Daily Fantasy Hockey Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings 12/12/17

Welcome back hockey fans. The week rolls on with a big nine-game slate on Tuesday with four teams(COL, WSH, FLA, CAR) playing their second of a back to back. Let's jump right in and take a look at some of the top plays at each position and don't forget to grab a copy of my daily cheatsheet listed in the comments and the chatroom.

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 lineups with a single click, or research as deeply as your heart desires, click the button below to test out yourself.

GOALIE

Sergei Bobrovsky FD - $8800 DK - $8200
Opponent - EDM
Proj Pts FD - 15.62 DK - 3.9

On the surface, this is somewhat of a dangerous spot as the Oilers offense ranks middle of the pack and has scored four or more goals in five of their last 12 games but hear me out. First of all, the Blue Jackets are big -170 favorites at home as the Oilers will be finishing off a three-game road trip and this is also their game in four nights. Then consider they will be facing a Blue Jackets team that ranks 3rd overall in defense and one of the best goalies in the league in Sergei Bobrovsky who has won seven of his last 10 games with an elite .938 save % and three shutouts. Roll with Bob in all formats.

Marc-Andre Fleury FD - $7800 DK - $7800
Opponent - CAR
Proj Pts FD - 15.86 DK - 3.97

Fleury was activated off injured reserve on Sunday and is set to take back his #1 role between the pipes for the Golden Knights. He gets a nice spot tonight vs. the Carolina Hurricanes who rank 23rd overall on offense and have been struggling lately losing seven of their last nine games(not counting Monday night game) while scoring just an average of 2.3 goals per game. They will also be playing the second of a back to on the road after a late game in Anaheim on Monday night. It might be best to use the wait and see approach for cash games but Fleury was playing terrific before going down with a 3-1 record and .925 save % so all things considered, he is definitely in the conversation in all formats.

 

 

CENTERS

**Steven Stamkos and Brayden Schenn will be facing each other tonight and both make excellent GPP options as their respective teams rank Top 5 in defense. Let's take a look at few other options that have better matchups and can be considered for cash games.**

Anze Kopitar FD - $7100 DK - $7200
Opponent - NJ
Proj Pts FD - 15.88 DK - 4.54

The first guy on my list that I think we can consider in cash games tonight is Anze Kopitar. The shot volume isn't in the elite area, by any means, but he has been one of the hottest players in the league lately with 15 points over his last 10 games including four straight multi-point games and five total in that time. He now sits third overall in points this season behind the Tampa Bay duo of Stamkos and Kucherov and he gets a plus matchup tonight vs. a Devils team that has dropped three of their last four giving up 16 goals total.

Stack with: Dustin Brown, Alex Iafallo

Nicklas Backstrom FD - $6500 DK - $6200
Opponent - COL
Proj Pts FD - 11.92 DK - 3.6

Backstrom has been thriving since re-joining Alex Ovechkin on the top line for the Capitals. He has scored in back to back games and has points in six of his last eight while skating around 18 minutes per game. He is never really in the conversation for cash games as the shot volume is very low(1.7 per game) but the upside he presents skating with the "Great 8" make him a terrific play in tournament formats. The Caps are playing their second of a back to back but so are the visiting Avs who rank 26th in defense this season. Fire up your Capitals stacks.

Stack with: Alex Ovechkin, Tom Wilson

Also Consider: Erik Haula(VEG) for value as he has scored in three straight games and gets a plus matchup vs. the Hurricanes

WINGERS

Patrick Kane FD - $8200 DK - $7700
Opponent - FLA
Proj Pts FD - 15.17 DK - 4.53

The first of two Kane's in the winger section tonight and we start with Patrick of the Blackhawks. He snapped out of a four-game mini-slump on Sunday against the Coyotes and should be able to keep the momentum going as he gets an elite matchup vs. Panthers who recently lost their top goalie, Roberto Luongo, for an extended period of time. They have dropped four of their last five games giving up 21 goals and have now dropped to 31st overall in defense. The high price would normally leave him a GPP only play but with the matchup and his elite shot volume(3.4 shots per game) he can be considered in all formats.

Stack with: Nick Schmaltz, Artem Anisimov

Evander Kane FD - $6900 DK - $6900
Opponent - OTT
Proj Pts FD - 14.23 DK - 4.15

The thing I like best about Kane, from a fantasy perspective, is his shot volume which gives us a very high floor for cash games. He is third behind only Alex Ovechkin and Vladimir Tarasenko in overall shots and tied for second with 4.3 shots per game this season. He doesn't generate the same upside as those players as the Sabres offense is not even close to the same level(31st) but tonight he gets a boost facing a struggling Senators team. They have dropped 11 of their last 12 games while giving up 3.8 goals per game. It is safe to fire up Kane in all formats tonight.

Stack with: Jack Eichel, Jason Pominville

Nick Bjugstad FD - $3800 DK - $4100
Opponent - CHI
Proj Pts FD - 9.38 DK - 2.76

I have talked at lengths this season about the Panthers Top-6 forwards and their incredible upside. I will be stacking a combination of that Top-6 tonight in GPP's but for cash games, I think we can consider Nick Bjugstad who skates on the top line with Huberdeau and Barkov. The offensive upside is limited as he has just 13 points on the season but the floor is what I am looking at as he has 31 shots over his last 10 games and he offers some nice salary relief to fit in some of the higher priced players in cash games.

Stack with: Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau

 

DEFENSEMEN

Jake Muzzin FD - $5000 DK - $5000
Opponent - NJ
Proj Pts FD - 11.94 DK - 3.55

I like Muzzin from the standpoint that he offers value in multiple areas giving him a near elite PTS/$ rating. He provides a nice balance of shots(73) and blocks(69) giving him a nice floor and he also offers us some upside with seven points over his last 10 games and 19 on the season. All things considered, he is in play in all formats.

Kris Russell FD - $4200 DK - $4100
Opponent - CBJ
Proj Pts FD - 10.76 DK - 3.28

The price is starting to go up but not enough to get away from Russell in all formats. Ryan and I have been drilling it in your heads for weeks now that he is providing elite PTS/$ value in cash games with shot blocking alone. Over his last 10 games, he has tallied a ridiculous 39 blocks and for good measure has also added 16 shots for an average of 4.3 DraftKings/14.3 FanDuel points per game. Continue to roll him out until the price goes past the mid $4K range or his legs fall off. Whichever comes first.

Also Consider: Shayne Gostisbehere(PHI)

 

 

 

Hockey is back and with it comes 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.