Hottest team in hockey

Quietly, as no one noticed until this week, the Nashville Predators have compiled a 14-0-2 record since February 17.  Today, they have the pleasure to entertain Dylan Larkin and the Detroit Red Wings at 5 pm ET, thus missing my lineup of 7 pm or later.  BUT if somebody wanted some crazy stats??  Filip Forsberg… 24 points in that stretch, second only to Connor McDavid… 63 shots in the past 30 days, equaling David Pastrnak (ok, so Brady Tkachuk has 69). 

Both Forsberg and Roman Josi rank in the top five in my Yahoo leagues for that 30-day window. Josi himself has 19 points and a league-best (+17). Goaltenders, you ask? Juuse Saros, 1.90 GAA and 0.930 SV%, which is topped by backup Kevin Lankinen's 3-0-0, 1.00 GAA and 0.969 SV%.  They're a dangerous first-round playoff opponent for a top team out west. 

DOPS

I admit that I see things differently than many other hockey writers, but I watched that Tom Wilson slash into Noah Gregor's teeth on Wednesday. It was an intentional hit at an inappropriate time by a player who all too often has been punished for infractions just like this. Three inches lower and the new neck protector wouldn't have stopped the teeth-shattering force and could have resulted in a truly devastating windpipe injury. Six games – a wrist slap – is a gift to the Capitals, and (in my opinion) not enough to slow the malicious offenses of the game's most nefarious goon.

Saturday's DFS

We're going in a different format today, discussing opportunity by position, rather than simply the teams involved.

Centers:  Connor McDavid ($9700) has 12 points in his last six games in Toronto, and has been tearing up every team, it seems, since the calendar turned to 2024. A total of 100 assists for the season seems inevitable. J.T. Miller ($7300) has 19 points in 14 contests as the Canucks host Calgary.  Mika Zibanejad ($5400) will be playing in NYC against a Florida Panthers team without Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad.  Phillip Danault ($4800) has re-acquired Viktor Arvidsson on his wing, and Connor Bedard ($7600) plays against the Sharks – need we say more? 

Wings:  The aforementioned Arvidsson ($5800) notched two points and five shots in his return, a 6-0 romp over the Wild.  Philipp Kurashev ($5100) or Nick Foligno ($4500), from Bedard's top line?  I chose Anthony Duclair ($4400), whose opportunity playing aside Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point can't be ignored.  Other top-line placement guys to consider are Jack Roslovic ($3600) alongside Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, and Max Domi ($3300), who's briefly inherited Mitch Marner's plum assignment beside Auston Matthews. 

Defense:  Quick – past 30-day stats – which defenseman leads the NHL in power-play points?  No, it's not Quinn Hughes (though always a good play at $6600), and not Roman Josi (5:00 start, remember).  Not even Adam Fox – who does fit into my DFS play at $5200 tonight. It's the youngest Hughes brother in the league, Luke Hughes ($3700, major bargain playing at home against a leaky Ottawa club) with nine PPP. Luke only has two even-strength assists since Valentine's Day. 

Yeah, go back to wings – you might find space for Timo Meier ($5900) and his 10+4=14 points in Jersey's last 10 games. 

Goalie:  look no farther than Adin Hill ($8500), as his Golden Knights host Columbus. I've always felt that Vegas' defensemen are one of the best three units in the league, and shutting down the last place Eastern team? Decent wager.

My lineup:

Centers – Zibanejad and Danault

Wings – N. Foligno, Duclair, Roslovic

Defense – Fox and L. Hughes

Goalie – Hill

… leaving me exactly enough for all-world utility skater McDavid.

Last week. Forgettable. Move on. Take my lumps.

Spring and a winter-like snowstorm en route to New England. Stay safe!