Will Butcher dished out three assists in New Jersey's 4-1 victory over the Avalanche Saturday afternoon.
Fantasy Implications: Each of Butcher's assists came on the power-play, earning him the first star of the game in his NHL debut. The Hobey Baker winner logged 12:45 of ice time, with 3:23 coming on the man advantage. Teams will certainly test his diminutive 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame, yet Butcher has all the tools to become a dynamic blueliner and power-play quarterback.
Saturday, October 7, 2017
Cory Schneider brilliant in win
Cory Schneider saved 40 of the 41 shots the Avalanche sent his way to lead the Devils to a 4-1 win over Colorado on Saturday.
Fantasy Implications: Schneider is coming off a regrettable 2016-17 season, posting 2.82 goals against average and a .908 save percentage for a Devils team that finished last in the Eastern Conference. Look for Schneider to rebound this campaign, with a revamped New Jersey team that on paper appears to be one of the more improved teams in the NHL. The 31-year-old netminder will be the irrefutable workhorse between the pipes, with backup Keith Kinkaid occasionally starting to give Schneider a needed breather.
Fantasy Implications: Schneider is coming off a regrettable 2016-17 season, posting 2.82 goals against average and a .908 save percentage for a Devils team that finished last in the Eastern Conference. Look for Schneider to rebound this campaign, with a revamped New Jersey team that on paper appears to be one of the more improved teams in the NHL. The 31-year-old netminder will be the irrefutable workhorse between the pipes, with backup Keith Kinkaid occasionally starting to give Schneider a needed breather.
James Reimer to start on Saturday
James Reimer will be between the pipes for the Panthers' home-opener against the Lightning on Saturday.
Fantasy Implications: Roberto Luongo started the first half of the home-and-home set against Tampa Bay yesterday, so Reimer will start the second half tonight. Although Luongo is considered the No. 1 goalie entering into this season's campaign, the duo will be in an essential time-share. The numbers posted by both in 2016-17 were nearly identical. The 38-year-old Luongo's days as a workhorse playing 60 plus games are over, meaning Reimer should see at least 30 starts this year.
Fantasy Implications: Roberto Luongo started the first half of the home-and-home set against Tampa Bay yesterday, so Reimer will start the second half tonight. Although Luongo is considered the No. 1 goalie entering into this season's campaign, the duo will be in an essential time-share. The numbers posted by both in 2016-17 were nearly identical. The 38-year-old Luongo's days as a workhorse playing 60 plus games are over, meaning Reimer should see at least 30 starts this year.
Jonathan Huberdeau scores goal on Friday
Jonathan Huberdeau scored a goal while recording two shots and one hit in the Panthers 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Friday. He finished the evening with a minus-2 rating.
Fantasy Implications: Huberdeau logged 18:57 of ice time Friday, including 4:18 on the power-play. Last year he was limited to only 31 games because of an Achilles injury, but still managed to record 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists). This season he is on the top-scoring line with Aleksander Barkov and Evgeny Dadonov. If able to stay healthy, the 24-year old should put up career numbers through the end 2017-18 campaign.
Fantasy Implications: Huberdeau logged 18:57 of ice time Friday, including 4:18 on the power-play. Last year he was limited to only 31 games because of an Achilles injury, but still managed to record 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists). This season he is on the top-scoring line with Aleksander Barkov and Evgeny Dadonov. If able to stay healthy, the 24-year old should put up career numbers through the end 2017-18 campaign.
Connor Brickley scores goal
Connor Brickley potted his second career NHL goal in Florida's 5-3 loss to the Lightning on Friday. He was also credited with two hits and one blocked shot, and was only one of four Panthers who ended the night with a plus rating.
Fantasy Implications: Brickley's only other goal scored was back in 2015, during his first stint with the Panthers. He spent all last year with AHL Charlotte, a minor league affiliate of the Hurricanes. The 25-year-old pivot signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Panthers on July 1. He offers little to no value in the vast majority of fantasy leagues.
Fantasy Implications: Brickley's only other goal scored was back in 2015, during his first stint with the Panthers. He spent all last year with AHL Charlotte, a minor league affiliate of the Hurricanes. The 25-year-old pivot signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Panthers on July 1. He offers little to no value in the vast majority of fantasy leagues.
Roberto Luongo saddled with loss
Roberto Luongo was credited with Florida's 5-3 loss to the Lightning on Friday night. He made 20 saves on 24 shots.
Fantasy Implications: Luongo allowed a couple of soft goals, one by Ondrej Palat who slipped the puck between Luongo's pads, and another by Brayden Point who scored on a shot from an odd angle. The 38-year-old Luongo and James Reimer form a solid netminding duo, and all signs point to another timeshare situation going into 2017-18. Unfortunately trying to figure out which goalie will start on any given night will not be easy.
Fantasy Implications: Luongo allowed a couple of soft goals, one by Ondrej Palat who slipped the puck between Luongo's pads, and another by Brayden Point who scored on a shot from an odd angle. The 38-year-old Luongo and James Reimer form a solid netminding duo, and all signs point to another timeshare situation going into 2017-18. Unfortunately trying to figure out which goalie will start on any given night will not be easy.
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