Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) skates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Hello hockey fans and welcome to another day of NHL action here at DFSR. Today, we have seven games in total and while I will be concentrating my writing solely on the main slates on both sites, below each position, you will find a couple of players listed as solid plays for the early slate. Let's get this party started.
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.
Opponent - FLA
Proj Pts FD - 17.93 DK - 4.48
After this young man and the Jets destroyed the Avalanche 6-1 on Friday evening, they welcome the Florida Panthers to town, who will be playing on a back-to-back after playing very late in Calgary on Saturday. Even though the Panthers have scored a few goals lately, they still rank 15th overall in offense and 22nd while playing on the road. Hellebuyck has been sensational this season as he boasts a 30-8-8 record and he's been almost unstoppable at home with a 21-3-2 record, a .928 save %, a 2.12 GAA, and four shutouts. The Jets are currently listed as -195 favorites, so with all of these things considered, "Helly" is an elite play and my top goalie in all formats.
Opponent - DET
Proj Pts FD - 15.25 DK - 3.87
After the Jets' tender, things go way downhill here today, but everyone and their pets will be all over Hellebuyck for the main slate, so let's take a look at this guy, who is about to play the Red Wings and their lowly 26th ranked offense. The Leafs' elder backup has played well this season as he has a 6-4 record with a stifling .932 save % and he has allowed only two goals in his last three games to go along with a shutout. The Leafs can score goals and the Red Wings don't really know how to do that, so fire up McElhinney(that is a mouthful) in your GPP lineups for the main slate.
Early Slate: Michal Neuvirth(PHI)
Opponent - DET
Proj Pts FD - 16.26 DK - 4.64
The superstar sophomore just keeps chugging along as he has a goal and three assists in his last three games and 15 shots in his last five, which gives him 47 points, 50 blocks, and 148 shots in only 49 games. Not only do the Red Wings struggle offensively, they also quite haven't figured out how to keep pucks out of their net as they're ranked 23rd in defense, so on a small slate like this, I can't see fading Matthews and he is an elite play in all formats.
Stack with: William Nylander, Patrick Marleau(PP)
Opponent - CAR
Proj Pts FD - 8.53 DK - 2.45
Obviously, Taylor Hall is a great play since he just recorded a point as I write this to extend his point streak to a whopping 17 games, but he is too obvious on a small slate, so let's talk about his under-rated centerman today. The rookie scored a goal against the Lightning a short while ago as I'm writing this, which extends his point streak to four games as he has three goals and three assists. He only averages just under two shots on goal, which is risky for cash games, but the options are very thin today, so we can consider him in those formats, but where his an elite play is in GPP formats stacked with his line-mates. Hischier is available on the main slate on Draftkings and the early only slate over at Fanduel.
Stack with: Taylor Hall, Kyle Palmieri
Early Slate: Sean Couturier(PHI), Mika Zibanejad(NYR)
Opponent - FLA
Proj Pts FD - 15.85 DK - 4.52
This guy is one of the classiest players in the league and he is carrying the offense on his back during this terrific season for the Jets. A potentially historic season is unfolding in Winnipeg and Captain Wheels has two goals, four assists, 22 shots, and four blocks in his last four games, which is good for 64 points, 177 shots, and 50 blocks in only 58 games played. This jet is now boarding and I'm buying a first-class ticket with a window seat. Lock and load Wheeler in all formats and fade at your own risk(not recommended).
Stack with: Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor
Opponent - CBJ
Proj Pts FD - 6.95 DK - 2.01
I wrote about this guy in Saturday's article and he currently has a goal on four shots during the third period against the Maple Leafs. I think he's excited to be playing on the #1 line with Sidney Crosby as he now has goals in consecutive games to go along with seven shots. He has been also seeing time on the powerplay recently, so at these dirt cheap prices, lock and load Aston-Reese in all formats.
Stack with: Sidney Crosby, Conor Sheary
Also Consider: Oliver Bjorkstrand(CLB), Timo Meier(SJ)
Early Slate: Mikko Rantanen(COL), Travis Konecny(PHI)
DEFENSEMEN
Opponent - FLA
Proj Pts FD - 8.52 DK - 2.65
Value is the key at defense and enter Myers who has a goal, two assists, seven shots, and two blocks in his last two games and he has an impressive 29 points in 58 games while logging time on the powerplay and the penalty kill units for the Jets. He offers just enough upside and safety to make him a solid play in all formats against a defensively weak Panthers squad.
Opponent - SJ
Proj Pts FD - 11.79 DK - 3.39
I guess I kind of have a fantasy man crush on this guy in cash games, but he has shown such an elite floor lately at these cheap prices that it's easy to keep going back to him every time the Stars play. Pateryn has two assists, 15 shots, and 21 blocks in his last four games, so lock him into your cash game lineups and spend elsewhere my friends.
Also Consider: Brent Burns(SJ), Marc-Edouard Vlasic(SJ)
Early Slate: Shayne Gositsbehere(PHI), Brett Pesce(CAR)
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.
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