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Welcome to another Friday edition of the WinDaily NHL Between the Benches Article! Unfortunately, this will be the last article of the 2022-23 NHL Regular season. It has been a pleasure writing about this whirlwind of a season, and I’m amped up for the playoffs! We do have one final small slate this season, and it’s a small two-gamer. Tonight’s 4/14 NHL slate begins at 7:30 pm ET. Don’t forget to lock your lines and check the discord for any updates! Let’s get right into it!

4/14 NHL Stack Report

1. Colorado Avalanche 1 (Rodrigues-MacKinnon-Rantanen)

— There aren’t a lot of surprises in this slate. This game is as straightforward as it gets. Colorado finished second in the Central Division this season. They ended the season with an 8-1-1 record over their last ten games, and despite the late push, Nashville won’t qualify for the playoffs, regardless of how tonight’s game goes. I am sure they are dejected, given how close it got, but the story of this game will most likely be the tune-up game before the playoffs for the Avalanche rather than the condolence party for the Preds. With that being said, Colorado’s top line has been simply unstoppable as of late, and I expect them to carry that momentum through tonight’s game and into the playoffs. Between Rantanen and MacKinnon alone, they have 22 points over their last five games, and each has seen around 22 minutes of ice time per game over that stretch. Simply unreal, and their linemate Rodrigues also has three points over his last five. All three of Colorado’s top liners see power play time, with MacKinnon and Rantanen on the top line and Rodrigues on the second line. I think it is safe to say that given that this is the last game before the playoffs if there is nobody resting, I don’t expect Colorado to take their foot off the gas. Also, it looks like Cale Makar will be ready in time for the playoffs, but for today’s game, Devon Toews will see the lion’s share of on-ice opportunities.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Devon Toews

2. Buffalo Sabres 1 (Skinner-Middlestat-Tuch)

— Now, both teams in this game were eliminated from the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs but in very different fashion. Buffalo had a late wild card push and fell just three points shy of a playoff spot (one point if they win tonight… ouch) and finished the season on a 7-2-1 run. They finished the season tied for third in the league in goals per game this season. They struggled big defensively, and that proved to be their downfall. On the other side of the ice, we have the Columbus Blue Jackets, who failed across the board this season. They were tied for second worst in the league this season and finished off the year with a 2-6-2 record over their last ten games. The Jackets were a disaster on both ends of the ice finishing in the bottom three in the league in both goals per game and goals against per game. They have a lot of work to do this offseason, and it will include a high draft pick in next year’s NHL Entry Draft, but I don’t see a world where they pull off an impressive performance in tonight’s game. Buffalo’s top line has also been really on fire as of late, scoring five goals and 15 assists amongst the three of them over their last five games and considering they have a higher implied total than the Avalanche (4.0 implied goals vs 3.7 implied goals), I am confident that Buffalo will perform tonight and the top line will be the guys getting on the scoresheet.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Rasmus Dahlin

Honorable Mention(s): Buffalo Sabres 2 (Greenway-Thompson-Cozens)

4/14 NHL Goalie Tracker

Best (Goalies to Roster)

1. Devon Levi
2. Pavel Francouz
   Honorable Mention(s): Kevin Lankinen

Worst (Goalies to Target)

1. Jon Gillies
Honorable Mention(s): N/A

4/14 NHL Wild Card Targets

Cody Glass
– There aren’t too many great things to say about the Nashville Predators right now. Josi, Duchene and Forsberg are all going to be out tonight, and their top line consists of Cody Glass, Phil Tomasino and Zach Sanford. I do not expect them to win tonight by any means, but Cody Glass could prove to be an interesting option (Deep GPP) for tonight’s small slate. He went from barely making the roster out of camp to starting on the top line at the end of the season. This has been a good season for Cody personally, even if it wasn’t for his team. He has also put together some impressive performances lately. He notched an assist on the OT winner for the Preds last night over the Minnesota Wild and has four points over his last five games. Glass has also seen an average of over 17 minutes of ice time per game over that stretch of games and has even racked up five blocked shots as well. He will be centering Nashville’s top power play tonight, and I expect him to get some really good chances tonight, even if the Preds ultimately lose out on the two points.

Honorable Mention(s): Evan Rodrigues, Dylan Cozens, Johnny Gaudreau

Core Four: (ALWAYS BE STACKIN’)

Center – Casey Middlestat

Winger – Mikko Rantanen

Defenseman – Devon Toews

Goalie – Devon Levi

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Welcome to a special Saturday Night edition of the WinDaily NHL Between the Benches Article! Teams have just a few games left, as many are left jockeying for a Wild Card position. Especially in the east, where there is a big Final push in the Wild Card race (all four teams competing for the two spots will be in action tonight)! Tonight’s 4/8 NHL slate begins at 7:00 pm ET. Don’t forget to lock your lines and check the discord for any updates! Let’s get right into it!

4/8 NHL Stack Report

1. Seattle Kraken 1 (McCann-Beniers-Eberle)

— I truly cannot believe how good the Kraken have been compared to last season. They started hot and have ended hot enough to secure their first-ever playoff spot. Much of their success has been due in large part to the efforts of their top line, who have been ruthless over their latest winning streak. Each player on this line has at least three goals and three assists over their last five games. Truly an impressive feat, especially considering all three were shut out when they played against the Kings a few games back. Luckily for the Kraken, they’re not playing the Kings tonight. They’re playing the Chicago Blackhawks, a team whose only short-term future is the high draft pick they’ll be getting this offseason. The Blackhawks have been beyond bad on both sides of the puck, sitting in dead last for goals scored per game and 4th last for shots against per game (all their other stats are in the same neighbourhood). There is not much more that can be said about the positive prospects of this line tonight; they’re good players, they’ve been hot as of late, they’re affordable for DFS, and they’re up against a bad team. That checks all my boxes for a stellar line. Not to mention, all three top liners see power play time with McCann on the first unit and Eberle and Beniers on the second unit.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Vince Dunn

2. Florida Panthers 2 (Luostarainen-Lundell-Tkachuk)

— Florida is one of the four teams mentioned at the beginning of the article who are currently jockeying for a wild card spot in the east, and given their strength of schedule of their last three games of the season, I think they are going to have to fight hard to secure one of the two available spots. Even more so considering how their offence has been firing as of late. The teams leading scorer Matthew Tkachuk and his linemates have been insanely productive throughout the Panthers’ recent five-game winning streak. Amongst themselves, they have eight goals and eight assists over their recent win streak. Tonight, they’ll be up against a recently eliminated Washington Capitals, who are certainly the easiest of their final three games. It’s also worth noting that the Panthers have been an offensive juggernaut this season, sitting first in shots on goal per game and fourth in the league in goals per game. Even if the Panthers don’t pull two points out of this game, I expect the second line to do some real damage on the scoresheet.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Brandon Montour

Honorable Mention(s): Toronto Maple Leafs 2 (Marner-Tavares-Nylander), Colorado Avalanche 1 (Rodrigues-MacKinnon-Rantanen), New York Rangers 2 (Panarin-Trocheck-Tarasenko)

4/8 NHL Goalie Tracker

Best (Goalies to Roster)

1. Filip Gustavsson
2. Ilya Samsonov
   Honorable Mention(s): Alex Lyon

Worst (Goalies to Target)

1. Alex Stalock
Honorable Mention(s): Carter Hart

4/8 NHL Wild Card Targets

Matt Boldy
– Boldy has been absolutely unstoppable as of late as the young forward sits third in his team in scoring, which was bolstered by his five goals, and two assists over his last five games. It will be interesting to see how the Wild’s lines shake up tonight, considering that the team’s leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov is set to return to the lineup tonight, but Boldy will be worth a look regardless, especially against the Blues, whose inconsistency struggles have seen them eliminated from playoff contention. One thing is for certain as the Wild prepare for the playoffs, I can see Boldy and Kaprizov finding an extra gear tonight.

Honorable Mention(s): Evan Rodrigues, Tyler Bertuzzi, Jack Hughes

Core Four: (ALWAYS BE STACKIN’)

Center – Matty Beniers

Winger – Vladimir Tarasenko

Defenseman – Justin Faulk (or Brandon Montour)

Goalie – Filip Gustafsson

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Welcome back to the Friday Night WinDaily NHL Between the Benches Article! Teams are beginning to secure their spots while others are jockeying for a Wild Card position. I think we will see a photo-finish in the 2023 playoff race, and we some great NHL action coming your way tonight! Tonight’s 3/31 NHL slate begins at 7:00 pm ET. Don’t forget to lock your lines and check the discord for any updates! Let’s get right into it!

3/31 NHL Stack Report

1. New York Rangers 1 (Panarin-Zibanejad-Tarasenko)

— Welcoming Devon Levi to the NHL tonight is the New York Rangers who have arguably one of the deepest rosters in the NHL with their top three lines all performing well as we head into teams final playoff pushes. Out of the three lines, the Rangers top line have been my favourite as of late. Zibanejad and Panarin in Particular have been racking up a lot of points as of late and the line averages anywhere from 18 to 19 minutes of ice time per night along with Power play time for every member of the top unit. With Panarin and Zibanejad on the top Power Play and Tarasenko on the second power play unit. Despite the high offensive output, Buffalo has regularly been one of the worst offensive teams in the league this season as they sit tied for third worst in the league in goals against average and somehow they’re still fighting for a Wild Card spot! The Rangers on the other hand have secured a spot in the playoffs and are poised to exploit their opponents bad offence as they are coming in with one of the highest implied totals of the slate at 3.6 implied goals. What it also comes down to is form, The Rangers have won 7 of their last 9 games with high scores against most teams and the Sabres have lost 6 of their last 9 including an OT loss against the Rangers. On a final note, the Sabres have been terrible at home while the Rangers have an impressive record on the road. So, if anything this game taking place in Buffalo might actually play as an advantage to the Rangers.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Adam Fox

2. Dallas Stars 1 (Robertson-Hintz-Pavelski)

— The Stars have been sneaky good this season. They’re second in the Central division, are tied for seventh in the league in goals per game and are just a game or two away from securing their playoff spot. Not to mention, their top line has absolutely been tearing it up. With each member of the top line having at least a point per game over their last five games. All while each sees around 20 minutes of ice time per game, along with time on the Stars top Power Play unit. This line has stayed the same for nearly the entire season and a half and the chemistry that these three have formed is remarkable. This line has been clicking and their production is off the chart. Lets not forget, they’re coming up against an Arizona team who give up an average of 3.44 goals against per game and have lost their last five games, I am heavily on the Stars in this one. These two teams also faced off at the beginning of the month in Dallas where the Stars secured a 4-2 comeback win!

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Miro Heiskanen

Honorable Mention(s): New York Rangers 2 (Kane-Trochek-Kreider), Buffalo Sabres 2 (Peterka-Cozens-Quinn)

3/31 NHL Goalie Tracker

Best (Goalies to Roster)

1. Jake Oettinger
2. Connor Hellebuyck
   Honorable Mention(s): Devon Levi

Worst (Goalies to Target)

1. Marcus Hellberg
Honorable Mention(s): Karel Vejmelka

3/31 NHL Wild Card Targets

Brock Boeser
– Boeser has been an absolute monster as of late. Over his last three games he has six points (3 goals, 3 assists) and has averaged around 19 minutes of ice time over those three games. In what has been a pretty disappointing season, he has turned it on over the last week. Unfortunately for him, this latest push comes when the Canucks are on the outside looking for the playoff race. However, aside from the playoff race, he is a solid DFS option tonight, with a lot of upside, given how he’s performed throughout his career.

Honorable Mention(s): Nino Nieddereiter, David Perron, Filip Chytll

Core Four: (ALWAYS BE STACKIN’)

Center – Mika Zibanejad

Winger – Jason Robertson

Defenseman – Neal Pionk (Heiskanen is a good option but he’s been a little cold)

Goalie – Jake Oettinger (Levi is a good GPP option for DFS if you are fading the New York Rangers in one of your lines)

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Welcome back to the Friday Night WinDaily NHL Between the Benches Article! After another crazy week of hockey, we are greeted with a small three-game slate to start the weekend and continue the playoff push! Tonight’s 3/24 NHL slate begins at 7:00 pm ET. Don’t forget to lock your lines and check the discord for any updates! Let’s get right into it!

3/24 NHL Stack Report

1. New York Islanders 3 (Parise-Pageau-Fasching)

— The Islanders have been red hot as of late. They won their last three games including a 7-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs last Tuesday. They are playing great hockey and all of the Islanders top lines are getting involved in the scoring. I don’t expect much to change tonight. For starters, the Blue Jackets will be turning to veteran goaltender Michael Hutchinson who has not had the best of seasons for the Blue Jackets, giving up an average of five goals in each of his last three starts. On top of that, the Jackets have given up an average of around 7 goals over their last three games. The Islanders third line was impressive over the last few games with two goals and two assists in their last game against the Leafs. Usually the Islanders are not known as a high scoring team but they have been pouring it on as of late and if they can put up 7 goals against the Leafs, I would be shocked if they can’t do the same to the last placed Columbus Blue Jackets.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Noah Dobson

2. Colorado Avalanche 1 (Malgin-MacKinnon-Rantanen)

— Arizona has been rather surprising as of late but they were brought back down to earth in their last game against the Oilers giving up a lead with 8 minutes left, then succumbing to a masterclass from Connor McDavid in OT. Prior to their last game, the Avalanche were on a six game winning streak which included a 3-2 win over the Avalanche. Every goal the Avalanche scored involved a member of the top line and amongst themselves they registered two goals and two assists. Unfortunately for the Avalanche, they will be without a few top players (such as Makar, Landeskog and Rodrigues) but that gives an opportunity to players such as Malgin and Byram to make a case for themselves as the playoffs are fast approaching. The Avalanche are heavy favorites in this matchup for good reason and I would highly recommend having the Avalanche’s top players in your daily fantasy lineups tonight.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Bowen Byram

Honorable Mention(s): New York Islanders 2 (Engvall-Nelson-Palmieri), Buffalo Sabres 1 (Skinner-Thompson-Tuch)

3/24 NHL Goalie Tracker

Best (Goalies to Roster)

1. Ilya Sorokin
2. Alex Georgiev
   Honorable Mention(s): Craig Anderson

Worst (Goalies to Target)

1. Michael Hutchinson
Honorable Mention(s): Karel Vejmelka

3/24 NHL Wild Card Targets

Denis Malgin
– I know that he is in the second line of the article but I felt as though he was worth an extra mention in particular. As noted, he is getting a chance on Colorado’s top line due to injuries on the Avalanche roster and he has been impressive as of late with four points over his last three games. He has been seeing over 15 minutes of ice-time per game since the move up to the top line and I expect that to increase tonight as he has proven so far that he deserves a higher role in the Avalanche lineup. Malgin will also see time on Colorado’s second power play unit.

Honorable Mention(s): Timo Meier, JJ Moser, Cal Clutterbuck, Zach Parise

Core Four: (ALWAYS BE STACKIN’)

Center – Nathan MacKinnon

Winger – Denis Malgin

Defenseman – Noah Dobson

Goalie – Ilya Sorokin

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Welcome back to the Friday Night WinDaily NHL Between the Benches Article! After another crazy week of hockey, we are greeted with a small four-game slate to start the weekend! (and Happy St. Paddy’s Day to all celebrating!) Tonight’s 3/17 NHL slate begins at 7:00 pm ET. Don’t forget to lock your lines and check the discord for any updates! Let’s get right into it!

3/17 NHL Stack Report

1. Buffalo Sabres 1 (Skinner-Thompson-Tuch)

— The Sabres are coming into Philadelphia today in the midst of a playoff push and are looking for a big statement tonight against a down-and-out Flyers team. The Sabres haven’t exactly been the star-studded offensive powers that some fans have expected them to be, but that does not hold a candle to how bad the Flyers have been as of late. Not only are the Flyers in the middle of a four-game losing streak, but they have lost eight of their last nine games, only being able to defeat the Red Wings 3-1. Defensively the Flyers have been ok and not too different than the Sabres, but offensively, there is a BIG contrast. While the Sabres sit near the top of the league in Goals, Shooting % and Power Play %, the Flyers sit near last or even dead last in the league for some of these categories. Realistically, I don’t think that the Flyers’ defence will even have much of an answer to the Sabres’ offensive pressure tonight. Especially not the Sabres’ top line, who have been one of the main contributors to their success. All four top-liners have at least four points over their last five games, with Alex Tuch leading the way with four goals and one assist. Even after the first line has finished the shift, Buffalo has offensive weapons on their second and depth lines. With Buffalo in the playoff hunt, they will be even more dangerous, and I am heavily leaning toward the Sabres’ offence for tonight’s slate.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Owen Power (Dahlin plays on the top PP, but Power has been playing better as of late)

2. Washinton Capitals 1 (Ovechkin-Strome-Sheary)

— This pick is a little off the beaten path. Although some of the more established juggernaut offences like Toronto and Carolina are on the slate today. They are playing against each other and may be able to neutralize their opponent’s offensive output. Whereas with the Capitals, I think they are coming against the Kings of inconsistency in the St. Louis Blues and are coming in with some hop in their step after their shootout win over the Sabres in their last game. The Blues, on the other hand, are coming into this game with no momentum. After coughing up eight goals in an 8-5 loss to the Wild, where their starting goalie went haywire and earned himself a two-game suspension. They are now coming into Washington with the worst odds of the night and their backup, Thomas Greiss, in between the pipes. Greiss has been a serviceable goalie in the past, but this season he has a 7-9 record, a 3.45 Goals against average and a sub .900 save percentage. Under normal circumstances, this game may be closer, but tonight, I think there’s a lot leaning toward the Capitals. Their top-line offence has also been hot as of late, with Ovechkin and Strome combining for four goals and seven assists over their last five games, with both Strome and Ovechkin on the Caps’ top power-play unit as well. I’m expecting the Caps’ top line to have a field day against the Blues tonight.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Rasmus Sandin

Honorable Mention(s): Toronto Maple Leafs 1 (Marner-Matthews-Jarnkrok), Carolina Hurricanes 1 (Svechnikov-Aho-Jarvis)

3/17 NHL Goalie Tracker

Best (Goalies to Roster)

1. Craig Anderson
2. Ilya Samsonov
   Honorable Mention(s): Darcy Kuemper

Worst (Goalies to Target)

1. Carter Hart
Honorable Mention(s): Lukas Dostal

3/17 NHL Wild Card Targets

Jakub Vrana
– Now, although I am not high on the Blues as a team to win tonight. Vrana definitely cannot be overlooked. Acquired at the deadline, Vrana is a versatile winger who will be a valuable piece for them in future seasons. As of late, he’s been performing really well, too. He’s got four goals over his last four games and is seeing time on the Blues’ top power-play unit. Although they haven’t been winning games, the Blues have been getting on the scoresheet. Vrana can also provide some excellent value from a Daily Fantasy perspective since he also takes a lot of shots, averaging over three goals in his last four games. So, although Vrana is not a top talent in the league, he has been producing recently and is a good value play that should come in under-owned tonight.

Honorable Mention(s): Dylan Strome, Rasmus Sandin, TJ Oshie, Dylan Cozens

Core Four: (ALWAYS BE STACKIN’)

Center – Auston Matthews

Winger –Alex Tuch

Defenseman – Owen Power (Rasmus Sandin has good Value)

Goalie – Craig Anderson

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Welcome back to the Friday Night WinDaily NHL Between the Benches Article! We made it to TRADE DEADLINE DAY! Deals are going to be flying every which way until the 3 pm deadline, and once the dust settles, we will have a small 5-game slate! Tonight’s 3/3 NHL slate begins at 7:00 pm ET. Don’t forget to lock your lines and check the discord for any updates! Let’s get right into it!

3/3 NHL Stack Report

1. Edmonton Oilers 1 (Hyman-McDavid-Ryan)

— There is no way he can be ignored. He’s scored two goals per game over his last FIVE games. Over that time, he also registered six assists for a whopping 16 points over his last five games. He is simply unreal, and his linemates have benefitted from his crazy production, with Hyman registering two goals and two assists over his last four games. Tonight, the Oilers are coming into tonight’s matchup as sizeable favourites mainly due to their implied total of 3.7 goals, tied for second on the slate. Their opponents in the Jets have been sliding as of late. They have dropped their last four games, and this is a real advantage for the Oilers to create some breathing room in the standings as the Oilers and Jets sit 1 and 2 in the Western Conference Wild Card slots. Realistically, I would recommend playing McDavid and anyone who is on the ice with him. I would recommend that against any team, but especially against the Jets, given how they’ve been performing as of late. (I’d recommend a stack of Hyman-McDavid-Ekholm)

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Mattias Ekholm

2. Carolina Hurricanes 1 (Svechnikov-Aho-Jarvis)

— The Carolina Hurricanes have featured in many Between the Benches articles, and for good reason too. They’re first place in the Metro Division, second place in the NHL and have won five of their last seven games. (They lost their last two games by one goal) It seems as though they always have good matchups on Fridays too. Last Friday, they were recommended against the Ottawa Senators and blanked them 4-0, with everyone on the top line getting on the score sheet (including defenseman Brent Burns). Tonight, the Canes have an even better matchup against the Arizona Coyotes. The Canes are coming into tonight with the highest implied total of 4.1 goals, and that is due to the fact that the Canes are a top 10 offence coming up against a bottom five defence. For example, the Canes are registering 3.34 goals a game on average (compared to the Yotes’ 2.67 goals), while the Yotes are allowing 3.49 goals against per game (compared to the Canes’ 2.58 goals against). With the stats as significant as they are, it’s clear why the bookmakers are favouring Carolina so heavily in tonight’s game. The Canes’ top line all see power play time, with Aho and Svechnikov appearing on the top unit and Jarvis lining up with the second power-play unit. Aho also leads the Canes in goals, with Svechnikov coming in third place. Realistically, the Canes are a reliable play that has some affordability compared to the top line. Although I would recommend the Oilers’ top line first, the Canes top line is a good alternative, especially if you want to be different in DFS GPP Tournaments.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Brent Burns

Honorable Mention(s): Seattle Kraken 1 (McCann-Beniers-Eberle)

3/3 NHL Goalie Tracker

Best (Goalies to Roster)

1. Stuart Skinner
2. Frederick Andersen
   Honorable Mention(s): Adin Hill

Worst (Goalies to Target)

1. Elvis Merzlikins
Honorable Mention(s): John Gibson

3/3 NHL Wild Card Targets

Dawson Mercer
– Dawson has been extremely impressive as of late, and I felt as though I couldn’t leave this article without mentioning what he’s been able to put together lately. Mercer has embarked on a seven-game goal streak, which included four multipoint games for a total of nine goals and five assists over his last seven games. His impressive production has also seen his time on ice increase from an average of 15 minutes to around 18 minutes of ice time and has seen him take up a leading role on the Devils’ second power-play unit. The Devils have a tough matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights but have still been given a 3.1 implied goal total, and I would think that if the Devils manage to score three, Mercer will definitely get involved on the scoresheet. (Good small stack with Tomas Tatar)

Honorable Mention(s): Mike Matheson, Josh Anderson, Jared McCann, Mattias Ekholm, Martin Necas

Core Four: (ALWAYS BE STACKIN’)

Center – Connor McDavid

Winger – Jared McCann (or Anthony Duclair if he plays)

Defenseman – Mattias Ekholm

Goalie – Stuart Skinner

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Welcome back to the Friday Night WinDaily NHL Between the Benches Article! Teams are gearing up for their final playoff push, and the trade deadline is exactly one week away! Tonight, we will have a small 6-game slate, with some great teams hitting the ice! Tonight’s 2/24 NHL slate begins at 7:00 pm ET. Don’t forget to lock your lines and check the discord for any updates! Let’s get right into it!

2/24 NHL Stack Report

1. Florida Panthers 2 (Verhaeghe-Luostarinen-M. Tkachuk)

— The Panthers and the Sabres are similar teams. Both have strong offences and very weak defences, not to mention both teams struggle with inconsistency. What makes this matchup more interesting is that the Panthers currently sit outside of a playoff spot since the Red Wings have more games in hand and the Sabres are only two points behind them, meaning that a Sabres win would leave them tied in points and give the Sabres three games in hand. Needless to say, the pressure is definitely on for Florida tonight. Luckily for the Panthers, this game is at home, and the difference between their home and away records is eye-opening. Right now, they’ve won four of their last five home game with an overall record of 16-8-3 while holding an embarrassing 13-17-3 record on the road. However, what I think is more notable is the Panthers’ divisional play this season, as they are facing a divisional rival in the Sabres tonight, their 10-3-2 against Atlantic Division opponents is impressive and noteworthy, especially when contrasted to the Sabres’ 7-9-1 record against divisional opponents. Not to mention, the last time these two teams faced off, the Panthers crushed the Sabres 4-1. One final note on the matchup, the bookies see Florida as clear favorites tonight and have the over-under at an insanely high 7. With Florida holding the highest implied total of the slate at 4.2, we know where the bookies believe the goals will be coming from tonight. Florida’s second line, in particular, jumped out to me over the top line since they have been more consistent as of late, with both Tkachuk and Verhaeghe leading the Panthers in both points and goals this season. Expect a lot of goals in this one tonight!

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Brandon Montour

2. Carolina Hurricanes 1 (Svechnikov-Aho-Jarvis)

— Carolina is coming into tonight as the biggest favorites of the slate as they are welcoming the Ottawa Senators to Raleigh. Statistically, the Canes have been one of the best teams on both sides of the ice this season, and while the Senators have had some bright moments on offence, defensively, the Sens have been abysmal, allowing an average of 3.2 goals against per game along with 32.3 shots per game as well as averaging over 11 penalty minutes per game. With those kinds of numbers, it’s no surprise that Vegas is so confident in the Canes tonight, giving them the second-highest implied total of the slate at 4.1 goals, just behind Florida. The Canes have also been hammering teams as of late, along with their current four-game winning streak. They are 20-6-2 at home this season and are in first place in the Metro division with a record of 38-10-8. The Canes have simply been playing great hockey as of late, scoring over four goals in each of their last three games while not allowing more than two goals over that same time span. The Canes’ top line is truly leading the charge of the Carolina offence as over their last three games, Svechnikov, Aho and Jarvis have put together 16 points (8 goals, 8 assists), and I don’t expect much to change tonight. I would highly recommend having some shares of the Hurricanes in your DFS lineups tonight.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Brent Burns

Honorable Mention(s): Toronto Maple Leafs 2 (Marner-O’Reilly-Tavares), Carolina Hurricanes 2 (Teravainen-Kotkanemi-Necas)

2/24 NHL Goalie Tracker

Best (Goalies to Roster)

1. Ilya Sorokin
2. Frederick Andersen
   Honorable Mention(s): Filip Gustavsson

Worst (Goalies to Target)

1. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Honorable Mention(s): Cam Talbot

2/24 NHL Wild Card Targets

Samuel Girard
– Girard has been very consistent as of late. He gets a crazy amount of time (anywhere from 23 to 25 minutes of ice time) and gets an assist or two while blocking a good amount of shots. This has been going on for the last five games. Over that time, Girard has averaged over 24 minutes of ice time, notched six assists and blocked 11 shots. That kind of consistent fantasy value is difficult to find, and I think the trend will continue here tonight against the Jets.

Honorable Mention(s): Ryan O’Reilly, JT Compher, Ryan Hartman, Anthony Duclair (if he plays)

Core Four: (ALWAYS BE STACKIN’)

Center – Sebastian Aho

Winger – Matthew Tkachuk (or Anthony Duclair if he plays)

Defenseman – Brandon Montour

Goalie – Ilya Sorokin

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Goal Rush FLA vs BUF 7:05 pm

Honorable Mention(s): RapidFire 2/2 COL vs WIN 8:05 pm

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Welcome back to the Friday Night WinDaily NHL Between the Benches Article! Teams are building up for the final stretch as we approach trade deadline day! Tonight, we will have a small 5-game slate, some great teams hitting the ice tonight! Tonight’s 2/17 NHL slate begins at 7:00 pm ET. Don’t forget to lock your lines and check the discord for any updates! Let’s get right into it!

2/17 NHL Stack Report

1. Los Angeles Kings 1 (Byfield-Kopitar-Kempe)

— It’s actually unreal to me how good the Kings have been as of late. They’ve won five of their last seven games, and their top line has been absolutely firing. Especially Adrian Kempe, who has a whopping eight goals and two assists over his last five games. He’s been putting up points at an unreal pace, and his linemates have been benefitting too as centreman Anze Kopitar has seven points and Byfield has three. Both Kempe and Kopitar are seeing around 18 to 19 minutes of ice time per game, with Byfield coming in around 14 to 15 minutes over his last five. It should come as no surprise that with this level of production, all three of the Kings’ top-line forwards appear together in the Kings’ top power-play unit. On top of that, the Kings are currently boasting one of the leagues best power plays at an over 25% conversion rate which is even more significant considering they’re facing off against one of their California rivals, the Anaheim Ducks, who are currently sporting one of the leagues worst power plays with a mere 74% penalty kill rate. The Ducks themselves have the worst defence in the league. They allow the most goals per game in the league and allow the most shots on goal, and it’s truly been an embarrassing season on both sides of the ice. On top of that, the Ducks have lost their last three games, and the last time these two teams faced off, both Kempe and Kopitar got on the score sheet. The odds have this one as a wash, with the Kings coming in at -275 favourites with an implied total of 4.2 goals, the joint highest of the slate. At this point, the only hope the Ducks have to succeed this season is winning the Draft Lottery at the end of the season, which long term, doesn’t look so bad…

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Drew Doughty

2. Ottawa Senators 1 (Tkachuk-Stutzle-Joseph)

— Today’s article features two teams who would rarely be the focal point of an article, but today’s slate is very different. Now, the Sens have not been a great team this season by any stretch. They’re outside a playoff spot, and it doesn’t seem like they’ll get into a playoff spot this season. However, tonight they’ll be facing off against the last-placed team in the league, the Chicago Blackhawks. Now, statistically, the Blackhawks are not as bad as the Ducks, which is part of the reason why the Kings are the top team in the article, but the Blackhawks are not much better, sitting near the bottom of the league in nearly every defensive stat and having abysmal defensive stats, scoring the least about of goals per game in the entire league and second last in shots on goal per game in the league. It has been so bad for the Blackhawks tonight that even a mediocre team like the Senators are coming into tonight’s matchup as -280 favourites. The Senators are also coming into this matchup with the joint highest (with the Kings) implied total of the slate of 4.2. Both of the top two lines for the Senators are playable, but the top line has been decisively better, with Stutzle scoring ten points, Tkachuk scoring seven points, and Joseph scoring four points over their last five games. Tkachuk and Stutzle also see time on the Sens’ top power-play unit. Statistically, the Kings and Sens are far and away the best options for tonight’s slate.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Thomas Chabot

Honorable Mention(s): Edmonton Oilers 1 (Nugent-Hopkins-McDavid-Hyman), Minnesota Wild 1 (Kaprizov-Hartman-Zuccarello)

2/17 NHL Goalie Tracker

Best (Goalies to Roster)

1. Filip Gustavsson
2. Mads Sogaard
   Honorable Mention(s): Pheonix Copley

Worst (Goalies to Target)

1. Petr Mrazek
Honorable Mention(s): John Gibson

2/17 NHL Wild Card Targets

Mat Barzal
– It was hard to find someone who was a clear representation of a ‘Wild Card,’ but an interesting option which may go under-owned would be Mathew Barzal. Barzal has recorded seven points over his last six games and has seen lots of ice time, even getting up to well over 25 minutes of ice time against the Sens a few nights back. Pittsburgh is a good team, but their defence has really held them out of the top three in their division, as they are the third worst in the league for shots on goal allowed per game, and they average over three goals allowed per game. I can see Barzal performing well tonight and getting on the score sheet a few times against the struggling defence of the Penguins.

Honorable Mention(s): Kevin Fiala, Brock Nelson

Core Four: (ALWAYS BE STACKIN’)

Center – Anze Kopitar

Winger – Brady Tkachuk

Winger – Adrian Kempe

Goalie – Ilya Samsonov

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Goal Rush (7pm): LAK v ANA

Honorable Mention(s): Rapid Fire 2/2 OTT vs CHI

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Welcome back to the Friday Night WinDaily NHL Between the Benches Article! The all-star game is now behind us and we are now looking forward to the Trade deadline! We already saw some big moves take place and I have a feeling there is still a surprise or two left to come! Tonight, we will have a small 4-game slate, with lots of interesting matchups to look at! Tonight’s 2/10 NHL slate begins at 7:00 pm ET. Don’t forget to lock your lines and check the discord for any updates! Let’s get right into it!

2/10 NHL Stack Report

1. Toronto Maple Leafs 1 (Bunting-Tavares-Marner)

— Today is Day 1 of a home and away back-to-back vs the Columbus Blue Jackets and right off the bat. Aside from the obvious fact that the fourth placed team in the league is going up against the team in dead last, the most glaring difference between these two teams is the statistics. Offensively, Toronto is in the top 10 in goals per game while the Blue Jackets find themselves tied for 3rd last in the league in goals and on the power play, the Leafs are converting power plays into goals at a 25% clip which lands them 6th in the league and on the other the side, the Blue Jackets have a 16.4% power play conversion rate, landing them at 4th-worst team in the league on the power play. Defensively, it’s even worse, despite the Leafs goalie struggles it doesn’t hold a candle to how badly the Jackets have been performing on their own end of the ice. They allow an average of 35 shots on goal per game and give up an average of 3.86 goals per game. Even without Matthews, the Blue Jackets don’t have much of a chance in this matchup. Mitch Marner is a top target for me here, as with Matthews staying sidelined for tonight’s game Marner will see an increased role alongside his linemates Tavares and Bunting. Marner already leads the Leafs in points and has been hot as of late as he is currently on a four game point streak. All three of the Leafs top liners will see power play time against the Blue Jackets weak penalty kill and I think there will be a lot of goals to go around for the Leafs top scorers tonight. Despite the odd vintage performance from Gaudreau or Laine, the Jackets are consistently disappointing. The Leafs on the other hand, have been consistently scoring lots of goals and have seen success on both sides of the ice. With an implied total of 4.1 goals in comparison to the Blue Jackets 2.6 goals, I would highly recommend having exposure to the Leafs top line in tonight’s matchup.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Morgan Rielly

2. Arizona Coyotes 1 (Keller-Hayton-Schmaltz)

— Usually, I wouldn’t give many players on the Coyotes a second look but against the Blackhawks tonight, they are actually coming in as the favourites. As divisional rivals, the Coyotes sit just ahead of the Blackhawks in the standings and offensively sit just above them as well. Arizona’s Nick Schmaltz has really been putting things together as of late. Over his last five games he has four goals and three assists and regularly sees over 20 minutes of ice time per game. Along with his linemates, Schmaltz also appears on the Coyotes’ top power play unit which is coming up against the 24th ranked penalty kill in the league. Arizona’s top line is a cheap play which allows you to squeeze in some of the higher end player while still picking a team that is favoured to win and picking a line that will see a good deal of ice-time tonight.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Jakob Chychrun

Honorable Mention(s): Pittsburgh Penguins 1 (Rakell-Crosby-Guentzel), New York Rangers 1 (Panarin-Zibanejad-Tarasenko)

2/10 NHL Goalie Tracker

Best (Goalies to Roster)

1. Ilya Samsonov
2. Karel Vejmelka
   Honorable Mention(s): Igor Shesterkin, Tristan Jarry, DEEP GPP: Jaxson Stauber

Worst (Goalies to Target)

1. Joonas Korpisalo
Honorable Mention(s): Philipp Grubauer

2/10 NHL Wild Card Targets

Frank Vatrano
– I know that in the Pittsburgh v Anaheim matchup tonight most people would lean towards the Pens but it’s hard to ignore the success that Vatrano has had recently on the Ducks second line. Over his last five games, Vatrano has registered 5 goals and 2 assists and averaged around 16 minutes of ice time per game. Vatrano does see time on the second power play unit but has done most of his damage on even strength. With the Pens allowing over 3 goals per game and over 34 shots against per game, I think Vatrano can definitely get on the score sheet tonight and is worth a look.
Honorable Mention(s): Filip Chytil, Alexis Lafrenier, William Nylander

Core Four: (ALWAYS BE STACKIN’)

Center – Filip Chytil

Winger – Mitchell Marner (Honorable Mention: Vladimir Tarasenko)

Defenseman – Jakob Chychrun

Goalie – Ilya Samsonov

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Goal Rush (7pm Start): TOR v CBJ

Honorable Mention(s): (7pm Start) NYR v SEA 2/2 Rapid Fire

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Welcome back to the Friday Night WinDaily NHL Between the Benches Article! The All-Star break is nearly upon us so make sure to get in on the NHL action before the break next week! Tonight, we have a larger-sized 8-game slate, with lots of interesting matchups to look at! Tonight’s 1/27 NHL slate begins at 7:00 pm ET. Don’t forget to lock your lines and check the discord for any updates! Let’s get right into it!

1/27 NHL Stack Report

1. Caroina Hurricanes 1 (Teravainen-Aho-Jarvis)

— The Hurricanes are far and away the best option on tonight’s slate as the second place team in the league is facing off against the fifth worst team in the league. The Sharks have been a mess this season. Their offense has been bad and their defense has been worse as they sit 23rd in the league in goals and 29th in the league in goals against. On top of that, the Canes are on a three game winning streak while the Sharks are on a three game losing skid. It should come as no surprise that the Canes are coming into tonight’s game with one of the highest implied totals of the slate at 3.9. Statistically, this game should not be close and Carolina’s top line is a main reason why this game seems so out of reach for the Sharks. Specifically, Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen as both have been lighting it up as of late with Aho registering five goals over his last four games and Teravainen posting a goal and three assists over that same time. It’s clear that not only have the Canes been playing well as of late but they are coming up to one of the best matchups they’ve had this season. I would highly recommend rostering some Canes players in your Daily Fantasy lineups tonight.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Brady Skjei

2. Toronto Maple Leafs 1 (Bunting-Tavares-Marner)

— Unfortunately, early today the news broke to Toronto fans that their star centre Auston Matthews will be sidelined for at least three weeks with a sprained knee. Despite the set back, the Leafs must continue on for the time being without him and despite his strong impact he brings, the Leafs have had some excellent performances around him as well. The new look first line includes the teams’ top scorer in Mitch Marner alongside John Tavares and Michael Bunting. This is a very complete line that should be able to wreak havoc on the Senator’s defenses tonight. With Matthews out, I expect all three top liners to see significantly more ice time and winger Michael Bunting has seen a promotion to the Leafs top power play unit alongside his new linemates. The Leafs are in a prime position to succeed tonight against their division rivals, the Ottawa Senators and having watched games between the Sens and the Leafs during my whole life, one thing has been repeatedly true… these games have a lot of goals. It’s also important to note that the Leafs are coming into this game with an implied total of 3.9 and their goalie, Matt Murray is expected to make his first start against his old team tonight.

Ideal Defensive Partner(s): Morgan Rielly

Honorable Mention(s): Florida Panthers 1 (Lundell-Barkov-Reinhart), Dallas Stars 1 (Robertson-Hintz-Pavelski)

1/27 NHL Goalie Tracker

Best (Goalies to Roster)

1. Igor Shesterkin
2. Jake Oettinger
   Honorable Mention(s): Frederick Andersen, Marcus Hellberg

Worst (Goalies to Target)

1. Joonas Korpisalo
Honorable Mention(s): James Reimer, Anton Forsberg

1/27 NHL Wild Card Targets

Carter Verhaeghe
– Man, this guy is just scoring for fun as of late. His last six games have been amazing to watch. He’s got a six game point streak, two multipoint games and goals in five of his last six games. He’s been absolutely incredible in his role on Florida’s second line and second power play unit. He’s been beginning to see near 20 minutes of ice-time per game and has been rewarding the Panthers each and every game.The Panthers are coming into tonight’s game with an implied total of 3.6 against the Kings so a shot at Verhaeghe would be well worth it.
Honorable Mention(s): Filip Chytil, Michael Rasmussen, Jared McCann, William Nylander

Core Four: (ALWAYS BE STACKIN’)

Center – Sebastian Aho

Winger – Mitchell Marner

Defenseman – Brandon Montour

Goalie – Igor Shesterkin

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All Day Slate (7pm Start): Main Slate Putting up Points 3/3

Honorable Mention(s): (7pm Start) Main Slate 2/2 Rapid Fire

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