Daily Fantasy Hockey Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings 3/2/18

Hello hockey fans and welcome to another awesome day of NHL action here at DFSR. Today, we have an impressive nine-game Friday slate in store for us and there some high-powered offenses to go along with quite a few weak defenses in action this evening. Let's get this party started and dive right into some of my favorite picks.

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

Marc-Andre Fleury FD - $8700 DK - $8500
Opponent - OTT
Proj Pts FD - 15.64 DK - 3.91

The Vegas Golden Knights have been quite a story so far in their first season and this guy has been a huge part of their success. Since returning from a concussion on December 12th, the veteran carries an 18-6-3 record to go along with a .930 save%, a 2.10 GAA and he hasn't allowed more than three goals in 26 of those 27 games. The Senators are ranked 25th in offense and the Golden Knights are listed as massive -275 favorites on home-ice, so all things considered, "The Flower" is an elite play and my top goalie in all formats.

Connor Hellebuyck FD - $8200 DK - $8400
Opponent - DET
Proj Pts FD - 15.51 DK - 3.88

There may be a few people that hop off of the "Helly" wagon after he allowed six goals in his last outing against the Predators. But for the record, I won't be one of them as these things happen to the best of them from time to time. The young tender has been a monster this season as he boasts a 32-10-8 record to go along with a .922 save %, a 2.29 GAA, and six shutouts. Hellebuyck is even better at home with a 22-5-2 record and the Red Wings are ranked 27th offensively, so I'm staying in my first class window seat as this Jet is about to take-off. Fire up the Youngster in all formats.

Also Consider: James Reimer(FLA)

CENTERS

Nathan MacKinnon FD - $8400 DK - $7500
Opponent - MIN
Proj Pts FD - 17.16 DK - 4.94

This superstar is a one-man show whenever he is on the ice and he has an impressive 71 points in only 55 games to go along with an elite 3.62 shot per game average, which is third-best amongst centers. In his last three games, he has been on fire with four goals, two assists, and a whopping 21 shots and the offense runs through him in all situations. The Wild own the league's fifth-worst road defense and the Av's are much better at home, so all things considered, Mackinnon is an elite play in all formats and possibly my favorite play for the entire slate.

Stack with: Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog

Aleksander Barkov FD - $7300 DK - $6800
Opponent - BUF
Proj Pts FD - 16.59 DK - 4.73

I love hockey and I'm excited about the future as there are so many young players, such as this guy, with bright careers ahead of them. Barkov has a goal, four assists, and 11 shots in his last three games(he has two goals tonight as I write this) and he averages exactly one point per game to go along with an elite 3.32 shot per game average. He is just too much to handle for the Sabres and their fifth-worst defense, so lock and load Barkov in all formats, my friends.

Stack with: Evgeni Dadonov, Nick Bjugstad

Paul Stastny FD - $5600 DK - $5100
Opponent - DET
Proj Pts FD - 10.15 DK - 2.9

I wrote about this guy in my trade deadline article that was recently posted here at DFSR and what an opportunity Stastny has with the Jets as they are having a remarkable season. In his first game with his new team, the proven veteran recorded a goal, an assist, three shots, and two blocks while playing beside the extremely talented, Patrick Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers on the #2 line. Stastny also skated on the #1 powerplay unit last game and I love rostering him in GPP lineups against the Wings and their 17th ranked defense, and if you think that he will shoot the puck more often with the Jets, he can also be considered for your cash game lineups at these cheap prices.

Stack with: Nikolaj Ehlers, Patrick Laine

Also Consider: Eric Staal(MIN)

WINGERS

Taylor Hall FD - $8200 DK - $7800
Opponent - CAR
Proj Pts FD - 18.12 DK - 5.24

I don't think there was any comfortable room left on the Taylor Hall band-wagon, but Chris found his way aboard and I followed closely behind. There could be history in the making here, so I'm going to elbow my way to the front as the superstar winger scored another goal as I write this to extend his eye-dropping point streak to 23 games. Hall is simply on a different level than anyone else right now and the Hurricanes don't pose much of  a threat with their 23rd ranked defense. He has 68 points in 58 games to go along with an elite 3.64 shot per game average, which is third-best amongst wingers, so don't be silly and lock Hall into your lineups in all formats.

Stack with: Kyle Palmieri, Nico Hischier

Reilly Smith FD - $6500 DK - $6800
Opponent - OTT
Proj Pts FD - 11.26 DK - 3.25

I think the Panthers may be upset that they let this guy go in the expansion draft as he is on a roll with points in 11 of his last 12 games, with six of them being multi-point efforts and he has two goals, five assists, and 15 shots during his current four-game point streak. Smith plays on the top line and the #1 powerplay for the Golden Knights and the Senators are ranked second-worst defensively, so try and find a way to fit him into your lineups in all formats and reap the rewards this evening.

Stack with: William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault

Craig Smith FD - $5600 DK - $5700
Opponent - VAN
Proj Pts FD - 11.95 DK - 3.45

No, these guys aren't brothers and there are probably two million Smith's in the world and close to 50 in my hometown of only 1600 people. Anyways, Craig Smith has two goals and five assists during his current eight-game point streak while averaging right around three shots per game as Chris mentioned yesterday. The Canucks are ranked fourth-worst defensively and he plays on the #2 line and the #1 powerplay for the Preds, so lock and load Craig Smith in all formats.

Stack with: Kyle Turris, Kevin Fiala

Also Consider: Blake Wheeler(WPG), Rickard Rakell(ANA), Nikita Scherbak(MON)

 

DEFENSEMEN 

Roman Josi FD - $6700 DK - $6800
Opponent - VAN
Proj Pts FD - 13.51 DK - 4.08

Wow! Josi(pronounced Yoshi, like the little green dinosaur from Mario Brothers) recorded five assists last game to give him a goal, 11 assists, 14 shots, and seven blocks during his current five-game point streak. Those are some unreal numbers and the veteran stud plays in all situations for the Predators, so try and find some salary space to fit him into your lineups in all formats today.

John Gilmour FD - $3900 DK - $3800
Opponent - CGY
Proj Pts FD - 7.31 DK - 2.35

Rostering a cheap defenseman with a high floor is important for your cash game lineups and enter Gilmour, who scored a goal last game to give him two in 10 games played this season. During that span the youngster also carries a 3.2 shot per game average to go along with a block per game, so lock him into your cash game lineups and spend elsewhere folks.

Also Consider: Dustin Byfuglien(WPG) GPP formats, Andy Greene(NJ) Cash game formats. 

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.