Strome was a healthy scratch in the first game of the season, but will replace Christian Dvorak in Tuesday’s lineup in Ottawa. Strome was the third overall pick in 2015. He oozes with offensive talent and comes into 2016-17 having put up 111 points (37G / 74A) in 56 games with Erie (OHL) last year.
Neuvirth allowed two goals on 25 shots in the Flyers’ season opening win in Los Angeles last Friday. Steve Mason underwhelmed in his first start on Saturday, so the Flyers will go back to Neuvirth tonight in Chicago. The Blackhawks present a stiff test on home ice and they come in at 1-2-0 while averaging 3.00 goals per game to start the young season.
Rinne allowed two goals on 24 shots in the Predators win over the Blackhawks last Friday. Marek Mazanec got the second game of the back-to-back, so Rinne is well rested for his meeting with the high-scoring Dallas Stars tonight. Rinne was 1-2-0 with a 3.68 GAA and .882 SV% against the Stars last season, so this might be a matchup you want to avoid.
Smith gave up three goals on 30 shots in the Coyotes’ overtime win over the Flyers in their season opener. It was a good start to the year for Smith, who is expected to start again tonight in Ottawa. Smith has a very young team in front of him so there will be rough nights, but tonight he faces a Senators team that is giving up 4.00 goals per game to start the season.
Talbot was yanked in Sunday’s game only to return to replace the injured Jonas Gustavsson. He ended up finishing the night with six goals against on 23 shots in a losing effort. Talbot has given up 13 shots in three games while posting a 2-1-0 record and .869 SV%. Things shouldn’t get any easier tonight vs. a Hurricanes team that has started 0-0-2, but scored seven goals in their efforts.
Lehtonen allowed one goal on 13 shots after replacing Antti Niemi in the Stars’ loss in Colorado on Saturday. Lehtonen almost led the Stars to a come from behind win, but the effort fell just short. Tonight he makes his first start of the season and it comes on the road, where he was 12-4-2 with a 2.76 GAA and .912 SV% a season ago.
Lyubimov sat as a heathy scratch for the first two games of the season, but will make his NHL debut tonight. Lyubimov will skate on the Flyers’ fourth line. He had 14 points (7G / 7A) in 52 games with CSKA Moscow (KHL) last year.
Cousins has registered two assists and two shots on goal in the first two games of the season, but will be replaced by Roman Lyubimov in the lineup tonight.
Slepyshev was a healthy scratch for the last two games, but will replace Jesse Puljujarvi in the lineup tonight. Slepyshev will skate on a line with Leon Draisaitl and Patrick Maroon.
Puljujarvi has one goal and five shots while averaging 10:51 TOI in the first three games of his NHL career. Puljujarvi will be replaced by Anton Slepyshev tonight.
Zatkoff allowed four goals on 30 shots in the Kings’ loss to Philadelphia in the Kings’ first game since Jonathan Quick got hurt. With Quick out, Zatkoff will continue as their No.1 starter, but remains a low-end No.3 fantasy option at best right now. Tonight he will face a tough Wild team that comes in at 1-1-0 while averaging 3.00 goals per game to start 2016-17.
Gibson allowed three goals on 30 shots in the Ducks’ overtime loss to the Islanders on Sunday. Gibson has not had an ideal start to the season, going 0-1-1 with a 3.59 GAA and .860 SV% in two starts. However, things could turn around tonight against a Devils team that is 0-1-1 and have only scored three goals in their first two games.
Hartman will miss a second straight game with a lower-body injury that he suffered last Friday, but he was on the ice this morning and is targeting a return to the lineup on Friday.
Devan Dubnyk started the first two games of the season, but Kuemper will make his season debut tonight in Minnesota. The 26-year-old had a mediocre 2015-16 season, having gone 6-7-5 with a 2.43 GAA and .915 SV%. He draws a good matchup tonight against a struggling Kings team without Jonathan Quick. They’re 0-2-0 and averaged just 1.50 goals per game so far.
Roberto Luongo started the first two games of the year, but Reimer will get his first start tonight in Tampa Bay. The 28-year-old had a great 2015-16 season with the Maple Leafs and Sharks, totalling a 17-14-7 record, 2.31 GAA and .922 SV%. With Luongo getting up there in age, Reimer is expected to see more starts than your average backup which makes him rosterable in deeper formats.
Goloubef has missed the first two games of the year with an oblique injury, but his return to practice on Tuesday suggests that he is nearing a return to the Blue Jackets’ lineup. He would likely take Dalton Prout’s spot in the lineup.
Flynn was a healthy scratch for the first two games of the season, but will replace Daniel Carr in the lineup on Tuesday. Flynn had 10 points (4G / 6A) in 56 games with the Canadiens last season. Flynn will skate on the fourth line with Torey Mitchell and Philip Danault.
Braden Holtby started the Capitals’ first two games of the season, but they will get Grubauer into his first game of the season tonight. Grubauer was 8-9-1 with a 2.32 GAA and .918 SV% last season, but draws a tough matchup against an Avalanche team that is off to a hot-start to the 2016-17 season.
Schneider allowed three goals on 34 shots in the Devils’ loss in Tampa Bay on Saturday. Schneider has started the year 0-1-1 with a 2.48 GAA and .926 SV% and will go for his first win of the year tonight vs. Anaheim. The Ducks are 0-2-1 while averaging just 2.00 goals per game, making it a nice matchup for Schneider.
Braden Holtby started the Capitals’ first two games of the season, but it looks like they will get Grubauer into his first game of the season tonight. Grubauer was 8-9-1 with a 2.32 GAA and .918 SV% last season, but draws a tough matchup against an Avalanche team that is off to a hot-start to the 2016-17 season.
