Daily Fantasy Hockey Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings 1/4/18

Hello hockey fans and welcome to another day of NHL action here at DFSR. After a very quiet Wednesday, we have a massive 12-game slate this evening, with none of the teams playing in back-to-back games, so look for a lot of fast-paced excitement as all of the teams should be well-rested and ready to put on a show for their fans. Let's get started with some 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

Tuukka Rask FD - $8900 DK - $8400
Opponent - FLA
Proj Pts FD - 14.36 DK - 3.59

Let's start off with the former Stanley Cup Champ who has been nothing short of brilliant lately as he has won his last six starts in convincing fashion. In those six starts, the Finnish tender has displayed a brilliant 0.99 GAA,  .963 save %, and he recorded a shutout two games ago in Ottawa. The Panthers are ranked 19th offensively(2.79 goals per game), but they fire 33.9 shots on goal per game which is fifth best in the league, and they only score on 15.6% of their powerplay chances, which is ranked 27th overall. With all of these positive things considered, Rask is an elite play this evening and my top goalie in every single format.

**Update - The Bruins/Panthers game has been cancelled due to severe weather.**

Andrei Vasilevskiy FD - $9600 DK - $8400
Opponent - MON
Proj Pts FD - 15.42 DK - 3.86

Chris recommended this guy in his most recent article and he came through in a big way as he recorded a shutout against a good Maple Leafs team on the road. The young Russian has to be the current favorite to win the Vezina trophy as he has an unbelievable three shutouts in his last four games and he allowed only one goal against the Canadiens three games ago. He gets to face Montreal again tonight who are ranked 29th offensively, but they are ranked sixth best in the league with 33.6 shots on goal per game. It will be tough for me to get away from Rask in cash games, but Vasilvskiy is an elite GPP play this evening as he should be lower owned while playing away from home.

Also Consider: Devan Dubnyk(MIN) 

CENTERS

Patrice Bergeron FD - $7400 DK - $7100
Opponent - FLA
Proj Pts FD - 15.02 DK - 4.54

It is always a good idea to pick on weak defenses and Florida is no exception as they are seventh-worst in the league while allowing 3.18 goals per game. Bergeron and company will be licking their chops this evening and the superstar center has seven goals and an assist in his last ten games, and a goal in each of his last two. He also adds safety to the mix with 44 shots in his last 10 games and he plays on the #1 line and the #1 powerplay unit for the Bruins. Lock and load Bergeron in all formats.

**Update - The Bruins/Panthers game has been cancelled due to severe weather.**

Nathan MacKinnon FD - $7900 DK - $7100
Opponent - CBJ
Proj Pts FD - 15.59 DK - 4.55

While we don't usually like picking on teams who own a top-10 defense, the Blue Jackets haven't been good lately as they've allowed 16 goals in their last four games and this young star has been on fire lately. In his last three games, Mackinnon has an absurd two goals and six assists to go along with 10 shots, and he is fifth in the league with 48 points in only 39 games. The offense runs through this guy at regular strength and on the powerplay and with the Blue Jacket's recent struggles and the fact that he seems unstoppable lately, MacKinnon is an elite tournament play and a solid cash game option.

Stack with: Gabriel Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen 

Charlie Coyle FD - $4500 DK - $4400
Opponent - BUF
Proj Pts FD - 10.84 DK - 3.08

We need value in our lineups on any given night and this guy offers that tonight as his partner in crime, Zach Parise is back and healthy again. Last game, Coyle scored a goal on three shots and he could find the twine again tonight against the Sabres and their fourth-worst defense. He is a little risky for cash games, but stack him with his line-mates as a lower owned GPP option.

Stack with: Zach Parise, Joel Eriksson Ek

WINGERS

Jakub Voracek FD - $7300 DK - $6500
Opponent - NYI
Proj Pts FD - 14.74 DK - 4.32

Here we go picking on weak defenses again as the Islanders are ranked dead last in the league in goals allowed per game(3.58) and they have allowed 15 in their last three. That's not good and this veteran winger has two assists and eight shots in his last two games, and he is tied for first in the league with 38 assists and seventh with 46 points. The Islanders also kill off only 74.6% of their penalties which is 30th in the league and Voracek plays on the #1 powerplay unit, so do yourself a favor and fire this guy up in all formats.

Stack with: Claude Giroux, Travis Konecny

Rickard Rakell FD - $6800 DK - $6800
Opponent - EDM
Proj Pts FD - 11.74 DK - 3.38

The Ducks are healthy and firing on all cylinders again and this guy is on a lengthy six-game point streak with seven goals and three assists to go along with 20 shots during that span. The Oilers own the league's fifth-worst defense as they allow 3.24 goals per game and their penalty kill unit is ranked dead last in the league at a rate of 70.8%. That is great news for Rakell as he plays on the #1 line and the #1 powerplay unit for the Ducks and at these cheap prices, he is one of my top overall plays this evening in all formats.

Stack with: Ryan Getzlaf, Antoinne Vermette

Devin Shore FD - $3800 DK - $3600
Opponent - NJ
Proj Pts FD - 7.7 DK - 2.35

When I was searching for value at the winger position today, I asked myself who plays on the top line for the Stars beside Benn and Seguin. Well, this is our guy and he has a goal in each of his last two games to go along with five shots, and he also plays on the #1 powerplay unit. The Devils aren't anything to be scared of with their 18th ranked defense, so at these near minimum prices, Shore is a great way to fit a couple of superstars into our lineups.

Stack with: Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin

Also Consider: Phil Kessel(PIT)

DEFENSEMEN

Jared Spurgeon FD - $5100 DK - $5000
Opponent - BUF
Proj Pts FD - 11.52 DK - 3.4

Chris has a great hockey mind as he struck gold again last time out with this young defenseman who contributed with three assists, three shots, and two blocks against the Panthers. In his last four games, Spurgeon has a goal, four assists, 11 shots, and 14 blocks, so fire him up with confidence on both sites in all formats against a weak Sabres defense.

Josh Manson FD - $4200 DK - $3200
Opponent - EDM
Proj Pts FD - 6.85 DK - 1.98

Manson has value written all over him as he is way too cheap considering his recent production. He recorded three assists last game and he has six shots and five blocks in his last three, so he needs to be strongly considered in all formats against a defensively vulnerable Oilers Squad.

Also Consider: Brent Burns(SJ) GPP's, Jake Muzzin(LA) Cash games.

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.