DraftKings Fantasy Hockey Cheat Sheet: January 6th

Welcome back Daily Fantasy Hockey Players! Hopefully 2015 was a good year for all of you in terms of making money on DraftKings! I’m here to help, so hopefully my advice has been going a long way!

Tonight’s featured contest has a $3 entry fee and a $40,000 Prize Pool. The top 3,200 finishers will be paid out and 1st place wins $3,000!

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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 plays at each position as well as a few sample DraftKings lineup for tonight.

Centres

Sidney Crosby – @ CHI – $7,100

Crosby may have been snubbed as an All Star today, but that is not because of how he has played recently. The NHL’s most recognizable name has been on a torrid pace as of late. Since missing one game with a lower-body injury on December 21st, Crosby has registered six goals, three assists (nine points) and 6.0 FPPG in six contests. He’s been red-hot and had a goal and an assist vs. the Blackhawks last night—the same team he faces tonight.

Ryan Getzlaf – vs. TOR – $5,700

Getzlaf still hasn’t completely figured things out. He’s appeared in 34 games but has just three goals to show for it. Despite his lack of scoring, the Ducks have won four of their last five and draw a strong matchup tonight. He has two goals, three assists and 3.29 FPPG over the last seven games. He has eight assists in seven career games vs. Toronto.

Tomas Plekanec – vs. NJ – $5,200

Pleasance was reunited with Max Pacioretty and Brendan Gallagher during the Winter Classic and he registered two assists. He was held off of the score sheet last night, but playing on that top line, that shouldn’t happen often. He’s played over 19 TOI in the last four games and should play a big part in tonight’s game. Plekanec-Gallagher, makes for a reasonably inexpensive stack.

Value Options: Rickard Rakell – vs. TOR – $4,000 / Andrew Desjardins – vs. PIT – $2,900

Wingers

Patrick Kane – vs. PIT -$8,800

Kane continues to pace the NHL with 59 points and sits second in the league with 23 goals. He’s having a great year and comes in with a four-game point streak, recording two goals and seven assists (nine points) over that stretch. The Hawks and Pens meet again tonight—he had two assists and 4.5 fantasy points last night.

Corey Perry – vs. TOR – $6,600

Perry has four goals and one assists in his last six games (4.2 FPPG) and his so-so season has him sitting with an enticing $6,600 salary. Perry has an impressive 11 points (7G / 4A) in eight games vs. the Maple Leafs in his career. With a nice matchup and a digestible salary, Getzlaf-Perry make a strong stack.

Brendan Gallagher – vs. NJ – $6,300

Since returning to the Canadiens lineup in the Winter Classic, Gallagher has two goals, one assist and 11 DraftKings points. He has picked up where he left off when he broke his fingers and his play should continue to spark the Canadiens offence.

Value Options: David Perron – @ CHI – $4,100 / Daniel Carr – vs. NJ – $2,900

Defensemen

Kevin Shattenkirk – @ COL – $6,500

Despite missing 10 games earlier in the season, Shattenkirk is still on pace for a career-high 56 points this season. Anything close to 60 points from a defenseman is very impressive. he has goals in three of his last four games and has averaged 4.8 FPPG in the last month—in that time he has five goals, eight assists (13 points), 52 shots and 28 blocks in 15 games. If you can afford him, get him in there.

Kris Letang – @ CHI – $5,900

Letang has been banged up this season, but he has been on fire since getting back in the lineup. In his last five games he has an absurd 10 points (3G / 7A), 22 shots and six blocks which works out to 7.6 FPPG. He had nine DraftKings points vs. the Blackhawks last night and tonight he could face Scott Darling, which makes him a nice option.

Tyson Barrie – vs. STL – $5,200

Barrie had four points (2G / 2A) in his last game and has three goals, five assists (eight points) in his last six games. Over his last 12 games, he has 11 points, 24 shots, 18 blocks and is averaging 3.9 FPPG. The matchup isn’t great, but with Erik Johnson out, Barrie will carry the entire load on the Avs’ blueline.

Value Options: Brett Pesce – @ VAN – $3,000 / Shea Theodore – vs. TOR – $2,500

Goalies

Jake Allen – @ COL – $7,600

Allen has lost his last two starts, but over the last month he ranks seventh in DraftKings points (5.6 FPPG) among starting net minders. The Avalanche are an inconsistent team so it is had to judge if Jekyll or Hyde will show up. Allen is 7-4-1 with a 2.34 GAA and .927 SV% on the road this season.

John Gibson – vs. TOR – $6,800

Gibson has won four straight games while posting a 0.75 GAA and .963 SV%. He is 8-4-2 with a 1.63 GAA and .932 SV% since being called up and has clearly cemented himself as the Ducks’ starter. At $6,800, he is a no brainer to be started tonight vs. the Maple Leafs.

Eddie Lack – @ VAN – $6,500

Lack’s first 12 games with the Hurricanes did no go as planned, but he has gone 2-0-1 with a 1.64 GAA and .944 SV% in his last three starts. He has certainly picked up his play as of late and a matchup against his former team should bring out the best of him.

Sample Lineups