MEDICAL UPDATE: Patrick Kane will not return to tonight’s game.

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 4, 2023

Kane played on the top line along with Max Domi and Andreas Athanasiou throughout the first and second periods. He registered 12:57 of ice time and two shots on goal. Kane briefly left Jan 1st game against the San Jose Sharks after taking a hit to the right leg by Sharks forward Evgeny Svechnikov. However, he returned and played another shift, finishing the game with 1 goal and 18:49 of ice time.

Throughout this season, Kane leads the Blackhawks with 27 points (7G, 20A) in 36 games. He also leads the team in powerplay points with 15, and a Corsi-For of 41.0%. Last season Kane registered 66 assists and 92 points in 78 games; the third time throughout Kane’s remarkable career that he has achieved 60-plus assists in one season. 

The 34-year-old right winger is widely considered to be one of the hottest trade targets ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline; where he will look to help lead a team into the Stanley Cup playoffs and capture his fourth Stanley Cup. The four-time NHL all-star carries a cap hit of a whopping $10,500,000 and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. With Kane sidelined, the Blackhawks were forced down to just 10 forwards. Forward Tyler Johnson skated during warmups but did not suit up for the game due to a non-covid-related illness. As a result, defenseman Caleb Jones was situated into the lineup as a forward.  Johnson has registered 

The post Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane exits game vs Tampa Bay Lightning appeared first on Daily Faceoff.

Matthews achieved the feat with the secondary assist on William Nylander’s goal in the second period to cut the Blues lead to 3-2. While he didn’t touch the puck with his stick, he got credit for the assist after a Mark Giordano shot deflected off his skate into the corner, where it was collected by Michael Bunting before he set up Nylander in the slot. It wasn’t the prettiest assist in his career, and it might actually be up there with his ugliest.

Matthews also scored a goal later in the second period of the game to cut the Blues lead again, this time to 5-4.

With that, Matthews becomes the fastest player in Leafs history to hit the milestone, achieving it in just 445 games. The record was previously held by Darryl Sittler, who had reached the milestone in 517 games. Matthews has 278 goals and 223 assists to get those 501 career points in those 445 games.

Matthews is also the fifth quickest active NHL player to hit 500 points, with just Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Alex Ovechkin, and Evgeni Malkin ahead of him.

Matthews hasn’t had quite as much buzz this season, but he’s still been very productive in 2022-23, with 19 goals, 25 assists, and 44 points in 38 games. He’s coming off a season where he scored 60 goals, along with 46 assists and 106 points in 73 games to win his first career Hart Memorial Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award. If his current pace holds, it will be the first time in his seven year career that he’ll have more assists than goals in a season.

Matthews isn’t the only Leaf who could reach the 500 career point total soon, as Mitch Marner currently sits at 497 points. If he gets three points in the next 53 games, he’ll become the second fastest Leaf to hit the total, as he’s played 464 going into Tuesday’s game.

The post Auston Matthews becomes fastest Toronto Maple Leaf to reach 500 point milestone appeared first on Daily Faceoff.

So what will be changing exactly? The first thing you’ll see is an improved layout that will be much easier to read and sort as you navigate our wealth of content. Whether you’re looking for the latest rumors from Frank Seravalli, Line Combinations, the Starting Goalies, or the latest news from around the NHL, the focus for the new Daily Faceoff is the ease of use for the reader. Powered by a much faster website that will greatly improve load times, navigating the website on both mobile and desktop has never been easier or quicker. Simply put, there was plenty of room for improvement around the site, and while we’ve tried to address as many of those areas as possible, that doesn’t mean we’re finished here either.

Over the years, this website has been updated and altered a handful of times, and even though we spend a lot of time behind the scenes making sure we’ve dotted the “I”s and crossed the “T”s, the reality of an endeavor like this is that it’s impossible to think of everything that could get messed up internally. Despite a laundry list of volunteers beta testing for us, we know that issues will still arise. Without actually having users come to the website to play around and check things out, it’s a certainty that there are going to be some bugs that will need to be fixed. In the end, we want to make sure that everything runs as smoothly as possible now that you’re seeing this newly updated version of the Daily Faceoff. The task for us upon pressing go will be figuring out how we can make the website better, and that’s where you come in.

Whether you’re a daily reader of the website or stumbling upon this article by accident, we would love to hear your thoughts and feedback regarding the relaunch once it goes live and what we can do to make it better. If there’s something you see (or don’t see) that has been missed or should have been included, please drop us a comment or an email to admin@dailyfaceoff.com so that we can make it happen. Is there a feature we used to have that’s gone and you miss it? Let us know. Are there formatting issues that got missed when the content was ported over to the new layout? Hit us up. Is the size of the font too small on your phone and you can no longer read the posts clearly? Please advise.

The ultimate goal here is to make the new DailyFaceoff.com as user-friendly and easy to navigate as possible, and now that we’ve launched the new design, we would love to hear your thoughts and feedback.

The post The new Daily Faceoff is coming and we’ll need your feedback appeared first on Daily Faceoff.

Think you know sports? PointsBet Canada is live in Ontario!

_____

Happy New Year. Welcome to 2023, where now on the other side of the holiday roster freeze, the NHL’s 32 general managers are officially on the clock – as Tuesday marks exactly two months until the 2023 trade deadline on March 3.

What a deadline this could shape into. In a season where cap space is ultra scarce, the Trade Targets board is a veritable smorgasbord of big names and big impact players potentially on the move.

2023 Trade Deadline Countdown: 60 Days

We’ve got you covered over the next two months at Daily Faceoff with one trade deadline-focused story each day. First up is our first Trade Targets board of the calendar year, which always seeks to blend a player’s prominence with his likelihood of a trade:

Trade Targets

1. Bo Horvat
Center, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 27
Stats: 36 GP, 26 G, 14 A, 40 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $5.5 million AAV
Scoop: Contract talks between the Canucks and Horvat’s camp have gone cold again after word leaked that Horvat rejected an increased offer in December. There’s no official confirmation, but some believe that offer was in the neighborhood of 8 years x $7-7.5 million, which is a big step up from where Vancouver was previously. Will the Canucks take another run at re-signing their captain before the deadline? It feels like the stage has been set ever since Canucks president Jim Rutherford told Sportsnet 650: “The better he plays, the better return we can get for him.”

2. Jakob Chychrun
Left Defense, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 24
Stats: 19 GP, 4 G, 13 A, 17 Pts
Contract: 2 more seasons, $4.6 million AAV
Scoop: Give him credit: After this saga has dragged on for more than a calendar year, Chychrun has knocked it out of the park with his play since returning on Nov. 21. His point production has been outstanding, on track for a 70-plus point season over a full campaign, and he’s been mobile and defended well. He’s living up to a top-pair defenseman, and there were questions about that. That would seem to justify Arizona’s asking price of essentially two first-round picks (or equivalents) plus a prospect. The common sense thinking is a team will step up now having seen it (again), but how imminent is that?

3. Patrick Kane
Right Wing, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 34
Stats: 36 GP, 7 G, 20 A, 27 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $10.5 million AAV
Scoop: The Blackhawks and Kane’s camp, led by CAA Sports’ Pat Brisson, have yet to engage in any sort of meaningful dialogue about Kane (and Toews’) future in Chicago. That’s expected to pick up in the next few weeks. The Hawks are on pace for a meager 45 points this season, which would be the worst showing in the NHL’s salary cap-era. It’s still early. And ‘Showtime’ holds all the cards with full ‘no-move’ and ‘no-trade clauses. If you’re looking for a potential style of deal in both managing it and potential return package, look back on how Claude Giroux departed Philadelphia last spring. Giroux only provided one potential destination. Will Kane and Toews consider more?

4. Timo Meier
Left Wing, San Jose Sharks
Age: 26
Stats: 39 GP, 21 G, 17 A, 38 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA, $6 million AAV (Due $10 million Qualifying Offer)
Scoop: For all of the buzz Erik Karlsson has generated, Meier is the way more likely Shark to be on the move. San Jose signed Tomas Hertl in a similar spot last season, but after yet another tough start, it’s pretty clear the direction new GM Mike Grier wants to take this team. That means it’s unlikely the Sharks sink more money into a new deal with Meier. He is one of the few assets they can move freely. With the gigantic qualifying offer due to him at the end of the season, some teams may view and pursue him as a pending UFA rather than an RFA. Meier is trending toward his first career 40-goal season, leads the Sharks in goals, and leads their forwards in points.

5. Jonathan Toews
Center, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 34
Stats: 35 GP, 11 G, 9 A, 20 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $10.5 million AAV
Scoop: Like Kane, Toews will determine his future with an identical contract and clauses. They also share the same agent, who will be working very closely with Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson as the process heats up. The difference is Kane has always been a sought after commodity, a player who makes teams drool. Toews used to be there – as a stingy, difficult to play against center and unshakeable leader. He looked like he had gotten back closer to the level that we last saw from him in 2019-20 before the pandemic, but he’s slowed down a bit of late as the Hawks have sunk in the standings.

6. John Klingberg
Right Defense, Anaheim Ducks
Age: 30
Stats: 31 GP, 4 G, 7 A, 11 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $7 million AAV
Scoop: This was always the plan when Klingberg signed in Anaheim: Check out the fit, see how the season starts, and if things go sour, he’d be on the move as a flippable asset for the Ducks. It was a smart play for all sides after he lingered on the market. He’ll put $7 million in his pocket for the season, shoulder the security risk, and hope to cash in again next summer. Klingberg has struggled this season. But it’s been a mostly miserable start for all involved with the rebuilding Ducks, so we have an idea where this is heading. Klingberg’s full ‘no-trade’ clause expired on New Year’s Day. Will someone attempt to jump the market for the premier rental defenseman available?

7. Mattias Ekholm
Left Defense, Nashville Predators
Age: 32
Stats: 35 GP, 2 G, 9 A, 11 Pts
Contract: 3 more seasons, $6.25 million AAV
Scoop: Yes, it was just over a year ago that Ekholm signed a 4-year deal worth $25 million with the Predators, mainly to avoid a situation exactly like this one – where he is on the market. But Predators GM David Poile has some uncomfortable decisions to make as Nashville has regressed to a likely non-playoff team saddled with expensive, term-laden contracts. We’re told Poile is ready to consider moving Ekholm, and will have a few other cards are on the table. Could Ryan McDonagh also be available? McDonagh was convinced to waive his ‘no-trade’ clause to leave Tampa Bay, and that might be a tall ask this time around. And Ekholm doesn’t have any ‘no-trade’ protection in his deal. Buckle up on Lower Broadway.

8. Anthony Duclair *
Left Wing, Florida Panthers
Age: 27
Stats: 74 GP, 31 G, 27 A, 58 Pts (2021-22)
Contract: 1 more season, $3 million AAV
Scoop: Duclair has an asterisk because he is representative of a trade the Panthers must make in order to be cap compliant once everyone on the roster is healthy. Or, maybe that should say if everyone gets healthy. Duclair appears to still be a couple weeks away from returning from his July surgery to repair an Achilles tear. Patric Hornqvist is also out indefinitely with a concussion, but he is skating again with the team in a non-contact jersey. Can the Cats milk these injuries a bit to avoid a trade of significance? Maybe. But the Panthers are flying close to the sun with the cap. They’ve had to play with a short bench multiple times. Since there is no one to trade down, a trade is necessary (barring other injury) to make room for Duclair and Hornqvist when ready. But Duclair might not be the one that goes.

9. Vladislav Gavrikov
Left Defense, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 27
Stats: 35 GP, 2 G, 7 A, 9 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.8 million AAV
Scoop: Everything has gone so wrong in Columbus that the Blue Jackets have reached the proverbial “Our pets’ heads are falling off” stage. Injuries have mounted. Structure has been lacking. And Gavrikov is sitting there as a nice potential trade chip. Gavrikov is a strong defender, a true defense-first defenseman, and nearly every team can maneuver his cap hit. What does the package look like? The Blue Jackets received first and third-round picks for David Savard in 2021. Gavrikov is probably a better player and definitely younger. A haul for Gavrikov would be the one bright spot in a sad season for the CBJ.

10. Erik Karlsson
Right Defense, San Jose Sharks
Age: 32
Stats: 39 GP, 13 G, 40 A, 53 Pts
Contract: 4 more seasons, $11.5 million AAV
Scoop: Every night, Karlsson does something that makes your jaw hit the floor. He’s leading the league in assists, on pace to become the NHL’s first 100-point defenseman since Brian Leetch in 1992-93. And his general manager, Mike Grier, said in November he’s willing to listen to offers. The truth is, what rebuilding GM is slamming the phone down if a team is willing to take an $11.5 million deal off your books? For that reason, moving Karlsson would be one of the most complicated transactions in league history. Either by space available or need, you can count the number of fits on a couple fingers. The Sharks likely won’t want to retain and be handcuffed, leaving only one retained salary transaction left available. But they’re probably going to have to in order to make it happen. Any trade of Karlsson still feels like a real longshot.

11. Shayne Gostisbehere
Left Defense, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 29
Stats: 35 GP, 9 G, 17 A, 26 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $4.5 million AAV
Scoop: Remember when the Flyers had to trade a second and seventh round pick to Arizona in order to get out from Gostisbehere’s contract? That hurts. He’s found his confidence again in the desert after it crumbled under coach Dave Hakstol in Philadelphia. Not surprisingly, the former 65-point defenseman can still play. He’s rejuvenated his game and is on track to hit 60 points again. He’s very efficient moving the puck and a solid addition to any power play. And this isn’t a recent phenomenon: Ghost’s underlying metrics were damn good last season.

12. Ryan O’Reilly
Center, St. Louis Blues
Age: 31
Stats: 31 GP, 10 G, 6 A, 16 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $7.5 million AAV
Scoop: The Blues announced on Monday that O’Reilly would be re-evaluated in six weeks for a broken foot. That pegs a potential return sometime around two weeks before the deadline. A quick sampling of opposing teams indicated that the injury would not hamper their interest or return in a deal for O’Reilly – it may even enhance it, knowing they’d be acquiring a rested player. There is no doubt O’Reilly has struggled at times this season in his contract year. The entire Blues team has struggled with consistency. It seemed unthinkable heading into the season that O’Reilly would be a trade candidate, but with the Blues on the outside of the playoff picture, an uncomfortable conversation around their captain is on the table.

13. James van Riemsdyk
Left Wing, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 33
Stats: 18 GP, 5 G, 10 A, 15 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $7 million AAV
Scoop: Death, taxes and ‘JVR’ scoring at a 22-goal clip in the NHL. Those are three things you can bank on. Van Riemsdyk has rebounded from a fractured finger earlier this season into his usual form. He’s never been fleet of foot, so his speed isn’t a concern, because he has a knack like few others to find the puck at the exact right moment. It’s for that reason that ‘JVR’ is the 12th-best net-front scorer in the NHL, according to our Archetype Rankings series. If the Flyers are willing to retain half, which every indication is they would be willing to do, they can salvage a nice asset from a most disappointing season. That’s a long way from having to pay to move him last summer.

14. Vladimir Tarasenko
Right Wing, St. Louis Blues
Age: 31
Stats: 34 GP, 10 G, 19 A, 29 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $7.5 million AAV
Scoop: Like O’Reilly, Tarasenko is on the shelf for a bit with a hand injury that will keep him out at least a month. Unlike O’Reilly’s, his injury is a little more ambiguous, and teams will want to see that there are no ill effects on the sniper’s shot when he is ready to return. The good news is that he should have plenty of time before the deadline to prove that he is back to full strength. Perhaps then, Tarasenko can finally find his way out of St. Louis, as his 2021 trade request has never been rescinded. He holds the keys on his next destination by virtue of a full ‘no-trade’ clause.

15. Max Domi
Center/Left Wing, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 27
Stats: 26 GP, 11 G, 13 A, 24 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $3 million AAV
Scoop: The Blackhawks aren’t in a position to say no to any asset harvest, though Domi and Andreas Athanasiou have been exactly what they were signed to be. Smart bets. They’ve both fit in well on a line with Patrick Kane – and all three players are on the Trade Targets board. Domi has delivered for Chicago in an impressive way, certainly better than some of the bigger name top-six forwards on this board who would theoretically be more expensive. Keep in mind: Domi netted an OT winner for the Hurricanes last year in the playoffs. One playoff contribution like that, winning one postseason game, would be enough to justify an acquisition.

16. Ivan Barbashev
Right Wing, St. Louis Blues
Age: 27
Stats: 37 GP, 5 G, 11 A, 16 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.25 million AAV
Scoop: With Tarasenko and O’Reilly out, Armstrong mentioned it was a “tremendous opportunity” for other players to step up – and Barbashev is undoubtedly one of the recipients of that opportunity. He collected 26 goals and 60 points last season and also saw a chunk of time at center. He’s playing on the first unit power play now and has a chance to get back on the type of pace he was playing at last season. That’s a tall ask, given his start to the season. But he’s a talented player on an inexpensive, expiring contract that could have real value for the Blues.

17. Gustav Nyquist
Left Wing, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 33
Stats: 35 GP, 8 G, 10 A, 18 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $5.5 million AAV
Scoop: Nyquist is in the second tier of scoring wingers available, a player who quietly and reliably collects his half-point-per-game numbers without much fanfare. Four years ago, Nyquist was acquired by the Sharks for second and third-round picks, and he delivered with 11 points in 20 playoff games as San Jose advanced to the Western Conference Final. He signed a four-year deal in Columbus and has delivered on basically the same production level, just a consistent producer. His salary cap hit is manageable when halved by the Blue Jackets and could provide a decent return.

18. Jack Roslovic
Center, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 25
Stats: 32 GP, 3 G, 16 A, 19 Pts
Contract: 1 more season, $4 million AAV
Scoop: There have been some rumblings of late that the Blue Jackets are curious about the market for Roslovic, who was a big part of the deal for Pierre-Luc Dubois back in 2021. Unlike Gavrikov and Nyquist, Roslovic would represent a hockey trade. Roslovic’s point production has been solid, touching 20 goals for the first time last year, but his effort and work rate has been described as inconsistent. The difficult part for Columbus is they’d be trading when his value is low – and he’s a homegrown Columbus kid. Roslovic has 13 points in his last 14 games.

19. Brock Boeser
Right Wing, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 25
Stats: 28 GP, 6 G, 14 A, 20 Pts
Contract: 2 more seasons, $6.65 million AAV
Scoop: Canucks president Jim Rutherford said if this season continues to swirl down the drain, they will be forced to unload larger contracts. Outside of pending UFA Horvat (No. 1), Boeser is perhaps most moveable of those deals. He certainly hasn’t scored at his typical rate this season, but Boeser started slow and finished stronger last season with 29 points in 43 games. His contract probably has him overpaid by approximately $1 million, which devalues the return in a trade, but if the Canucks are looking to create salary cap space then Boeser is certainly an avenue.

20. Jake McCabe
Left Defense, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 29
Stats: 33 GP, 1 G, 8 A, 9 Pts
Contract: 2 more seasons, $4 million AAV
Scoop: The Oilers were one of the teams recently linked to McCabe, who is a solid defender with term on his contract. However, McCabe has a seven-team ‘no-trade’ list and given that it’s an odd number, it’s fair to speculate as to how many Canadian teams would be included on that list. The Blackhawks aren’t in any rush to move McCabe, a character player they see value in to help steady the ship over the course of their rebuild. There’s no mistaking they’re willing to consider anything that comes their way, though.

21. Joel Edmundson
Left Defense, Montreal Canadiens
Age: 29
Stats: 27 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 Pts
Contract: 1 more season, $3.5 million AAV
Scoop: With one year remaining on his contract, Edmundson might not be at the top of the Habs’ list of players to move, but as teams scour the market for defensemen, he will have value with both Stanley Cup pedigree and cost certainty. The Canadiens have taken a beating in the standings over the last month, which hasn’t been pretty for anyone, but teams have plenty of tape on Edmundson to understand his value and contribution to a contending team.

22. Andreas Athanasiou
Left Wing, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 28
Stats: 35 GP, 8 G, 4 A, 12 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $3 million AAV
Scoop: Feels like we’re a long ways away from Feb. 2020, just before the pandemic hit, when Athanasiou garnered two second-round picks from Edmonton. He struggled with injury in L.A. Now, he’s back to flying around again in Chicago with incredibly valuable speed. He is tied for second in the league with five breakaways this season, according to Stathletes, and generates a league-leading number of scoring chances off the rush. He is the perfect flippable asset for Chicago.

23. James Reimer
Goaltender, San Jose Sharks
Age: 34
Stats: 21 GP, 3.18 GAA, .896 Sv%
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.25 million AAV
Scoop: It’s a little early to map out the goaltending market, but if any team runs into a pinch with goaltending, Reimer is the perfect solution. He’s as rock solid as they come in the most fickle position in pro sports. Here’s an incredible stat: In 13 full seasons in the NHL, Reimer has never finished a season with a sub-.900 save percentage. This would be the first if it holds up. But it’s hard to place the blame at his feet with the group in front of him. Reimer is steady, durable and comes with a cap hit and contract that makes him no-risk.

24. Teddy Blueger
Center, Pittsburgh Penguins
Age: 26
Stats: 22 GP, 1 G, 6 A, 7 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.2 million AAV
Scoop: If the Penguins are looking to make a move at the deadline to bolster Sidney Crosby’s squad, they’re going to have to get creative. They have no salary cap space and limited prospects of interest. It’s unlikely a team is willing to take on Kasperi Kapanen unless the Penguins pay to do so. That might mean someone like Blueger could be on the move to clear space. GM Ron Hextall is loathe to part ways with centers, but Blueger’s ice time is down almost three minutes from last season and teams would find his versatile skillset valuable.

25. Ryan Merkley
Right Defense, San Jose Sharks
Age: 22
Stats: 0 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 Pts
Contract: Pending RFA, $863K AAV
Scoop: The Sharks recently sent a note to all 31 teams letting them know that Merkley is available. The 2018 first-round pick requested a trade and the Sharks are trying to accommodate his wishes. Merkley played 39 games last year for the Sharks, but hasn’t made it back to the NHL this year, playing the entire season to this point with the San Jose Barracuda. Merkley has 44 points in 93 career AHL games and has waiver eligibility through the end of this season.

TRADED: No. 18 Ryan Reaves.

Next up: Sean Monahan, Montreal Canadiens.

Recently by Frank Seravalli

_____

• Boston Bruins say review found ‘no misconduct’ in botched Mitchell Miller signing
• Toronto Maple Leafs acquire Dryden Hunt from Colorado in exchange for Denis Malgin
• NHL says distracting digital dasher board ads are ‘non-issue’
• NHL not yet willing to entertain negotiations on salary cap increase

The post Nashville’s Mattias Ekholm is available on first 2023 Trade Targets board appeared first on Daily Faceoff.

The Notebook includes everything you need to know to set your Season-Long and Daily Fantasy Lineups: including Injuries, Projected Lines and Pairings, Starting Goalie Rankings, and Value Picks (DFS).

DFO DFS REPORT

Goes LIVE on YouTube at 5300 PM ET. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and hit the notification bell!

Key Injuries/Lineup Changes

IN

• [CBJ] Patrick Laine (RW) will return to the Blue Jackets lineup Tuesday vs. Ottawa (Covid).
• [EDM] Leon Draisaitl (C) will be back in the Oilers lineup on Tuesday (undisclosed).
• [MTL] Anthony Richard (LW) will draw back into the Canadiens’ lineup Tuesday vs. Nashville.
• [MTL] David Savard (D) will return to the Canadiens lineup on Tuesday (upper-body).
• [NSH] Mark Jankowski (C) will dress Tuesday vs. Montreal.
• [NSH] Roland McKeown (D) will draw back into the Predators’ lineup Tuesday vs. Montreal.
• [NYI] Semyon Varlamov (G) has been activated from the injured reserve (lower body).
• [OTT] Erik Brannstrom (D) will return to the Senators’ lineup Tuesday vs. Columbus (leg).
• [TOR] Rasmus Sandin (D) will return to the Maple Leafs’ lineup Tuesday (Neck).

GAMETIME DECISIONS

• [WSH] T.J. Oshie (RW) will be a game-time decision for the Capitals’ Tuesday vs. Buffalo (upper body).

OUT

• [FLA] Chris Tierney (C) has been reassigned to Charlotte (AHL).
• [MTL] Johnathan Kovacevic (D) will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Nashville.
• [MTL] Joel Armia (C) will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Nashville.
• [NSH] Dante Fabbro (D) will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Montreal.
• [NSH] Cole Smith (LW) is day-to-day and will miss Tuesday’s game vs. Montreal (upper-body).
• [NYI] Cory Schneider (G) has been reassigned to Bridgeport (AHL).
• [OTT] Jacob Bernard-Docker (D) has been reassigned to Belleville (AHL).
• [STL] Vladimir Tarasenko (RW) will miss at least four weeks with a hand injury.
• [STL] Ryan O’Reilly (C) is expected to miss at least six weeks with a broken foot.
• [TOR] Joey Anderson (RW) has been loaned to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).

NOTEBOOK PRESENTED BY BETWAY

Projected Lineups

*Subject to change*

Washington Capitals vs. Buffalo Sabres

Ovechkin – Strome – Sheary Milano – Kuznetsov – Mantha Johansson – Eller – Oshie Protas – Dowd – Hathaway Gustafsson – van Riemsdyk Orlov – Jensen Fehervary – Irwin

Skinner – Thompson – Tuch Peterka – Cozens – Quinn Mittelstadt – Jost – Olofsson Girgensons – Krebs – Okposo Samuelsson – Dahlin Power – Clague Bryson – Lyubushkin

Florida Panthers vs. Arizona Coyotes

New York Rangers vs. Dallas Stars

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. St. Louis Blues

Ottawa Senators vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

Nashville Predators vs. Montreal Canadiens

Winnipeg Jets vs. Calgary Flames

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Edmonton Oilers vs. Seattle Kraken

Vancouver Canucks vs. New York Islanders

Los Angeles Kings vs. Dallas Stars

Goalie Rankings

Daily Value Picks

C – Paul Stastny (CAR) – $3,100
W – Jesse Puljujarvi (EDM) – $3,700
D – Mattias Ekholm (NSH) – $3,600

DFS 5v5 Score:

CLICK HERE FOR ALL OF THE DFO DFS CHARTS

The post Daily Fantasy Hockey Notebook – (01/03/2023) appeared first on Daily Faceoff.

Trying to decide which goalies to start is a dilemma that Fantasy Hockey owners face daily. 

We here at DailyFaceoff try to make being a Fantasy Owner as easy as possible. Each day, we will rank the day’s starting goalies based on their Projected Win%, Goals Against Average, and SV%. Win percentage and expected goals against are generated from Sportsbooks Odds and Implied Totals. 

In addition to the Starting Goalies Rankings table, we will have a write-up about the best streaming options for that day (if any).

Keep an eye on our Starting Goalies page to ensure the goals listed below are CONFIRMED to start.

Goalie Rankings 

GOALIE RANKINGS PRESENTED BY BETWAY

Streaming Targets

Anton Forsberg (OTT vs. CBJ) – 36% Rostered

Forsberg is the only goalie under 50 percent rostered that grades out in the top-10 tonight, so he’s the only viable spot-start option this early into the week. Forsberg’s most recent outing was his best of the year, stopping 33 of 34 shots in a win over a red-hot Sabres team. Overall, he’s been really good since the middle of November, going 3-2-1 with a .929 SV% in his last eight appearances. Tonight he faces a Blue Jackets team that is bottom-10 in both xGF/60 and GF/60 in their last 25 games. Forsberg has the fifth-highest implied win% (68.4%) and tied for the sixth-lowest implied goals against (2.70) of the 22 netminders this evening.

The post Fantasy Hockey: Daily Goalie Rankings – 01/03/23 appeared first on Daily Faceoff.

The DailyFaceoff DFS Charts used to be a PREMIUM Tool, but we are now happy to offer them 100 percent FREE!

The charts are posted daily (Monday to Saturday) but usually aren’t available until all NHL lineups have been confirmed (roughly 3:00 PM ET). This year there will be three separate versions of the charts, one for OwnersBox, one for DraftKings, and one for FanDuel. The information is the same, but the site’s pricing differs. The links to these charts will change daily, so you’ll have to get the new links from the current day’s DFS Chart post.

CLICK THE LINKS BELOW FOR TODAY’S CHARTS

DraftKings

FanDuel

WATCH THE DFO DFS REPORT LIVE @ 5:30 PM ET

HOW TO READ THE CHARTS

Implied Totals

The implied totals for all of the day’s games that are included in the Main DFS Slate. Implied totals are the number of goals each team is implied to score based on Sportsbook’s game line and total. Targetting players on team’s with the highest implied totals is usually a good place to start.

Matchups and Matchup Score

Matchups are based on historical data on how a home team deploys their lines at 5v5. The percentage is the projected percent that each line is expected to face other lines.

The Matchup Score is calculated based on the difficulty of each matchup and the amount they are projected to face each line. Each line’s matchup is weighted against all other matchups on the slate and given a score from 1-to-100, with 100 representing the best matchup for offensive success.

PRESENTED BY BETWAY

Line Stats

Line Stats showcase every line’s offensive and defensive metrics. O-Score and D-Score represent all of the metrics in one number weighted against the other lines on the slate. The higher the O-Score, the better that line is offensively. The same goes for D-Score. You want to target lines with high O-Scores that will face lines with negative or low D-Scores, which is represented in the Matchup Score above.

In this example, TBL1 is the best offensive line on the slate, and roughly 29 percent of their ice-time is expected to come against NYR2, which is the worst defensive line on the slate. That is a matchup that you’d expect TBL1 to dominate tonight.

5v5 Score

Using each line’s expected TOI, matchups and stats of both team and their opposition, we get one number: 5v5 Score. It represents which line has the best chance for high offensive output on that slate. It also includes the prices for all three players on the line and a full line-stack price.

Defensemen

A table that displays all active defensemen expected to play on that slate and makes it easy to identify who the best plays are.

• Floor – The player’s floor is based on their shot volume and blocked shots.
• Upside – The player’s upside is based on their ability to pick up goals, assists, shots and blocked shots.
• Average – Average of their Floor and Upside.
• Value – The players’ value in relation to Average and Salary.
• G/60 – Goals per 60 minutes (all situations)
• A/60 – Assists per 60 minutes (all situations)
• SOG/60 – Shots on goal per 60 minutes (all situations)
• BS/60 – Blocked shots per 60 minutes (all situations)

Goalies

A table that displays all of the goalies that are expected to start on that slate. There is a projection based on expected shot volume and the win percentage, and implied totals that come from the sportsbook. I also display the Points/$1,000 in case you’re looking for the best value play between the pipes. And of course, we display whether the goalie is confirmed, probable or unconfirmed… we are DailyFaceoff after all.

The post DFO DFS CHARTS – 01/03/23 appeared first on Daily Faceoff.

Why I like this matchup:

Saros has been red hot in goal for the Predators. And Montembeault has stolen several wins for Montreal.

What to watch for:

In his last nine appearances, Saros hasn’t posted a save percentage below 90 percent. For me, he’s been the most consistent goaltender in the NHL dating back to American Thanksgiving. I’m a huge fan of Saros’ skating ability. And right now I think he’s tracking the puck extremely well. Saros is finding lanes through traffic and anticipating plays. Sadly, the Predators are wasting too many of his outstanding efforts in goal. Saros is 3-3-3 in his last nine starts – a testament to Nashville’s lack of offense.

I can’t say I envy Montembeault’s job for the Canadiens. There’s been nights where he’s been the sacrificial lamb playing behind an extremely young lineup. But Montembeault has won a few games this year almost single-handedly. At 26 years old, he finally looks comfortable. Don’t let his .904 save percentage fool you: Montembeault is 31st moneypuck.com’s goals saved above expected rankings, just two spots behind goalie partner Jake Allen. Sure, Montembeault was dinged for seven goals in his last start. But in nine of 12 appearances, the Habs netminder has kept the opposition to three goals or fewer.

What fantasy owners should do:

Montembeault is a big gamble considering he’s had a few blowup games this year. But he is crushing it for fantasy owners in the saves department. I’d start him if you need that category. Saros should always start.

Bottom line for Juuse Saros:

Consistency is great. But if the Predators are going to make the Stanley Cup playoffs, Saros will have to start posting shutouts.

Bottom line for Samuel Montembeault:

Just keep grinding. Montembeault has proven to be a solid NHL goaltender. And he keeps improving.

The post McKenna’s Matchup of the Day: Jan. 3 – Juuse Saros vs. Samuel Montembeault appeared first on Daily Faceoff.

Vrana, 26, has one goal and one assist in two games with the Red Wings this season. He recently went through the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and has played three games with the Grand Rapids Griffins on a conditioning stint.

The Red Wings originally acquired Vrana from the Washington Capitals in 2020 as part of a package for power forward Anthony Mantha. Vrana is signed through the end of the 2023-24 season at a $5.25 million NHL cap hit.

The Capitals originally selected Vrana in the first round (No. 13 overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft. The six-foot left winger made his NHL debut with the Capitals in the 2016-17 season and won the Stanley Cup with the team the following year.

Vrana has dealt with significant injury issues since joining the Red Wings, appearing in just 39 games with the team over parts of three seasons, but he’s been extremely productive when healthy. The Prague product has 22 goals and 32 points in those 39 games with Detroit.

Over his three-game AHL conditioning stint with Grand Rapids, Vrana has yet to record a point and is a minus-5. We’ll know by Wednesday afternoon whether Vrana will remain in the Red Wings organization or if he’ll be a member of a new team.

Through 323 games with the Capitals and Red Wings over parts of seven NHL regular seasons, Vrana has 98 goals and 189 points. He’s added three goals and eight points in 38 playoff games with Washington.

The post Detroit Red Wings place Jakub Vrana on waivers appeared first on Daily Faceoff.

Frank Seravalli: Connor Bedard had an incredible night in Halifax, Nova Scotia; just an incredible scene, a spine-tingling scene with his ability to set himself apart from the competition not just in this world juniors but in world juniors lore. Lapping the field now in terms of point production, 34 points in 15 games played, absolutely incredible. That moment coming in that game against Slovakia in overtime is something people will be remembering for a long, long time. 

Mike McKenna: No question. That’s taking the team on your shoulders, winning the game for your team, and being the best player on the ice at the biggest moment, that’s what Bedard did last night. Frank, I just keep thinking about what this guy’s NHL future is going to look like and the comparable. It’s hard to even find any in junior hockey, you know he’s been playing with the Regina Pats in the Western Hockey League (WHL) scoring at almost a goal-per-game pace over his 15, 16 and 17-year-old seasons. You just don’t find anyone that does that Frank. We could be looking at a guy who could score 60-70 goals in an NHL season and it’s his vision. There are a lot of players with great individual skill sets, but his game sense and peripheral vision with the way he plays with his head up, I haven’t seen much of that from a 17 year old. It’s no wonder he is dominating and it’s going to translate really quickly to his play at the NHL. 

Frank Seravalli: It’s also his confidence, It is one thing to have the awareness but it’s another to have the confidence to pull stuff like that off. It’s one thing to see it, but another to do it. A lot of people can see it and think it but can’t actually pull it off. He’s got the confidence and creativity to pull it off and it’s scary. I just wonder at one point if we should pump the brakes a little bit. I’ve got a scout, a close friend who has watched Bedard his entire career and I keep asking the question, and I asked the question yesterday before the game “through the preliminary round, is Connor Bedard a generational talent or is he a franchise superstar?” And he said “still in the franchise superstar category” so not quite in the McDavid/Matthews category. But you watch a game like that, in that stage, in Canada putting the team on his back, and that kinda feels generational. Maybe we’re drawing a line that doesn’t need to be drawn, but nonetheless a very special player. 

Mike McKenna: Yeah, this guy will contend for Hart Trophies. He’s going to be as good as Auston Matthews, I don’t know how many players can touch McDavid in terms of skill altogether but Connor Bedard is going to be right there. He’s special. 

You can watch the full episode here…

The post Daily Faceoff Live: is Connor Bedard a generational prospect or franchise superstar? appeared first on Daily Faceoff.