Sean AllenSpecial to ESPN.com5 Minute Read
Auston Matthews shares ‘welcome to league moment’ on Pat McAfee’s show
Auston Matthews tells Pat McAfee how scoring four goals in his first NHL game was his “welcome to the league” moment.
Trick or treat! The NHL schedule wrapping around All Hallows’ Eve gives us a busy Monday, light Halloween night and a four-game Wednesday.
Monday’s nine-game slate is arguably highlighted by the Boston Bruins hosting the Florida Panthers in the clubs’ first meeting since the Panthers knocked out the No. 1 seed in last season’s Stanley Cup playoffs. The Bruins are once again the class of the league with a 7-0-1 record and, more importantly, the fewest fantasy points scored against by skaters. We are still on a straight rotation of Linus Ullmark, then Jeremy Swayman, then Ullmark and so on, so this should be Ullmark’s start against a Panthers team that has allowed an average of 3.54 fantasy points to opposing goaltenders (ninth-most in league).
Tuesday’s two-game slate should see Joseph Woll have the opportunity to really put some separation on Ilya Samsonov for the starting gig for the Toronto Maple Leafs. After Woll won three in a row, Samsonov took the L against the Nashville Predators on Saturday. If the Leafs go back to Woll and if he can handle the Los Angeles Kings, it would be a statement game for him.
Wednesday features four contests, including the St. Louis Blues at the Colorado Avalanche in what may be a low-scoring affair with the teams allowing the third-fewest (Blues) and fourth-fewest (Avalanche) fantasy points to their opponents per game.
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Stock up
Jonas Johansson, G, Tampa Bay Lightning: Currently making a strong case for location being the most important quality for goaltending, Johansson only trails Jack Hughes in total fantasy points this season. Still with months of runway while filling in for an injured Andrei Vasilevskiy, Johansson should be locked into lineups.
Jack Roslovic, C/W, Columbus Blue Jackets: Enjoying his time on the top line with Patrik Laine sidelined, Roslovic has 2.8 fantasy points per game (FPPG) during his past five contests. Keeping the plum role after Laine returns is no guarantee, however.
Travis Sanheim, D, Philadelphia Flyers: With Cam York not returning results from his turn as the Flyers power-play quarterback to start the season, Sanheim’s time on the advantage has crept up in recent games. In fact, he’s anchored the top unit for the past two games and has picked up two power-play points on the season.
Brandon Saad, W, St. Louis Blues: Even with Pavel Buchnevich back in action, Saad kept the top-line spot next to Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou. That’s not enough to elevate him to fantasy relevance yet, but it’s enough to keep an eye on in case he can sneak onto the power play, too.
Dylan Strome, C/W, Washington Capitals: A line combination had to click for the Capitals eventually. At the moment, it’s Strome, Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson. Strome ramped up his shooting in the past five games (13) and the goals have flowed (six).
Stock down
Andrei Svechnikov, W, Carolina Hurricanes: What choice did the Hurricanes have with how Teuvo Teravainen has played? But it is still odd to see Svechnikov make his season debut on the fourth line with Stefan Noesen and Jack Drury on Friday. He can’t be buried there too long, given the talent, but this is the problem we identified before the season with the Hurricanes having more forwards than they have room for.
Pittsburgh Penguins power play: After acquiring Erik Karlsson in the offseason, this advantage was supposed to be overpowering. Through eight games, it’s not. Like, not at all. They’ve only drawn 20 power-play opportunities this season, easily the fewest per game in the NHL. But they’ve also only scored two goals in those opportunities. There is nothing wrong with the personnel here, so this should be one of those early-season aberrations that fixes itself with a larger sample. Just make sure you don’t sell low on Erik Karlsson here, as he’s suffered the most from the weak power play.
Alex Pietrangelo, D, Vegas Golden Knights: It’s only been two games back, so nothing to panic about yet, but Shea Theodore kept the quarterback spot on the top power-play unit. That doesn’t bode well for Pietrangelo over the long haul.
Streamer specials
Cam Atkinson, F, Philadelphia Flyers (rostered in 13.0% of ESPN leagues): On a line with Sean Couturier and Owen Tippett, as well as holding down a spot on the top power-play unit, Atkinson looks solidly reborn after missing all of last season with injury. He’s sporting 2.9 FPPG over his past five games.
Scott Wedgewood, G, Dallas Stars (0.7%): Dallas is especially busy at the start of the week, with a game Monday and Wednesday (and another on Thursday). With the back-to-back on deck, here’s betting Wedgewood catches the Flames on Wednesday. That’s a good thing, as Calgary has allowed 5.27 FPAPG to opposing goaltenders this season (the second-most in the league).
Ilya Lyubushkin, D, Anaheim Ducks (2.5%): With zero points from goals or assists on the season, Lyubushkin is holding down 2.4 FPPG over his last five contests and 2.0 FPPG overall this season by virtue of blocking shots and throwing hits. The Ducks have games on Monday and Wednesday.
Sarah Anderson dives into the fast-paced world of NHL hockey. Her coverage includes game analysis, player spotlights, and the latest news from the ice. Sarah’s dedication to the sport ensures that hockey enthusiasts stay informed about the NHL’s thrilling action.
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