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

Hello hockey fans and welcome to another day of NHL action here at DFSR. After a very quiet Wednesday, we have a massive 10-game slate in store for us this evening and the league's four-worst defensive teams are all in action today, which means that we have some juicy matchups to exploit. 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

Pekka Rinne FD - $8500 DK - $8300
Opponent - ARI
Proj Pts FD - 14.04 DK - 3.51

We have two elite goalies playing at home against the league's two-worst offenses and let's start with Rinne who has been money this season with a 21-8-3 record to go along with three shutouts. The Finnish tender won his last two games with four total goals against, he has allowed only 10 goals in his last five, and has a .925 save % in the season. The Coyotes are bad at hockey and they score only 2.30 goals per game, which is ranked 30th in the league. The Predators are currently -210 favorites for the win and they blanked Vegas and their 3rd ranked offense last game with their backup goalie between the pipes, so look for them to dominate this game from puck drop and Rinne is an elite play in all formats.

Henrik Lundqvist FD - $9200 DK - $8400
Opponent - BUF
Proj Pts FD - 14.96 DK - 3.74

"King Henrik" recently recorded his 20th win of the season as he allowed only one goal to the Flyers and tonight, the Sabres and their league-worst offense(2.25 goals per game) travel to New York, which will have Henrik licking his chops. The Rangers aren't great defensively as they allow a whopping 34.0 shots per game(29th overall), but if Lundqvist is on his game, then the points will add up very quickly. I will be using Rinne in 100% of my cash game lineups, but for my tournament lineups, I'll be all over this guy.

Also Consider: Jonathan Bernier(COL) 

CENTERS

Patrice Bergeron FD - $7700 DK - $7100
Opponent - NYI
Proj Pts FD - 15.16 DK - 4.58

While it's not often a good idea to roster players who are playing in a back-to-back as well as their third game in four nights, tonight is a huge exception as the Islanders are treacherous defensively as they allow a league-worst 3.63 goals per game and they kill only 73.3 % of their penalties, which is ranked 30th. Bergeron is a beast and he centers the top line, the #1 powerplay unit and he kills a large majority of penalties for the Bruins. In his last six games, the superstar has six goals and three assists(he has three points as I write this), and he has 39 shots in his last ten games, so it is a very good idea to lock him into all of your lineups in every single format this evening.

Stack with: Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak

Brayden Point FD - $6100 DK - $5900
Opponent - VEG
Proj Pts FD - 12.77 DK - 3.64

Everyone knows that Tampa's #1 line is one of the very best in the league, but their #2 line led by this guy, is one of the most underrated so far this season. The former Moose Jaw Warrior is turning into a star very quickly and the Lightning promoted him to the lethal #1 powerplay unit a few games ago. In his last two games, the sophomore center has a goal and three assists to give him 40 points in 44 games. His 2.41 shot per game average isn't the safest for cash games, but since he now plays on the top powerplay unit, we can consider him there and stacking him with his line-mates could help you take down a tourney or two this evening.

Stack with: Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat

Paul Stastny FD - $5500 DK - $5700
Opponent - OTT
Proj Pts FD - 10.88 DK - 3.09

I cannot believe that this guy is still this cheap on both sites considering that he plays alongside Vladimir Tarasenko on the #1 line and the #1 powerplay unit for the Blues. In his last five games, the veteran Swede has three goals, four assists, and 18 shots, which adds up to an average of 5.2 Draftkings points and 19.4 Fanduel points per game. The Senators rank third-worst defensively and their penalty kill is ranked 28th, so look for the Blues to score a few goals, therefore making Stastny a solid play in all formats.

Stack with: Vladimir Tarasenko, Brayden Schenn(PP), Alex Steen(PP)

WINGERS

Taylor Hall FD - $7800 DK - $7200
Opponent - WAS
Proj Pts FD - 15.35 DK - 4.47

This young man has been on fire lately as he has three goals, five assists, and a whopping 29 shots during his current five-game point streak. He will look to extend that streak this evening against a Capitals squad who even though is known for having tough defenses, that's not the case this season, especially on the road, as they allow 3.43 goals per game which is ranked sixth-worst in the league. The offense runs through Hall in all situations and he is an elite play and my top winger in all formats this evening.

Stack with: Nico Hischier, Kyle Palmeiri(PP)

Rick Nash FD - $6000 DK - $5500
Opponent - BUF
Proj Pts FD - 10.46 DK - 3.05

I haven't mentioned Nash yet this season, mostly because he has been sporadic while playing on the #2 or #3 line and the #2 powerplay until a few games ago, when he was promoted to the top line and the #1 powerplay unit with much more talented players, and boy has it ever provided a spark for the veteran. He has a juicy matchup against the Sabres and their 28th ranked defense and he has two goals, an assist, and 14 shots on goal in his last three games. We need exposure to the Rangers this evening, so do yourself a favor and fire this guy up in all formats.

Stack with: Mika Zibanejad, Mats Zuccarello(PP)

Craig Smith FD - $4700 DK - $5800
Opponent - ARI
Proj Pts FD - 11.07 DK - 3.21

The veteran winger also has an elite matchup this evening against the Coyotes and their 30th ranked defense and he has a goal and eight shots in his last two games while playing on the #1 line and one of the top two powerplay units. We also need exposure to the Predators' offense today and Smith is a solid play on Draftkings and a great play over at Fanduel where he is $1100 cheaper.

Stack with: Kyle Turris, Kevin Fiala

Also Consider: Alex Ovechkin(WSH)

DEFENSEMEN

Seth Jones FD - $5800 DK - $6100
Opponent - DAL
Proj Pts FD - 14.12 DK - 4.06

The young Jackets' point man has been putting up forward like numbers lately as he has a goal, five assists, 18 shots, and four blocks in his last four games while averaging 26.5 minutes of ice-time. He also has 30 points in 46 games and he is second amongst defensemen with 143 shots on goal, so fire up Jones in all formats this evening against a Dallas squad who is ranked only average defensively away from their home barn.

Anton Stralman FD - $3700 DK - $3500
Opponent - VEG
Proj Pts FD - 7.81 DK - 2.22

Chris and I always stress about how important it is to roster at least one value defenseman every slate and this guy fits the bill today as he has an assist, three shots, and four blocks in his last two games while averaging 24 minutes of ice-time. The biggest reason why this guy is a great value play this evening is the fact that star defenseman, Victor Hedman will not be playing, so that opens up even more time for Stralman, so lock him into your cash game lineups and spend up elsewhere my friends.

Also Consider: Brent Burns(SJ)

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.