Daily Fantasy Hockey Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings 3/19/18

Welcome back hockey fans. With just a couple weeks left in the regular season, the action ramps up as teams battle for a spot in the post-season. Tonight we have just five games on the schedule but seven of the 10 teams are firmly in the hunt. Let's dig in and take a look at some of the top plays at each position.

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 - $9300 DK - $8400
Opponent - BUF
Proj Pts FD - 14.83 DK - 3.71

The Predators became the first team to clinch a playoff berth and lead the league with 104 points. They play a very structured system in Nashville but also have an elite goalie stopping pucks and Rinne has pushed his way to the top of the Vezina Trophy race with a terrific stretch of hockey. He has now won 10 straight starts and is 20-1-1 over his last 22 starts while averaging over 31 shots against per game with an elite .936 save %. He has a great shot to add to those numbers tonight as he and the Preds are facing a Sabres team that sits in the basement of the Eastern Conference and rank 30th overall in offense scoring just 2.4 goals per game. All things considered, Rinne is the top goalie of the night and safe in all formats.

Also Consider: Roberto Luongo(FLA)

 

CENTERS

Vincent Trocheck FD - $7400 DK - $7500
Opponent - MON
Proj Pts FD - 15.88 DK - 4.6

Ryan and I have been going back and forth between the Panthers top two centers all season as it seems they take turns being dominant fantasy forces. Tonight, I am back on Trocheck who has been red-hot lately as he enters with a six-game point streak with 21 shots on goal giving us a high floor and ceiling. Overall, it has been a tremendous season as Trochek has set career highs in goals(28), assists(38), points(66), and shots(3.5 per game). He has a great matchup to add to those numbers tonight vs. the Canadiens who have dropped seven of their last eight games giving up 32 goals(4.0 per game) and now rank 29th in overall on defense.  Trocheck is an elite play in all formats.

Stack with: Jonathan Huberdeau, Frank Vatrano

Derek Stepan FD - $6100 DK - $5000
Opponent - CGY
Proj Pts FD - 10.65 DK - 3.14

With a small slate and most of the top centers in tough matchups tonight, I will be taking a shot in the value range with Derek Stepan. Despite the Coyotes owning the leagues worst defense, I think Stepan is a player we can trust in all formats tonight considering the price and how consistent he has been lately. He has nine shots in his last three games and 24 over his last 10 games to go along with seven points. He is averaging over 19 minutes of ice-time per game and can be used solo or a part of a low-owned GPP stack with his linemates who he skates with on the top powerplay unit as well.

Stack with: Clayton Keller, Richard Panik

 

Also Consider: Riley Nash(BOS) or David Backes(BOS) as a value play. Whichever one starts on the top line with Marchand/Pastrnak

 

WINGERS

Johnny Gaudreau FD - $7900 DK - $7200
Opponent - ARI
Proj Pts FD - 13.84 DK - 4

I have been riding Johnny Hockey for a couple weeks now and it has been paying off as he extended his current point streak to six games on Friday night vs. the Sharks. That now gives him 81 points on the season and like I have mentioned multiple times, he has been elite on the road with 45 points in 36 games while averaging 2.9 shots per game. Despite playing back to back to back on the road, he and Flames get a great matchup vs. the Coyotes who sit in the basement of the league and rank 26th overall when looking at defense(3.14 goals against per game). All things considered, Gaudreau is my top player overall and safe in all formats.

Stack with: Micheal Ferland, Sean Monahan

Rick Nash FD - $6200 DK - $5900
Opponent - CBJ
Proj Pts FD - 10.89 DK - 3.14

The price is getting up there but Nash has been a consistent fantasy option since joining the Bruins at the end of February. The upside has been capped as he has just six points in his 11 games but he is skating just under 17 minutes per game on the second line and top powerplay unit and has provided some safety with 41 shots(3.7 per game) in those 11 games. Columbus has been red-hot lately winning seven straight games but overall they drop from a Top 3 defensive team at home to a middle of the pack defense on the road. I will have shares of Nash in all formats tonight.

Stack with: David Krejci, Danton Heinen

Nino Niederreiter FD - $5300 DK - $4200
Opponent - LA
Proj Pts FD - 10.71 DK - 3.08

The Wild shook up their lines last week and moved Niederreiter to the top line with the red-hot Eric Staal which by itself brings a ton of value. In two games on the top line, Niederreiter has come through for us with a goal and an assist to go along with eight shots on goal. The matchup isn't the greatest vs. the Kings tonight but with his low price, especially on DraftKings, we can use him as a salary relief PTS/$ option in all formats.

Stack with: Eric Staal, Jason Zucker

 

DEFENSEMEN

Michael Matheson FD - $4600 DK - $4900
Opponent - MON
Proj Pts FD - 10.75 DK - 3.08

The Panthers have three viable fantasy options at the defense position and tonight I will be going with the cheapest of the three. He isn't a big upside play for GPP's with just 26 points on the season but he does provide some safety for cash games. Over his last 10 games, he has 22 blocks and 28 shots and with an added four points he has averaged 3.3 DraftKings/12.0 FanDuel points per game.

Matt Dumba FD - $4800 DK - $5000
Opponent - LA
Proj Pts FD - 10.8 DK - 3.16

Right in the same price range on both site is Matt Dumba who gives us more upside but has a tougher matchup tonight. He has jumped up to the top pairing with Ryan Suter as Jared Spurgeon is out for at least four weeks and has filled in admirably so far. In his first two games up top, he has a goal and an assist with 10 shots on goal and six points and 30 shots over his last 10 games whiel skating over 25 minutes per game. Fire him up in all formats at these prices.

Also Consider: Roman Josi(NSH) in GPP formats if you are paying up at defense

 

 

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.