We'll have to wait at least one more game before watching Nino Niederreiter make his debut with the Winnipeg Jets following a trade from Nashville. Which likely means Mason Appleton gets one last tour on a top line with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor against the Islanders Sunday. After that, the former Predator/Hurricane/Wild/Islander is expected to bring his skills as a power forward to Scheifele's line, adjacent to Connor, or perhaps Nikolaj Ehlers, if Rick Bowness chooses to shuffle his new top-six about.
However, fantasy managers in deeper leagues with needs may want to get a jump on adding Niederreiter before he settles in and starts scoring. Already on a productive heater with four goals in three games, the new Winnipeg winger is bound to continue soaring in his new digs, combined with wanting to make the best first impression. Rostered in 34.7% of ESPN.com leagues (for now), the 30-year-old can also be counted on for a good number of shots and hits.
As for Sunday's match-up in Winnipeg, keep in mind the last meeting between the two sides resulted, rather predictably, in a tight 2-1 win for the Islanders. That was only four days ago. Both Ilya Sorokin and Connor Hellebuyck are projected to again start in round two.
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Even without Alex Tuch - placed on IR with an undisclosed injury Saturday - the Sabres are in position to score a few Sunday afternoon against a Capitals squad that's playing its second matinee in as many days. Backup Charlie Lindgren is anticipated to start for Washington after Darcy Kuemper earned the win over the Rangers fewer than 24 hours earlier. One of the league's streakier sides, Buffalo is back to the business of scoring and winning right now, averaging 4.60 goals/game since Feb. 15. No word yet on who replaces Tuch on a top line with Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner, but Victor Olofsson and Kyle Okposo are two viable candidates. For what it's worth, Thompson scored a hat-trick against the Capitals in their only other meeting this season on Jan. 3.