Daily Fantasy Hockey Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings 1/15/17

Hello, hockey fans and welcome to a four game slate in the NHL today. Four of the eight teams are playing on a back to back and a third game in four nights. There's going to be some tired bodies today, but they get paid the big bucks to stay in tip top shape. Are you ready? I'm ready, so let's get to it.

Hockey is back and with it come our NHL projections which help inform these picks every night. When you purchase a DFSR NHL subscription to our base hockey projections you also get access to our brand new NFL DFS suite of tools including full projections, optimal NFL lineups and our Player Lab, which includes filters to help you create NFL lineups for FanDuel and DraftKings for any format. It’s a set of tools well beyond anything we’ve ever had, and something we feel will help our users *ahem* tackle the NFL season.

If you want to see the numbers behind our projections, create linueps with a single click, or research as deeply as your heart desires, click the button below to test out yourself.

GOALIES

Philipp Grubauer FD - $8000 DK - $7900
Opponent - PHI
Proj Pts FD - 19.77 DK - 4.94

Here we have the backup goalie to Braden Holtby, who is the hottest goalie on the Planet at the moment. This game starts at 1 pm et today and I really wish that they announced the starting goalie already, but they haven't yet. But as I glanced ahead, I realized that the Capitals play in Pittsburgh tomorrow night, so it's almost a guarantee that they start Grubauer today against a weaker Flyers team. The Capitals are currently -220 favorites and even if and when Grubauer is announced as the starting goalie, I can't see it changing much. The young German net-minder has been solid when called upon this season. His record is 7-2 with a 1.94 goals against average and a shutout. He has won his last five starts and even though the Flyers are ranked 8th in goals scored, the Capitals have allowed only three goals in their last five games, which is simply amazing and they blanked a dangerous Chicago team last time out. Grubauer is my favorite goalie in all formats today and start him with confidence. If for some reason the Capitals do start Holtby than he is an even better play, it just means that you will have to find savings elsewhere.

 

 

John Gibson FD - $9000 DK - $7800
Opponent - STL
Proj Pts FD - 15.86 DK - 3.97

This isn't an easy day at the position after Grubauer, but we need a goalie for the three game evening slate and this guy has been awesome lately. The Ducks saved Gibson to face the Blues today and Bernier goes out and gets a shutout yesterday against the Coyotes. The Blues are obviously a much better team than the Coyotes, as they are ranked ninth in the league in goals scored. But the Ducks are healthy again and playing some good hockey. Gibson has won his last three starts and five of his last six games, to go along with two shutouts while allowing only five goals in those five games. The Blues will be playing their third road game in four nights, so they will be tired. Gibson is your man after the Capital's goalie today.

 

 

 

CENTERS

Nicklas Backstrom FD - $6900 DK - $6400
Opponent - PHI
Proj Pts FD - 13.46 DK - 4.57

The Swedish star in currently on a five-game point streak and a healthy one at that, as he has three goals and seven assists in those five games. He plays on the top line with the great Alexander Ovechkin and the top PP unit. Need I say more? The Flyers come to the Nation's capital today with their third worst 3.09 goals allowed per game. It could get ugly fast today in Washington and Backstrom is a terrific play in all formats.

Stack With: Alex Ovechkin, T.J. Oshie

 

 

 

Eric Staal FD - $6700 DK - $6700
Opponent - CHI
Proj Pts FD - 14.12 DK - 4.3

Hey, here we have another center who is on a five-game point streak. Well then, that's a good way to make it to my article Mr. Staal, the oldest of the Staal brothers. He has four goals, five assists, and 14 shots in those five games. Today him and the Wild face Chicago who is above average on defense, but they own the 2nd worst penalty kill in the league. They also allow a ninth worst 31.3 shots per game. Minnesota has been scoring goals lately and Staal plays on the top line and #1 power-play unit. Start him with confidence in all formats today folks.

Stack with: Zach Parise, Charlie Coyle

 

 

 

 

WINGERS

Patrick Kane FD - $8600 DK - $7400
Opponent - MIN
Proj Pts FD - 18.63 DK - 5.33

We are getting exposure to Alex Ovechkin through Backstrom today, so Kane is our top winger and he's been as steady as a rock this season. Kane has fired eight shots on goal and has an assist in his last two games. In his last five games, he has a goal, seven assists and 19 shots on net. He has averaged 22 minutes of ice time per game this season and plays on the top line and #1 PP unit in Chicago. Minnesota owns the second-best defense in the league, but they've been allowing a few goals lately and Kane is matchup proof anyways. He's a great play in cash games today and since he faces a tough Wild team, I think he will less popular than normal, so stack him with his line-mates in your tourney lineups.

Stack with: Zach Parise, Charlie Coyle

 

 

 

Pierre Parenteau FD - $5100 DK - $4000
Opponent - VAN
Proj Pts FD - 5.94 DK - 1.88

I know you may be shaking your head and wondering why I would recommend this guy. Well, we need a value play to fit Kane into our lineups and it's only a small four-game slate today. Parenteau isn't as bad as you may think and he plays on the top line with Taylor Hall in New Jersey, as well as their top power-play unit. He actually has four power-play goals this season for a weak New Jersey club. I don't know where this came from, but this guy fired eight shots on goal last game and had an assist two games ago. He averages 16 minutes of ice time per game and he's cheap enough that he doesn't need to do much to exceed value here. The Canucks are ranked 20th on defense and their penalty kill is 21st in the league, so Parenteau makes a nice value play today in all formats.

Stack with: Taylor Hall, Adam Henrique

 

 

 

Also Consider: Corey Perry(ANH)

 

 

 

 

DEFENSEMEN

Jared Spurgeon FD - $5400 DK - $4700
Opponent - CHI
Proj Pts FD - 10.4 DK - 3.23

Thank you FanDuel for adding blocked shots and removing the plus-minus category this year. This creates a ton of value for cheaper defensemen. He has been popular here at DFSR and with good reason. He averages 24 minutes of ice time per game and he plays on the #1 PP unit in Minny. In his last three games, he has a goal, two assists, six shots on goal and a whopping eight blocked shots. He's about as safe as it comes today my friends. Play him with a ton of confidence.

 

 

 

Damon Severson FD - $4100 DK - $3900
Opponent - VAN
Proj Pts FD - 6.98 DK - 2.24

Yikes, this position is ugly today, so let's just finish off with an extremely cheap guy and carry on with our lives. Another New Jersey Devil player. Oh my goodness. Okay, so let's do this. Severson plays on the #1 power-play unit in New Jersey and he averages 21 minutes of ice time per game, which is pretty good at his cheap prices. He has six shots and six blocked shots in his last three games. On the season he has three goals and 17 assists. He makes a good lineup filler today so that we can spend up at other positions.

 

 

 

 

Hockey is back and with it come our NHL projections which help inform these picks every night. When you purchase a DFSR NHL subscription to our base hockey projections you also get accessto our brand new NFL DFS suite of tools including full projections, optimal NFL lineups and our Player Lab, which includes filters to help you create NFL lineups for FanDuel and DraftKings for any format. It’s a set of tools well beyond anything we’ve ever had, and something we feel will help our users *ahem* tackle the NFL season.

If you want to see the numbers behind our projections, create linueps with a single click, or research as deeply as your heart desires, click the button below to test out yourself.