DraftKings Fantasy Hockey Cheat Sheet: December 9th

Tonight’s featured DraftKings contest has a $3 entry or FREE if you are a new user. The top 3,525 finishers will split a prize pool of $45,000 with first place taking home $3,000! Do you have what it takes to turn $3 into $3,000?

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 – @ COL – $7,400

Malkin is the only Penguin really doing anything offensively. Mackie has been held off of the scoresheet in the last two games, but has eight goals and five assists (13 points) in his last nine games. Malkin draws a great matchup vs. Reto Berra and the Avalanche, a team he has one goal in one game against this season.

ALEX GALCHENYUK – vs. BOS – $4,800

Galchenyuk has five goals and four assists (nine points) in his last eight games and has been moved to the top line with Max Pacioretty for tonight’s contest. He has 20 points in 28 games this season and his $4,800 salary is great for a 1st line centre.

OSCAR LINDBERG – @ VAN – $4,000

Lindberg will play on the Rangers top line with Rick Nash and has one goal and 10 shots on goal in his last two games. His shot volume alone provides a stable floor. Like Galchenyuk, $4,000 is extremely digestible for a 1st line centre.

VALUE OPTION: MELKER KARLSSON – @ EDM – $3,700

WINGERS

MAX PACIORETTY – vs. BOS – $7,700

Pacioretty has no points in his last two games, but has registered seven and nine shots (16) for 4.5 and 3.5 Draft Kings points. Pacioretty had three goals and three assists (six points) in his previous five games. He is a stable option and his new line makes for a cheap stack.

RICK NASH – @ VAN – $7,100

Nash didn’t have a great start to the season, but has turned things around recently. He has assists in back-to-back games and six goals and two assists in his last nine games. Ryan Miller and the Canucks are struggling, so the matchup is exploitable.

JORDAN EBERLE – vs. SJ – $5,200

Eberle had a slow start due to injury, but he has registered goals in back-to-back games, while picking up 5 and 5.5 DraftKings points. He will look to keep the streak going against Martin Jones, who was pulled last night. Because of his early season struggles, his $5,200 salary is valuable for a player with back-to-back 60-plus point seasons.

VALUE OPTIONS: TEDDY PURCELL – vs. SJS / SVEN ANDRIGHETTO – vs. BOS – $2,800

DEFENSEMEN

BRENT BURNS – @ EDM – $7,800

Burns is the man. He has had seven shots in each of his last two games and has five goals, three assists in his last eight games, averaging 6.5 DraftKings points per game. Burns is easily a the best blueline option available, but fitting his salary into your lineup is the problem.

TYSON BARRIE – vs. PIT – $4,900

Barrie has two goals and two assists (four points) in his last four games. He has averaged 3.44 DraftKings points per game in his last eight contests, providing you with a stable floor against a Penguins team that has struggled all year.

KEITH YANDLE – @ VAN – $4,700

Handle only has one goal in 28 games this season, but his 13 assists and 61 shots are good for 12th and 19th in the NHL. Handle has 4.5, 4.5, 3 & 3 DraftKings points in his last four games, giving you a stable option for a reasonable cheap price.

VALUE OPTIONS: ANDREJ SEKERA – vs. SJ – $3,400 / OLLI MAATTA – @ COL – $3,100 / BEN HUTTON – vs. NYR – $7,600

GOALIES

HENRIK LUNDQVIST – @ VAN – $8,100

Lundqvist has a fantastic 1.99 GAA and .938 SV% on the season and has allowed just two goals in his last two starts. Lundqvist is a top goaltending option and the matchup vs. a struggling Canucks team makes him the top DraftKings option tonight.

MARC-ANDRE FLEURY – @ COL – $7,800

Fleury has not been the Penguins problem this season, the offensive is. He is a bit of a risky option because of the Penguins lack of scoring, but it is easy to believe in Fleury more than Reto Berra.

MIKE CONDON – vs. BOS – $7,600

Condon has lost two in a row while allowing a combined six goals. Picking Condon tonight is less about a belief in him rather than a belief in Tuukka Rask’s unexplainable struggles against the Canadiens. Condon already has one win against the Bruins this season, I would expect him to make it two.

SAMPLE LINEUPS