DraftKings Fantasy Hockey Cheat Sheet: December 16th

What’s up DFS folks, in case you haven’t already figured it out, per our deal with DraftKings, I only do two cheat sheets per week, one on Wednesday and one on Friday. Unfortunately today, there are only two games, which makes DraftKings very difficult. However, I still have to tackle it, so let’s take a look at today’s cheat sheet.

Tonight’s featured DraftKings contest has a $3 entry or FREE if you are a new user. The top 2,750 finishers will split a prize pool of $35,000 with first place taking home $2,000! Do you have what it takes to turn $3 into $2,000?

Are you new to DraftKings or Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS)? (If so, SIGN UP for an Account HERE) Here’s a quick explanation on how to build your lineup an play! You have $50,000 in Salary space, to build a team that consists of 2C, 3W, 2D, 1G and 1 Util. Below you will find how skaters and goalies scoring works!

• Players will accumulate points as follows:

• Goal = +3 PTS
• Assist = +2 PTS
• Shot on Goal = +0.5 PTS
• Blocked Shot = +0.5 PTS
• Short Handed Point Bonus (Goal/Assist) = +1 PTS
• Shootout Goal = +0.2 PTS
• Hat Trick Bonus = +1.5 PTS

• Goalies only will accumulate points as follows:

• Win = +3 PTS
• Save = +0.2 PTS
• Goal Against = -1 PTS
• Shutout Bonus = +2 PTS

• Goalie Scoring Notes:

• Goalies WILL receive points for all stats they accrue, including goals and assists.
• The Goalie Shutout Bonus is credited to goalies if they complete the entire game with 0 goals allowed in regulation + overtime. Shootout goals will not prevent a shutout. Goalie must complete the entire game to get credit for a shutout.

Below I’ve listed my top DFS plays at each position as well as a few sample DraftKings lineup for tonight.

Centres

Evgeni Malkin – @ BOS – $7,500

Malin has goals in back-to-back games, posting 14 shots, for 13.5 DraftKings points. The Penguins offence has struggled this season, but Malkin has played very well overall, registering 14 goals and 13 assists (27 points) in 29 games. In the last month, he has 15 points (10G / 5A) in 12 games, averaging 5.5 DraftKings points per game, second most among available players tonight.

Patrice Bergeron – vs. PIT – $6,800

Bergeron comes into play on Wednesday riding a five-game point streak, registering one goal and five assists (4.7 FPPG). Bergeron is the third most expensive centre available, but the $6,800 price tag leaves room for flexibility opposed to taking Malkin or Sidney Crosby.

Nicklas Backstrom – vs. OTT – $6,400

Backstrom is coming off of a huge game against the Penguins, where he had one goal and two assists (7.5 FP). He has 10 goals and 17 assists (27 points) in 26 games this season. Any way you break it down, Backstrom has been averaging just over 3.5 DraftKings points per game.

Value Options:  Ryan Spooner – vs. PIT – $4,100 / Marcus Johansson – vs. OTT – $4,000

Wingers

Alex Ovechkin – vs. OTT – $8,900

Ovechkin has been held off of the score sheet for two straight games, which doesn’t happen often. He has 14 goals, 11 assists and 143 shots on goal in 28 game this season, but comes in on a bit of a dry spell. He and the Capitals draw a nice matchup vs. Andrew Hammond, who is making his first start after missing more than one month with a concussion.

Brad Marchand – vs. PIT – $6,100

Marchand has goals in back-to-back games and five goals one, one assist and 23 shots in his last six games. He had a season-high nine shots on Monday, and draws a solid matchup tonight vs. a banged up Penguins team who will be starting their backup goalie.

T.J Oshie – vs. OTT – $5,800

Oshie has had an inconsistent season, but had three points (2G / 1A) on Monday after being held off of the score sheet in the previous four games. On a night with only two games, it makes it a little easier to stack an entire line. Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie might be expensive, but it is my favourite line of the evening.

Value Options: Matt Beleskey – vs. PIT – $4,200 / David Perron – @ BOS – $4,000 / Sergei Plotnikov – @ BOS – $2,500

Defensemen

John Carlson – vs. OTT – $6,700

Carlson is one of my favourite DraftKings players because he does EVERYTHING. I took him on Monday and all he did was score a goal with an assist, eight shots and three blocked shots = 10.5 FP. In the last two weeks he has averaged 5.8 FPPG, which is more than any other skater available tonight and fourth in the NHL.

Zdeno Chara – vs. PIT – $5,200

Chara has been on fire recently, picking up two goals, four assists, 20 shots and seven blocks (4.1 FPPG) over his last seven games. He is a cheaper option than Torey Krug and is playing better than him right now. If there’s a Bruins blueliner to own vs. Zatkoff and the Pens, it is Chara.

Olli Maatta – @ BOS – $3,300

Since returning from injury on December 5th, Maatta has two goals and two assists while averaging 3.8 FPPG in six games. With Kris Letang out, Maatta is the go-to-guy and tonight he will skate on the top pair with newcomer Trevor Daley as well as on the second power-play unit.

Goalies

Braden Holtby – vs. OTT – $8,200

Holtby is without a doubt the best Fantasy Hockey goalie option in the NHL right now. He has won three straight with a 1.30 GAA and .962 SV% and has won 11 of his last 12 starts. Yep, 11 of 12…Impressive stuff. The Senators rank 4th in the NHL in goals, but at home, I’m betting on Holtby and his owned percentage shouldn’t be very high. 

Tuukka Rask – vs. PIT – $7,700

Rask has won three straight games while posting a 0.67 GAA, .974 SV% and one shutout. Rask has been impressive recently and he has a strong matchup against a banged up Penguins team that currently ranks 25th in the NHL in scoring, averaging 2.31 goals per game.

Value Option: Jeff Zatkoff – @ BOS – $7,400

Sample Lineup