DraftKings Fantasy Hockey Cheat Sheet: February 24th

I think you could classify tonight’s NHL Fantasy slate as “interesting.” There isn’t a tonne of “elite” skaters or goalies to choose from, which is going to make it an interesting night on DraftKings. As usual, they have two featured contests for you to join!

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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 line stacks, defensemen and goalies as well as a few sample DraftKings lineup for tonight.

Line Stacks

Washington: Alex Ovechkin ($9,200) – Evgeny Kuznetsov ($6,700) – Justin Williams ($5,300)

	Ovechkin’s price tag is astronomically high right now, but for good reason. In his last eight games, he has 10 goals, two assists and is averaging an absurd 7.25 shots and 8.4 DraftKings points per game.
	Kuznetsov’s stellar season continues as well, he has 13 points (3G / 10A) in 11 games since the All-Star break and his spot next to Ovechkin makes him a great play every night.
	Williams was recently moved to this line and he provides nice value at $5,300. The veteran winger has three goals, four assists and 3.9 fantasy points per game in his last seven contests.
Matchup: vs. Montreal	The Canadiens come in having gone 1-7-1 while giving up an average of 4.33 goals per game in their last nine road games.

San Jose: Tomas Hertl ($5,200) – Joe Thornton ($5,500) – Joe Pavelski ($7,500)

	Hertl is coming off of a two-goal, eight fantasy point night on Monday and he has picked up four goals, one assist, 15 shots and 4.9 fantasy points per game in his last five contests. He is the “value option” on a red-hot Sharks’ top line.
	Even at 36-years-old, Thornton is still unbelievable. Earlier in the year, his low shot volume made him a risky daily option. While his shot volume remains lower than I would like, he rarely goes a game without recording a point. Jumbo Joe has points in 18 of his last 20 games, notching seven goals and 21 assists (29 points) over that span. That kind of production is welcomed at $5,500.
	Pavelski is the expensive option and the shooter on this trio. However, we’ve seen his shot volume dip a bit in recent weeks. Lower shots means fewer goals, but he has still picked up six points (1G / 5A) and 3.2 fantasy points over his last nine games.
Matchup: @ Colorado	Calvin Pickard will start for the Avalanche. He has played well lately, but has struggled in two starts vs. the Sharks, allowing a combined seven goals on 58 shots (.879 SV%). Colorado has given up 3.00 goals per game in five home games in February.

Nick Ritchie ($2,500) – Rickard Rakell ($4,700) – Corey Perry ($6,300)

	Ritchie has played four games since being called up, but has failed to pick up a point. He has fired nine goals on goal, but is averaging just 1.3 FPPG. He is a decent punt option at the basement salary while playing in the top six with two quality possession drivers.
	Rakell has 10 points (5G / 5A) in 11 games since the All-Star break. He is riding a four-game point streak (2G / 3A) having picked up 3.5, 7, 4 and 3.5 fantasy points per game. This line offers a tonne of value with great matchup.
	There are three lines to choose from in Anaheim, but Perry’s line offers the best value. He shoots the puck enough to provide a stable floor, but has seen his scoring fall off. Perry has three goals, three assists and 3.2 FPPG in his last nine. Perry has 13 points (10G / 3A) in 12 career games vs. Buffalo.
Matchup: vs. Buffalo	The Sabres have lost six of their last nine games while allowing 2.67 goals per game. Robin Lehner has been prone to blowups, making the Sabres a nice small-slate matchup.

Defensemen

Brent Burns – @ COL – $8,200

Burns is a quality option every night the Sharks are in play, it’s just a matter of fitting that big salary and bigger beard into your lineup. He has on goal, five assists, 38 shots and 6.3 fantasy points per game over his last six.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic – @ COL – $5,100

Classic may have seen his eight-game point streak snapped recently, but he picked two assists on Monday and has 10 assists, 17 shots, 24 blocked shots and 3.7 FPPG in his last 11 games. If you can’t afford Burns, Vlasic is the next best option on the Sharks’ back-end.

Sami Vatanen – vs. BUF – $5,000

After a really slow start to the season, Vatanen has picked up two goals, five assists and 3.7 DraftKings points per game over his last nine. If you’re going to stack the Ducks, Vatanen is probably their best blueline option, however, Cam Fowler isn’t too bad either.

Goalies

Braden Holtby – vs. MTL – $8,700

Holtby has posted an uncharacteristic 2.61 GAA and .904 SV% in February, but that has still resulted in an 8-1-0 record. It doesn’t seem to matter what he does anymore, he still wins. He draws a really good matchup tonight and the three-point win bonus is a near-lock.

Martin Jones – @ COL – $7,500

Jones has won five of his last six starts while posting a 1.81 GAA and .935 SV%. He has also won two of three starts against the Avalanche this season and is one of the NHL’s best goalies on the road.

Frederik Andersen – vs. BUF – $7,400

Andersen is 6-0-1 with a 2.40 GAA and .918 SV% since the All-Star break and the way the Ducks have been playing in front of him, it is reasonable to think he’ll make that 7-0-1 with the Sabres in town.

Sample Lineups