Daily Fantasy Hockey Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings 12/17/16

Happy Saturday daily fantasy hockey friends! FanDuel and DraftKings have once again scrapped the "All Day" slate and will run two separate slates for today's games. Starting at 2:00 p.m. ET there is a small two game slate featuring the Coyotes visiting the Wild while the Flyers and their 10 game winning streak travel to Dallas to take on the Stars. I really want to jump on the Flyers/Stars game but with just two games on the slate the ownership is going to be whacky. As a Flyer fan I will just sit back, relax and enjoy some hockey.

Looking at the evening we have a nice eight game main slate with puck drop starting at 7:00 p.m. ET. With the busy week leading up to the holiday break, there are six teams(MON, WSH, PIT, BUF, CAR, TB) all playing on back to back nights while the Penguins and Lightning are also playing a third game in four nights.

For fantasy purposes in the article below we will be turning our attention to the main slate only today.

 

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 linueps with a single click, or research as deeply as your heart desires, click the button below to test out yourself.

GOALIES

The Goalie position is a tough one tonight and it started with Carey Price being pulled last night in a 4-0 loss to the Sharks. He did not look happy about the decision. Remind you of anyone?

I don't think Carey Price was very happy about being pulled. pic.twitter.com/eBR25Ban2q

— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) December 17, 2016

Braden Holtby FD - $9500 DK - $7500
Opponent - MON
Proj Pts FD - 19.01 DK - 4.75

So by now you have probably clued into my first goalie pick of the night. I will most definitely be avoiding Price and the Habs as we really have no clue what went on behind closed doors. Couldn't have been too bad as he is already confirmed for tonight. Either way, the Habs are just an average team away from home(5-5-2) and the price on Holtby has dropped off considerably on DraftKings making him a top value. He has also been terrific lately winning four straight games stopping 108 of 115 shots(.939 save %).The Caps are also the biggest favorites(-153) on the main slate FWIW.

 

 

Also Consider: Jake Allen(STL)

 

 

CENTERS

Evgeni Malkin FD - $8400 DK - $7600
Opponent - TOR
Proj Pts FD - 17.39 DK - 5.43

Don't get me wrong Crosby is an elite play as well but on a night where the Pens are playing back to back and a third game in four nights, I will take the discount with Malkin. I think fading the Pens completely would be a mistake in a matchup in Toronto vs. the struggling Leafs who have dropped three straight games. Malkin has been red hot lately recording 15 points over his last 10 games with 11 of them coming at even strength. We know about the upside but what makes him safe in cash games as well is the shot volume. He is averaging over three shots on goal per game for the season and averaging 4.4 over the last 10 games.

Stack With: Carl Hagelin, Phil Kessel, Sidney Crosby(PP)

 

 

 
Ryan O'Reilly FD - $6300 DK - $6000
Opponent - CAR
Proj Pts FD - 14.47 DK - 4.5

Looking at the mid tier values at the center position it's hard to scroll by O'Reilly when the Sabres are playing. His price has settled back down to the $6k range on both sites despite his hot run lately. Over his last 10 games played he has tallied eight points, four of which came on the powerplay where he jumps up and plays with the very talented Jack Eichel. He is another player you can trust in cash games as well as he is averaging over 3.5 shots per game on the season.  

Stack with: Sam Reinhart, Kyle Okposo(PP), Jack Eichel(PP)

 

 

 

 

 

WINGERS

Jeff Skinner FD - $6800 DK - $6500
Opponent - BUF
Proj Pts FD - 14.73 DK - 4.54

I am not avoiding the top tier wingers on purpose it's just the value for Skinner right now pops off the page or screen, if you will. Due to being on a middling offensive team his salary has stayed relatively low considering the production he is providing. Get on him while the getting's good and it appears to be once again tonight. Skinner has scored three goals over his last two games and now has nine points over his last 10 and 26 on the season. As you can probably tell, I always favor players who take a ton of shots(safety) and Skinner is no different with 108 on the season(3.7 per game).

Stack with: Victor Rask, Derek Ryan

 

 
Justin Williams FD - $4700 DK - $4900
Opponent - MON
Proj Pts FD - 8.75 DK - 2.68

Williams is a GPP only play tonight even with goals in three straight games. He just doesn't quite have that shot volume I was talking about for safety as he averages 2.1 shots on goal per game. The upside he has been providing has come as he skates on the top lien with Ovechkin, who maybe isn't having his best season but is still an elite player in this league.  

Stack with: Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov

 

 

 

DEFENSEMEN
Rasmus Ristolainen FD - $5400 DK - $6000
Opponent - CAR
Proj Pts FD - 14.36 DK - 4.62

Another player that the system absolutely loves today and has for about the past week. What isn't to love? He started the year off slow but has come on strong with 12 points in his last 10 games including five points on the powerplay. That isn't though. He has been averaging over three shots on goal per game and 2.2 blocks over those 10 games which gives him a monster floor. He is more than safe in all formats tonight.

 

 
Justin Schultz FD - $4000 DK - $4700
Opponent - TOR
Proj Pts FD - 8.69 DK - 2.66

If you have been reading our hockey articles lately you have definitely heard Schultz's name a ton. He has more than got the attention of the fantasy community with his 17 points playing on the third unit with Ian Cole. The upside has come playing on the top powerplay unit while Kris Letang has been out. The price is starting to come up on DraftKings but is a near must play on FanDuel still at $4,000.

 

 

Also Consider: Damon Severson(NJ)

 

 

 

 

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.