Daily Fantasy Hockey Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings 10/22/19

Welcome back hockey fans. Tuesday once again brings us a big slate with 10 games on the schedule. Let's dive in and take a look at some of my core plays at each position and after that make sure to check out our projection system and lineup optimizers to help build more consistent winning lineups.

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GOALIE

Connor Hellebuyck FD - $7700 DK - $8300
Opponent - LA
Proj Pts FD - 18.18 DK - 13.47

We get a nice selection of goalies in a good spot tonight but for me, it all comes down to the site you are playing. Let's start on FanDuel where Connor Hellebuyk sits in the sub $8K range despite a solid start to the season. The record (4-3-1) may not show it but he enters tonight with .929 save % over seven starts while facing just over 32 shots per game. Tonight, the Jets are -155 home favorites against the Kings who, outside of a seven-goal outburst against Nashville, are averaging under 2.4 goals per game. Hellebuyck is in play in all formats on both sites but his best value most definitely comes on FanDuel tonight.

Tuukka Rask FD - $9000 DK - $7900
Opponent - TOR
Proj Pts FD - 15.88 DK - 12.54

On DraftKings it will be Tuukka Rask I will be turning to as he checks almost every box. He comes in as a -145 home favorite against a Leafs team without one of their best players(John Tavares) and playing on a back to back and third game in four nights. Rask is 3-0-1 to start the season and while he has given up three goals twice in four starts he has been facing over 32 shots per game and has a very impressive .946 save % early on. With a price under $8K on DraftKings, I will have exposure to Rask in all formats.

Also Consider: Pekka Rinne(NSH), Mike Smith/Mikko Koskinen(EDM)

CENTERS

Patrice Bergeron FD - $7500 DK - $7000
Opponent - TOR
Proj Pts FD - 15.35 DK - 11.88

On the offensive side of things tonight, there is no better place to start than one of the two games with a massive 6.5 Vegas Total. The Bruins are at home tonight as -160 favorites as the Leafs come to town playing on a back to back(lost 4-3 in OT last night) and a third game in four nights.  This is already their back to back of the season and they lost both previous games while giving up 10 total goals. My main focus for the Bruins will be on their elite first line centered by Patrice Bergeron who enters the night with points in seven straight games and has averaged three shots on goal per game backed up by an above-average 17.4 iCorsi/60. All things considered, Bergeron is not only my top center but also one of my top overall plays on the slate.

Stack with: David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand
Elias Pettersson FD - $6500 DK - $5600
Opponent - DET
Proj Pts FD - 12.54 DK - 9.67

Pettersson is coming off a tremendous Calder Trophy(Rookie of the Year) campaign where he tallied 66 points. He was held off the scoresheet in the first two games this season, but since has tallied points in five if his last six including two multi-point efforts. The shot volume has been low(5.2 shots/60) but I see that turning around a bit seeing as he enters tonight with a well above-average 18.5 iCorsi/60. The matchup is also on the plus side tonight as the Red Wings have dropped four straight games giving up 17 goals in the process. Given the price on both sites, I like Pettersson in all formats tonight.

tack with: Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller

Also Consider: Connor McDavid(EDM) in GPP as the price is sky-high(for good reason) or Dylan Strome(CHI) as a value play centering the second line with Patrick Kane and also skating on the top powerplay unit

WINGERS

James Neal FD - $5800 DK - $6600
Opponent - MIN
Proj Pts FD - 10.66 DK - 8.51

Although McDavid is very expensive and will be tough to fit in cash game lineups we can still get exposure to him through other players. One of those is James Neal who is enjoying his new home in Edmonton as he already has more goals(9) through nine games than he had all of last year in Calgary(7). Turns out playing the powerplay with arguably the best player in the World gets the juices flowing and the puck in the back of the net. We are going to want exposure to the Oilers as a whole in theis plus matchup against the Wild who rank dead last in defense giving up four or more goals in six of their first eight games. Neal is in play in all formats tonight and his best value comes on FanDuel under $6K.

PP Stack with: Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Alex Debrincat FD - $6300 DK - $5300
Opponent - VEG
Proj Pts FD - 13.87 DK - 10.74

The Blackhawks are near the top of my list of teams to focus on tonight despite their slow start as a whole. It comes down to two things starting with the matchup against the Golden Knights who are in the middle of a cross-country road-trip and playing a back to back and third game in four nights after getting blown out 6-2 by the Flyers last night. The second thing that stands out for the Hawks are the prices and at the top of the list is Alex DeBrincat who has taken big steps forward over his first two seasons(52 & 76 points) and will continue to get a ton of opportunity on the top line and powerplay unit. This is a buy-low situation early in the season and he is in play in all formats in this matchup.

Stack with: Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane(PP), Dylan Strome(PP)

Also Consider: Nikolaj Ehlers(WPG)

DEFENSEMEN

Jacob Trouba FD - $5600 DK - $6300
Opponent - ARI
Proj Pts FD - 12.94 DK - 10.09

There is a collection of defensemen in the top tier who are very high on my list tonight but from a cash game standpoint, I will be leaning on Jacob Trouba. After a career-high 50 point season with the Jets a year ago, he has now joined the Rangers and is getting every opportunity to be their top guy skating top pairing and powerplay unit and is averaging just over 25 minutes of ice-time. It doesn't end there as he has tallied four or more combined blocks/shots in every game and is average 6.2 on the season which a nice little 9.6 fantasy point floor(little lower on DK). He has also added the offensive upside as well with six points. I really do feel this is a bit of a buy-low considering the fantasy production so fire him up in all formats.

Justin Schultz FD - $4300 DK - $4800
Opponent - FLA
Proj Pts FD - 9.96 DK - 7.8

From a PTS/$ perspective, Schultz is near the top of the list for me tonight at sub $5K pricing on both sites. He doesn't get top-pairing ice-time(20.4 min per game) but has provided a nice floor averaging 3.6 blocks/shots per game and has an above-average 17.0 iCorsi/60 as well. What really stands out is the upside created by the powerplay opportunity he gets(averaging 3.8 minutes per game on top unit) and three of his five points have come with that extra man. He is in play in all formats.

Also Consider: Oscar Klefbom(EDM), Roman Josi(NSH), Keith Yandle/Aaron Ekblad(FLA)

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