Squad Up Daily NHL Fantasy Dose: Hot streak has ignited Flames’ fantasy value

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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Monday, March 13 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):

Dynamic Duos

  • C Sean Monahan (50K) & LW Johnny Gaudreau (61K), Flames (vs. Penguins): The Penguins have rotated goalies in each of their last seven games. If this trend continues, Marc-Andre Fleury (.887 SV%, 3.60 GAA on the road) will be between the pipes. The Flower could get burnt to the ground against the red-hot Flames. Monahan and Gaudreau have been offensive catalysts during Calgary's 14-2-1 run.
  • C Ryan Johansen (66K) & LW Filip Forsberg (73K), Predators (vs. Jets): Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck has also been awful on the road this season, posting an .898 SV% and a 3.14 GAA. Nashville is 19-8-7 at home. Expect their two leading point-getters, Johansen and Forsberg, to lead the way in this contest.
  • C Brayden Point (35K) & RW Nikita Kucherov (72K), Lightning (at Rangers): With G Henrik Lundqvist sidelined, the Rangers can either put Antti Raanta in the unfamiliar position of starting on back-to-back days, or turn to Magnus Hellberg between the pipes. Neither option is appealing, meaning big performances could be had from Kucherov and Point.

Goalie Breakdown

  • TARGET - Tuukka Rask (100K), Bruins (at Canucks): The Canucks rank 26th in xGF60 (expected goals for per 60 minutes) and 28th in goals for per game. Rask and the Bruins should have no problem shutting down such a lackluster offense.
  • BARGAIN - Jake Allen (79K), Blues (at Kings): Allen is 8-5 with a .937 SV% since head coach Ken Hitchcock was fired, Feb. 1. Against a sub-par offense like Los Angeles', Allen provides outstanding value on a slate with few bargains in goal.
  • FADE - Marc-Andre Fleury, Penguins (at Flames): As previously mentioned, Fleury has been an absolute dumpster fire on the road. Do not roster him against the hottest team in the NHL.
  • CONTRARIAN - Brian Elliott (93K), Flames (vs. Penguins): Elliott will surely have low-ownership with the league's top offense coming to town. However, he has back-to-back shutouts and a .963 SV% in his last seven games. A hot goalie can shut down even the best of offenses.

Bargain Plays

  • RW Oliver Bjorkstrand (31K), Blue Jackets (at Flyers): Bjorkstrand's 5.4 iSCF60 (individual scoring chances for per 60 minutes) lead the Blue Jackets. Lately, Bjorkstrand has been taking advantage of these chances, potting three goals in his last four games. The 21-year-old Dane has plenty of talent and could be coming into his own.
  • LW Micheal Ferland (27K), Flames (vs. Penguins): Playing on a line with Monahan and Gaudreau, Ferland has scored nine goals during Calgary's 14-2-1 run.
  • D T.J. Brodie (26K), Flames (vs. Penguins): Brodie has also been a key part of Calgary's hot streak. He has six points in as many games from the back end. He posted back-to-back 40-point campaigns coming into the season, so this offensive surge shouldn't surprise anyone.

Top Fades

  • C Sidney Crosby (87K), Penguins (at Flames): It's extremely tough to build a lineup around a player costing 87K. Though it may seem fitting since Crosby wears number 87, it just isn't a smart investment with how great Brian Elliott has been lately. If you want a Penguin for contrarian value, roster C Evgeni Malkin, who is cheaper and has been equally productive.
  • LW Jonathan Drouin (56K), Lightning (at Rangers): Drouin is centering Tampa's second line between Yanni Gourde (?) and Alex Killorn. Drouin has very little career experience at center. Don't bother drafting a player skating out of position.
  • C Claude Giroux (57K), Flyers (vs. Blue Jackets): Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has allowed just six goals in his last six games, including three shutouts. Don't bother spending up for an inconsistent offensive producer like Giroux.

Contrarian Options

  • C Matt Duchene (48K), Avalanche (at Coyotes): Duchene has gone 10 games without a point, so you can expect his ownership will be somewhere between zero and one percent. If there were a game for Duchene to get off the schneid, this would be it. Arizona has the highest xGA60 and allows the most scoring chances.
  • RW Blake Wheeler (59K), Jets (at Predators): Rookie phenom Patrik Laine is cheaper with better production at the same position, meaning Wheeler, who has two three-point games in the past 10 days, will be faded.
  • D Oliver Ekman-Larsson (54K), Coyotes (vs. Avalanche): OEL has a higher salary than more productive D who play on superior teams, so he won't have too high of ownership. However, Colorado allows more goals against per game than any other team, increasing Ekman-Larsson's chances of a multi-point night.

(Photos courtesy Action Images)

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