Hockey News

Squad Up Daily NHL Fantasy Dose: Skipping out on the Bruins will be a mistake

Leave a comment

Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.

Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Sunday, November 13:

Triple Threat

  • C David Krejci (45K), RW David Backes (40K), D Torey Krug (36K), Bruins (at Avalanche): No trio in the NHL plays a larger percentage of 5v5 time together than the Bruins' second line. Krejci, Backes and C Ryan Spooner play 23.73 percent of all 5v5 minutes together as a unit. With Spooner and Krejci listed at the same position, Krug offers the pivot.
  • LW Brad Marchand (54K), C Patrice Bergeron (49K), RW David Pastrnak (56K), Bruins (at Avalanche): The Bruins' top line ranks third in TOI percentage, per Corsica.Hockey, at 23.37 percent. Colorado's possession metrics have made a noticeable improvement under new head coach Jared Bednar this season, but they still allow three goals per game.
  • LW Chris Kreider (45K), C Mika Zibanejad (44K), RW Mats Zuccarello (39K), Rangers (at Oilers): While the trio has cooled down slightly, their Corsi For percentage of 51.82 is the best of any Rangers trio with at least 50 minutes played together at 5v5. They average 68.75 percent of all scoring chances while on the ice.

Bargain Plays

  • LW Jimmy Vesey (26K), Rangers (at Oilers): Vesey has finally started shooting more frequently, tallying three shots on goal in each of his past two games. It translated to his seventh goal of the season Saturday, against the Calgary Flames. The Rangers have a short distance to travel for the second game in as many days.
  • RW Mikko Rantanen (29K), Avalanche (vs. Bruins): Rantanen has multiple shots on goal in each of his eight games this season. He scored his first goal of his NHL career Friday, against the Winnipeg Jets. The Bruins are likely to start backup G Zane McIntyre, presenting a much better opportunity than the red-hot Tuukka Rask.
  • D Brian Campbell (25K), Blackhawks (vs. Canadiens): Campbell scored his second goal of the season Friday, though it came on just one SOG. He hasn't recorded multiple SOG in a game since Oct. 22, when he tallied four in back-to-back games. He did play 20:03 Friday night, and he remains a focal point of a largely inexperienced second power-play unit.

Top Fades

  • C Leon Draisaitl (46K), Oilers (vs. Rangers): Draisaitl has recorded multiple SOG in just one of six November games. He has just one goal and one assist in the month. He has been below 50 percent possession in both Corsi and Scoring Chances For at 5v5 this season. The Oilers have been outscored 9-6 when he's been on the ice.
  • LW Max Pacioretty (64K), Canadiens (at Blackhawks): Pacioretty hasn't tallied more than two SOG in four consecutive games. He had his ice time limited in Saturday's 5-0 victory, but he'll be playing a rested Blackhawks team on the second half of his team's back-to-back. The Canadiens won't be able to rely on G Carey Price.
  • D Shea Weber (43K), Canadiens (at Blackhawks): Weber has played more minutes in the second of half of each of Montreal's two back-to-backs this season, and like Pacioretty, he was awarded more rest than usual in Saturday's lopsided win. Still, while the Blackhawks aren't as deep as usual, Weber's ice time will come against their best forwards.

Contrarian Options

  • C Nathan MacKinnon (66K), Avalanche (vs. Bruins): MacKinnon has just one goal and an assist in November, but he has four or more SOG in four of the six games, including each of his past three outings. He logged a season-high 23:46 in ice time Friday, picking up a power-play assist. He'll face a tired Bruins team and a backup goaltender Sunday.
  • LW J.T. Miller (37K), Rangers (at Oilers): Miller's ice time has dropped since the calendar flipped from October to November, but he hasn't played less than 14 minutes in a game. He has two goals and three assists in the month, and the Rangers have a strong advantage in the battle of third lines.
  • RW Jarome Iginla (38K), Avalanche (vs. Bruins): Iginla has been dropped to the Avalanche's third line, but it offers promise in a matchup against his former team, as he'll be able to avoid the Bruins' top two lines. He has been well below his typical SOG pace, but this is a good spot for his breakout game of the season.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Leave a Reply