Written by Hunter Skoczylas of DraftKings Network.
This article originally appeared on DraftKingsNetwork.com!
The Boston Bruins finished November with a 9-5-0 record and capped it off by winning two of their three games last week. Boston finds itself in second place in the Atlantic Division with a 15-12-0 record, 30 points, and a -3 goal differential. The Bruins remain one of just two teams left that have yet to lose a game in overtime.
David Pastrnak (11G, 18A) secured two points last week, but he has failed to find the back of the net since Nov. 13. That has been okay for Boston; however, as Morgan Geekie (20G, 6A) has netted eight goals in the past six games and is tied with Nathan MacKinnon for the most goals in the NHL. Pavel Zacha (5G, 12A) and Charlie McAvoy (0G, 14A) round out the top four. Goaltending has steadily improved as the season has progressed, as Jeremy Swayman (2.62 GAA, .915 SV%) now ranks first in goals saved above expected and fifth in SV% above expected. He has averaged 14.8 DK FPTS per game, the third-best mark in the NHL.
Bruins' upcoming schedule for the week of December 2
- Tuesday, December 2 at Detroit Red Wings
- Thursday, December 4 vs. St. Louis Blues
- Saturday, December 6 vs. New Jersey Devils
Bruins' DraftKings Fantasy Preview
Tuesday, December 2 at Detroit Red Wings
- The Detroit Wings are in fifth place in the Atlantic Division and 12th place in the Eastern Conference with a 13-11-2 record, 28 points, and a -12 goal differential.
- Following a strong start, the Red Wings went 5-7-2 in November, while averaging 2.6 goals per game and allowing 3.6 goals per game. The offensive efficiency has been inconsistent, with the club ranking 22nd in goals per 60 and 28th in Goals%. Positive regression may be coming soon; however, as Detroit ranks fifth in xGoals%. The Red Wings rank 13th in PP%, 10th in power play goals and eighth in penalties drawn per 60.
- Despite the inconsistencies, the point production has been there, with Dylan Larkin (14G, 15A) and Lucas Raymond (8G, 19A) leading the way. Raymond has posted at least one point in nine of the past 10 games, while averaging 11.5 DraftKings FPTS per game. Detroit's offensive depth is top-notch, but until it receives ample goaltending, wins will be hard to come by. Cam Talbot (2.88 GAA and .888 SV%) sports a 9-4-1 record but ranks 33rd in goals saved above expected and 39th in SV% above expected. John Gibson (3.59 GAA and .865 SV%) has started the same number of games as Talbot, despite ranking near the bottom in each of those categories.
Thursday, December 4 vs. St. Louis Blues
- The St. Louis Blues are in seventh place in the Central Division and 13th place in the Western Conference with a 9-11-7 record, 25 points, and a -26 goal differential.
- The Blues enter the new week having won two of their past three games, but it has still been a disappointing start to the season for the club. St. Louis finds itself near the bottom of the conference standings, thanks to underwhelming offensive play paired with poor goaltending. The club ranks 29th in goals per 60, 27th in goals against per 60 and 31st in Goals%. The special teams play could use some improvement, too, ranking 18th in PP% and 25th in PK%.
- Goals have been hard to come by in St. Louis, and it has allowed the second-most goals in the NHL. Not a single Blues' skater has yet to eclipse double-digit goals, with both Robert Thomas (4G, 13A) and Jordan Kyrou (8G, 7A) leading the team in points. Still, 11 different skaters have posted at least 10 points thus far, so the depth has been solid, but the goaltending has canceled most of it out. Jordan Binnington (3.20 GAA, .878 SV%) is 6-6-5 across 16 starts, and Joel Hofer (3.29 GAA, .882 SV%) is 3-5-2 across 11 starts. Both goaltenders have played poorly, especially Binnington, who ranks 73rd in goals saved above expected and 68th in SV% above expected, while averaging just 7.4 DK FPTS per game.
Saturday, December 6 vs. New Jersey Devils
- The New Jersey Devils are in second place in the Metropolitan Division and third place in the Eastern Conference with a 16-9-1 record, 33 points, and a +4 goal differential.
- New Jersey has stayed afloat since its superstar, Jack Hughes, injured his hand in a freak accident at a team dinner. The club has gone 4-5-0 since Hughes' surgery on Nov. 15, while averaging 2.8 goals per game and allowing 3.2 goals per game. The Devils are solid at each level of the ice, but they're a middling squad when it comes to the rankings. The club ranks 11th in goals per 60 and 16th in goals against per 60. Perhaps its special teams' units have been stellar, ranking fifth in PP% and eighth in PK%, which makes it difficult for opponents to take advantage.
- Hughes still ranks fifth on the team in points after a strong start to the season, but his teammates have stepped up in his absence. Jesper Bratt (5G, 21A) has led the way for the club and ranks inside the top 10 in the NHL in assists. Both Nico Hischier (10G, 15A) and Timo Meier (10G, 12A) have also stepped up and round out the top three. Meier has particularly thrived in his first-line role, posting at least one point in each of the past six games, while averaging 11.6 DK FPTS per game this season.
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