With the first series of postponements behind us, the NHL is loaded up with thirteen games this evening. There will be a lot to choose from, so let’s get started.
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Center
Roope Hintz (DAL): $5,600 vs. DET
It felt like it took an eternity for the Dallas Stars to finally start their season, but it was worth the wait. Dallas blasted Nashville 7-0 in their season opener, and they followed that up with another 3-2 victory over the Predators on Sunday. Not usually known for their offense, Dallas has been firing on all cylinders early on. Roope Hintz is the lynchpin of their newfound offensive success. He is centering the top line as well as the top power-play unit. In two games, Hintz has a goal and four assists. All five points have been on the power play. I would like to see more from the shot department, as Hintz only has one shot in two games, but I can’t pass up this kind of early streak. The Stars will host the sputtering Red Wings tonight, and Detroit just dropped two straight to the Chicago Blackhawks. Hintz should have plenty of chances to keep his early momentum going.
Wing
Jesse Puljujarvi (EDM): $3,000 at WPG
Puljujarvi has had an eventful first few seasons in the NHL. He became unhappy with his role in Edmonton and subsequently left the Oilers for Europe a couple of years ago. Now he’s back, and he’s got a different mindset. He has said that he’s just happy to be playing on this team and in this league, and he’s willing to play any style of game required of him. The former fourth overall pick now finds himself riding shotgun alongside Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. With that promotion, his ice time increased from an average of 12 minutes up to 17:33. It’s an incredible opportunity for a player who we know has a lot of potential. Dave Tippett can change his mind at any time, but I am happy to take a shot for this price tag.
Nick Ritchie (BOS): $3,700 vs. PIT
We knew there would be a nice opportunity for whoever stepped into David Pastrnak’s minutes in Boston. Of course, no one can match Pastrnak’s production, but anyone getting time on the first power-play unit due to his absence would get an immediate bump in opportunities. So far, Nick Ritchie has filled that gap. Ritchie has five points in five games, with four of those points coming on the power play. Ritchie is a big body, as he stands at 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds. He provides a good net-front presence on the power play, and I expect he will remain there until he cools off — or until Pastrnak returns. Speaking of which, keep an eye on “Pasta,” as he was spotted in a regular jersey during Monday’s practice. If he does return, double-check the lineups to see who gets moved off the top power-play unit; it could be Ritchie or David Krejci.
Defense
Matt Dumba (MIN): $4,900 vs. LA
After scoring 14 goals in 32 games back in the 2018-19 season, I expected Dumba to take a step forward in 2020, and I thought he could even reach 20 goals. That didn’t happen. Dumba struggled to produce offense with just 24 points in 69 games. We can blame his dismal 3.6% shooting percentage, which is low even for a defenseman, for some of his ineffectiveness. We can also blame the lack of talent in Minnesota, something that has drastically changed over the last year or so. Minnesota found a star in Kevin Fiala, and they may have the rookie of the year on their hands with Kirill Kaprizov. Dumba has two goals and three points in six contests, and he always chips in with shots on goal and blocked shots. With the LA Kings and their 3.33 goals against per game in town, I like Dumba in this spot. He will continue to quarterback a power-play unit that runs at 7% efficiency. Positive regression there is inevitable.
Goalie
Darcy Kuemper (ARI): $8,000 vs. ANH
Darcy Kuemper is an absolute star. Kuemper has maintained elite statistics despite playing for a subpar Coyotes team. He boasted a .928 save percentage and 2.22 goals against last season, following up a .925 and 2.33 the year prior. I’m not sure if people realize exactly how good this guy is. After a tough opening schedule with four games against Vegas, Arizona will welcome in an Anaheim Ducks team that scores just 1.83 goals per game, good for second to last in the NHL.
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Chris Genova is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Chris, check out his archive and follow him @FantasyOneTimer.
