Daily Fantasy Hockey Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings 12/28/17

Hello my fellow hockey fans and welcome back to another day of NHL action here at DFSR. Today, we have a seven-game slate in store for us with three teams playing in a back-to-back(MON, ARI, VEG), so there will be some matchups for us to take advantage of. Let's get started with some of my favorite picks, shall we?

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

Andrei Vasilevskiy FD - $9500 DK - $8300
Opponent - MON
Proj Pts FD - 14.87 DK - 3.72

The Lightning obviously knew what they were doing last season when they traded away Ben Bishop as this young man is having one heck of a season so far. The young Russian tender earned a shutout last game to give him two in his last five, he has won seven of his last eight games and is ranked first with 23 wins, second with a 2.13 GAA and second with a .932 save %. It should be a routine walk in the park for the Lightning tonight as the Canadiens and their 25th ranked offense travel to Tampa where they historically do not fare well and they are losing in Carolina as I write this. With all of these important things considered, Vasilevskiy is an elite play and easily my top goalie in all formats.

Frederik Andersen FD - $8600 DK - $8400
Opponent - ARI
Proj Pts FD - 14.67 DK - 3.67

This guy will be licking his chops this evening as he and the Leafs travel to the desert to take on the Coyotes and their second-worst offense. The veteran tender has had a solid year so far as he is ranked third in the league with 19 wins and he has won his last two games while allowing only three goals, and he has won six of his last eight. While Vasilevskiy will be in 100% of my cash game lineups, Andersen is a nice pivot for GPP formats.

Also Consider: Jonathan Quick(LA) GPP formats only. 

CENTERS

Auston Matthews FD - $7400 DK - $7900
Opponent - ARI
Proj Pts FD - 13.96 DK - 4.03

After missing six games due to a concussion, the sophomore sensation recorded a goal, an assist, four shots, and four blocks last game, so he is definitely as healthy as a horse. Not only do the Coyotes struggle offensively, but they are also inept defensively as they own the league's second-worst defense. Matthews offers safety with 84 shots and 32 blocks through only 27 games and a tremendous amount of upside to boot against a brutal Arizona defense. Lock and load the sophomore in all formats.

Stack with: Michael Nylander, Zach Hyman

Sean Couturier FD - $6400 DK - $6600
Opponent - FLA
Proj Pts FD - 14.02 DK - 3.89

Before the holidays, I asked Santa to give this guy his front teeth back for Christmas and I really hope that he did, because he played better when he had all of his chompers. Actually, he has started to heat up again recently as he has a goal, an assist, and 13 shots in his last three games and 21 shots in his last five. Tonight, the Flyers travel to Florida to feast on the Panthers and their 28th ranked defense and the center position is thin today, so fire the "toothless wonder" up in all formats folks.

Stack with: Wayne Simmonds, Claude Giroux

Also Consider: Joe Thornton(SJ)

WINGERS

Nikita Kucherov FD - $9200 DK - $8100
Opponent - MON
Proj Pts FD - 19.45 DK - 5.65

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that this guy is pretty good at this thing we call hockey. Actually, he is having an MVP caliber season so far as he leads the league with 24 goals and 51 points, and he is on a lengthy seven-game point streak. During that streak, the Russian superstar has five goals and six assists, and he has fired 25 shots on goal in his last five games. The Habs are ranked 22nd in defense and they will most likely be putting backup Antti Niemi between the pipes, who should have retired five years ago. Do yourself a favor and lock this guy into every one of your lineups in all formats.

Stack with: Steven Stamkos, Vladislav Namestnikov

Patrick Kane FD - $8500 DK - $7500
Opponent - VAN
Proj Pts FD - 15.66 DK - 4.51

Spending up at the winger position feels like the right thing to do today and this veteran superstar has points in five of his last six games(five goals, three assists), and he has fired 14 shots on goal in his last three. The offense runs through him at regular strength and on the #1 powerplay unit, and the Canucks own the league's fourth-worst defense as they are getting worse with every game. All aboard the "Kane train." Fire him up in all formats.

Stack with: Nick Schmaltz, Artem Anisimov

Nick Bjugstad FD - $4000 DK - $4500
Opponent - PHI
Proj Pts FD - 9.38 DK - 2.76

In order to fit the top two guys into our lineups, we need a solid value play and this guy fits the bill as he plays on the top line and the #2 powerplay unit for the Panthers. I'm not a fan of him in tournament lineups as the Flyers own a top-10 defense, but he has a goal and an assist in his last three games, and 15 shots in his last five, so at these prices, he's a solid value play this evening.

Stack with: Jonathan Huberdeau, Alexsander Barkov

Also Consider: Tyler Johnson(TB)

DEFENSEMEN

Brent Burns FD - $7200 DK - $7200
Opponent - CGY
Proj Pts FD - 17.53 DK - 5.28

The man with one heck of a beard is the most expensive defensemen today on both sites, but he has still been much more expensive in years past. He has stayed at reasonable prices because of his slow start, but Burns has been on a tear recently as he is on a four-game point streak with two goals and four assists, and he has fired a whopping 38 shots on goal in his last eight games. The veteran superstar also leads all defensemen with 138 shots and this position is very thin today, so try your hardest to find room for him in all formats.

Ron Hainsey FD - $3900 DK - $3300
Opponent - ARI
Proj Pts FD - 7.01 DK - 1.98

Yes, I know, it's Ron Hainsey, but this is the best value play that I could find today. The aging veteran has been asked to do more since Nikita Zaitsev was sent to the IR and he has a powerplay goal and a short-handed assist to go along with eight blocks in his last three games. I believe that Hainsey can exceed value today at these cheap prices on both sites, so lock him into your cash game lineups and spend up elsewhere.

Also Consider: Victor Hedman(TB) All formats, Alec Martinez(LA) Cash game formats. 

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.