This article is part of our Beat the Cap series.
There are less than two weeks left in the regular season, and next week's final Beat the Cap column will focus on daily strategies for the playoffs. This week, we'll zigzag across a few past topics to cover a number of low-priced players to have on your radar and look at identifying a trap game.
Trap Games
There was the perfect storm for a trap game last week when Philadelphia hosted Chicago. The Flyers were playing their first home game after losing four straight on the road. The Blackhawks, on the other hand, were playing their fourth consecutive road game and had traveled significantly. It played out as projected, and the Flyers won 4-1.
Tuesday, Toronto hosted Tampa Bay after the Lightning clinched their playoff berth with a road victory over Montreal. It was a mismatch based on the standings and Toronto's woes in 2015. However, a deeper look would have shown a slew of Lightning injuries, and the Maple Leafs coming off a motivating win Saturday against their provincial rival, Ottawa.
You'll want to look out for favorites laying a dud down the stretch. Teams with playoff positions in store will aim to run four lines and coast into the second season injury-free. Just note the best daily results aren't always gleaned from the reliable stars you've utilized all season. Resting players with nagging injuries can become commonplace.
Looking forward, there is a potential trap game between Chicago and Buffalo on Friday. Chicago will be on the wrong end of back-to-back games, with the first outing against Vancouver. The Canucks have won both meetings between the teams this season, and these two clubs have some past playoff animosity which could carry over into the game. Buffalo might not pull out the victory, but expecting a blowout win for Chicago could be ill-advised.
Keep in mind back-to-back scenarios and busy schedules in a short time frame, lineups with plenty of injuries and teams already looking toward the playoffs. Recent form usually trumps a quick check of the standings and year-long statistics. Remember, all matchups aren't created equally.
Cheap Centers
Earlier this season, saving money at the center position to spend up for wingers was discussed in detail. Here are some solid low- to mid-priced centers to consider for your lineups through the rest of the season.
Ryan Spooner, Boston - Currently riding a four-game point streak, Spooner has proven he is a reliable scorer at the highest level with 16 points -- seven goals -- over his last 17 games. He has gelled nicely with linemates Milan Lucic and David Pastrnak.
Nick Bonino, Vancouver - The No. 2 pivot has two goals and three assists in his past three games and has scorching-hot Radim Vrabata (11 points over his last seven games) on his flank. The Canucks finish the season with favorable matchups against Arizona and Edmonton, too.
Mikko Koivu, Minnesota - Captain Wild has four goals and two helpers over his past five games and plays on the No. 1 power-play unit. The Wild have a lot of meaningful games for seeding down the stretch, so Koivu will be motivated.
Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington - While potentially temporary, Kuznetsov has centered Alex Ovechkin of late, which is an obvious value boost. However, Kuznetsov does have four goals and six helpers over his previous 12 games, and he has high-end offensive upside.
Third Wheels
When hunting for cap relief, utilizing the cheapest linemate on a high-scoring line is a viable strategy. The pros and cons were touched on in Chasing The Third Wheel, and here are four players playing with star linemates:
Michael Raffl, Philadelphia - Already a 20-goal scorer this season, Raffl should finish strongly. He has seven goals and three assists over his past 14 games and is currently riding a three-game goal streak. Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek are often pass-first players, too.
Cody Eakin, Dallas - Seemingly in store for a long look with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn, Eakin is a meat-and-potatoes player who should thrive with the duo. Eakin has been a bit hit or miss, though, so likely limit usage to slam-dunk matchups or GPP contests.
Jiri Sekac, Anaheim - Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry have seen nearly a dozen wingers over the past few seasons. Sekac is the latest, and for a minimal cap hit, he is very much in play for the final four games of the season. He hasn't cashed in on the opportunity yet, though.
Melker Karlsson, San Jose - It has been a nice debut in North America for Karlsson. The 22-year-old Swede has 22 points through 47 games and has spent a lot of time with Joe Thorton and Joe Pavelski at even strength. The Sharks have a favorable schedule through the end of the season, too.
Cheap Defensemen
Rostering low-priced defenseman is a popular cap-relief strategy. Throughout the series there have been a number of articles covering the topic: Pinching Pennies on the Back End, An Offensive Start, Blue Line Blues and Going 3D. Here are four defensemen who are playing well, yet carry an affordable price:
Derrick Pouliot, Pittsburgh - With Kris Letang (concussion) out, Pouliot has stepped into the No. 1 power-play role. Playing pitch and catch with Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby with the man advantage is fantasy gold, and Pouliot has a helper in back-to-back games.
David Savard, Columbus - Top pairing minutes and power-play time have aided Savard's ascension. He has a goal and four helpers over his last seven games and fills out every column on the stat sheet. He is extremely underrated, and Columbus is finishing the season well.
Alexander Edler, Vancouver - Although pointless over his past three games, Edler was riding a nice six-game run with two goals and four helpers prior to the current drought. He logs plenty of minutes and top-unit power-play time, and has two juicy matchups to conclude the season.
Jake Muzzin, Los Angeles - Expect the Kings to bring their best effort nightly in their race for the playoffs. Muzzin has done his part with nine points -- three goals -- over his last 13 games. He also receives plenty of power-play opportunities and is a Corsi beast.
Tyler Myers, Winnipeg - The relocation to Winnipeg has been a success, and Myers has 13 points, a plus-6 rating, 14 penalty minutes and 37 shots on goal through 20 games. The Jets are in a dogfight for a playoff berth with a difficult schedule through the end of the season.
