (25% rostered) moving up to center Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson (46% rostered). Carbery may have been trying to spread out his scoring early on in the season, but this is the right move; Strome was their most consistent playmaker last season and Ovechkin is by far their best shooter. Strome’s immediately worth rostering playing in this spot, and Wilson might score a few points to go with his two blocks and five hits.
Despite the re-shuffle, Connor McMichael (1% rostered) remains in the top six. He’s an interesting player; according to naturalstattrick.com, he’s their fifth-best player when it comes to generating shots per 60 minutes at even strength. The Caps seems pretty determined to keep him in their top six. We’ll see if McMichael can be good enough to be worth streaming after scoring a goal in his previous game; for now, he’s a high-risk, low-reward player.
The Sens seem to be nowhere close to re-signing Shane Pinto, which again leaves Ridly Greig (2% rostered) as their No. 2 center. He’s clearly punching above his weight, but the results haven’t been too bad: two assists, five shots, three hits and 11 faceoff wins. On a night with little action, I have no problems streaming Greig.
Linemate Vladimir Tarasenko (67% rostered) has woken up from his slumber (+5% rostered since yesterday) with back-to-back two-point efforts, and he played a season-high 15:49 against the Lightning. Hopefully, this is a sign of good things to come. His even-strength usage remains concerning, and two of his four points have come via the power play. Tarasenko is worth streaming tonight, but there will a short-term opportunity cost stashing him because the Sens play only one other game this week on Saturday against the Wings.
Drake Batherson (79% rostered) remains stuck on the third line with Rourke Chartier and Dominik Kubalik, and through three games none of them have scored a point. Chartier is really miscast in this role, Kubalik needs a playmaker to be effective, leaving Batherson having to do everything on his own, and he’s not exactly a 200-foot player. Between Tarasenko and Batherson, I’m already leaning Tarasenko, and see little upside for Batherson right now. We’re barely a week into the season so no need for drastic action, but Batherson’s fantasy value is plummeting.
Thomas Chabot certainly has been frustrating, but stick with him. He still plays the most minutes and the points will come, but Jakob Chychrun and Jake Sanderson have been far more productive. It bears repeating that all three players are worth rostering, though Chychrun has the most offensive upside because he’s the most adept at shooting the puck.
Penguins at Red Wings, 7:30 p.m. ET
Daniel Sprong (88) fights off Chad Ruhwedel (2)Ville Husso (68% rostered) is the confirmed starter even though James Reimer (7% rostered) shut out the Jackets last game. (At this rate, look for Reimer to get more playing time, by the way, but let's wait and see). This is Husso’s chance to really cement himself as the starter, and it’s not exactly looking good. Since March 1 of last season when Husso’s struggles started, he’s 4-8-2 with a .862 SP and 3.86 GAA. I'm hesitant to start Husso knowing the result is coin flip and his save percentage is unlikely to be very good.
Lucas Raymond’s (45% rostered) fantasy value is climbing up again with two points and eight shots in two games, and he’s back on the top line with PP2 minutes. Likewise for Shayne Gostisbehere (60% rostered), who has three points in three games, his fantasy value is also climbing. There’s a ton of added value playing on PP1 with Moritz Seider, and the Wings lean on their first unit much more than their second unit.
Daniel Sprong (8% rostered) has been a very popular streamer and rightfully so. The Wings have three more games this week and Sprong’s already averaging more ice time than he’s ever received. The best part is his floor is pretty high because he shoots the puck a lot.
For the most part, what we see from the Pens is exactly what we expected. Their top six remains formidable, and their bottom six is at least better than last season. The only real grumble is Erik Karlsson, who is not living up to the hype at all. We knew a regression was coming, but one assist and zero power-play points is less than expected.
For a team that’s thrived on the same core for nearly two decades and plays a system familiar to everyone, Karlsson’s free-wheeling style hasn’t been a fit. That will likely take time, so much more patience for Karlsson is needed. It must be noted, however, that Karlsson played at an 55-point pace in four seasons with the Sharks prior to his Norris-winning campaign.
That means Kris Letang (87% rostered) has maintained much of his fantasy value, and he’s been far better establishing entries on the power play, even if it’s with the second unit. There’s a flow and rhythm to their second unit that Karlsson hasn’t figured out yet with the first unit. Karlsson’s too good to sit, and it’s just something that fantasy managers have to live with. Hopefully, they didn’t draft him too high.
