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Squad Up Daily NHL Fantasy Dose: Numerous nominal netminders available

Graig Abel / National Hockey League / Getty

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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Saturday, December 3 (games starting prior to 7 p.m. ET are not included; advanced stats courtesy of Corsica.Hockey):

Goalie Breakdown

  • TARGET - Segeri Bobrovsky (75K), Blue Jackets (at Coyotes): Arizona has the league's worst Fenwick For percentage (FF%), sits third-last in xGF60 (expected goals for per 60 minutes) and ranks fourth-last in SCF60 (scoring chances for per 60 minutes). In a nutshell, they have trouble generating offense. Bobrovsky has been as equally impressive on the road (2.05 GAA, .925 SV%) this season as at home (2.11 GAA, .932 SV%).
  • BARGAIN - Roberto Luongo (75K), Panthers (at Senators): Luongo has also been great on the road this season, sporting a .927 SV% and a 2.25 GAA away from Sunrise, FL. He should be able to bring a solid performance to Ottawa against a Senators team that has struggled to put the biscuit in the basket this season.
  • CONTRARIAN - Braden Holtby (75K), Capitals (at Lightning): Holtby won the Vezina Trophy for the league's top goaltender a season ago. His numbers are still very good this season but he might be faded with a tough matchup. He had a .927 SV% in three games against the Lightning last season.
  • FADE - EVERYONE ELSE: Bobrovsky, Luongo and Holtby are arguably the three best goaltenders on the slate, yet they are all strangely priced at the minimum. It isn't even worth considering anyone else, especially the highest priced goalies such as Semyon Varlamov, Mike Smith and Ryan Miller - all of whom have major red flags.

Triple Threat

  • C Robby Fabbri (39K), LW Alexander Steen (45K), RW Vladimir Tarasenko (83K), Blues (vs. Jets): Connor Hellebuyck has provided a stable presence in goal for Winnipeg, but he has had his struggles outside of Manitoba. Tarasenko and Co. should do even more damage to Hellebuyck's .879 SV% and 3.51 GAA on the road.
  • C Alexander Wennberg (41K), LW Brandon Saad (56K), D Zach Werenski (27K), Blue Jackets (at Coyotes): Arizona allows the most SCA60 (scoring chances against per 60 minutes) and has the highest xGA60 (expected goals against per 60 minutes) at 5v5. Led by their top line, Columbus ranks sixth in SCF60 at 5v5.
  • C Sidney Crosby (77K), LW Conor Sheary (32K), RW Patric Hornqvist (55K), Penguins (vs. Red Wings): The Red Wings have the second-worst 5v5 FF% in the entire league. Sidney Crosby-led lines have had the tendency to dominate down low during the course of his career. This group should be not match for Detroit's defense, especially since Pittsburgh will have last change on home ice.

Bargain Plays

  • C Rickard Rakell (34K), Ducks (at Oilers): Rakell has been lucky enough to spend most of his time this season playing alongside Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. The 23-year-old has nine goals and four assists in 15 games this year. Oilers G Cam Talbot was great to begin the season, but has a .901 SV% in his last 14 games.
  • LW Conor Sheary (32K), Penguins (vs. Red Wings): Like Rakell, Sheary is also blessed with first line real estate. He plays with Crosby and Hornqvsit at 5v5. Wings netminder Petr Mrazek has a GAA of 3.03 on the road this season.
  • D Alex Pietrangelo (29K), Blues (vs. Jets): Pietrangelo is one the best two-way defensemen in the entire NHL. He has a modest 12 points in 24 games this year but he logs huge minutes and blocks plenty of shots. At this low of a salary, he needs to be owned, especially when you factor in Hellebuyck's road woes.

Top Fades

  • LW Jonathan Drouin (59K), Lightning (vs. Capitals): Drouin receives far too much hype and praise than he should. Maybe it's because he was a third-overall pick, or because of the attention he drew from last season's failed trade request which preceded a great playoff performance. Nonetheless, he isn't worth 59K, especially against the Caps.
  • C Derick Brassard (55K), Senators (vs. Panthers): Brassard hasn't done nearly enough offensively this season (10 points in 24 games) to justify his high salary, especially with Luongo in net for the opposition.
  • RW Gustav Nyquist (43K), Red Wings (at Penguins): Nyquist burst onto the scene with 28 goals in 57 games in 2013-14, but he has gotten progressively worse each season. Better options can be had at a less expensive price.

Contrarian Options

  • C Henrik Sedin (63K), LW Daniel Sedin (63K), Canucks (vs. Maple Leafs): The Sedins are way overpriced considering how they have performed this season. Yet, the twins have combined for 17 goals and 31 assists in 26 games against the Leafs in their careers. Toronto is just 2-6-4 away from home this year and Frederik Andersen has a 3.10 road GAA.
  • RW Patrik Laine (39K), Jets (at Blues): Laine had gone six games without scoring until potting three goals in his last two games. He still might be faded against the Blues and their tight defensive scheme, but Carter Hutton will be in net rather than Jake Allen.
  • D Dustin Byfuglien (47K), Jets (at Blues): Byfuglien leads the NHL in xGF when on the ice in all situations. His point totals aren't where you would expect them to be, but he could turn it around against a backup netminder. His physicality gives him a high floor in Squad Up.

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