DraftKings Fantasy Hockey Cheat Sheet: March 2nd

There are just three games on the slab tonight, but it’s Wednesday so that means I’m here to try and help you guys win big bucks on DraftKings! They have two featured contests for you guys to try tonight:

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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.

Centres

Evgeny Kuznetsov – vs. TOR – $6,700

Kuznetsov comes in on a heater. He has five goals, six assists (11 points) and 4.4 fantasy points per game in his last nine contests. Kuznetsov has had a great year whether he is playing on the top line with Alex Ovechkin or on the second line away from Ovechkin. The Leafs have totally dismantled their roster, which makes it a phenomenal matchup for the Capitals’ top-2 lines.

Nicklas Backstrom – vs. TOR – $6,400

Backstop is back on the top line with Ovechkin and has picked up four assists and 4.0 fantasy points per game in his last three contests. Backstrom has three points (1G / 2A) in two games vs. the Maple Leafs this season and the lineup that will be on the ice tonight consists of mostly AHL players.

Ryan Getzlaf – vs. MTL – $6,300

Getzlaf second half surge continues into tonight as he enters play on an 11-game point streak—picking up five goals and 12 assists (17 points) over that span. The Canadiens are coming off of a contest where they gave up six goals vs. the Sharks, so the Ducks and a red-hot Getzlaf make safe options tonight.

Value Option: Andreas Athanasiou – $2,700

Of players who are averaging at least 8:00 EV/TOI this season, Athanasiou ranks second in the NHL in goals per 60 minutes (1.65), ahead of Connor McDavid. Atahansiou is coming off of a two-goal game on Monday and possesses elite speed that makes him a great punt play at $2,700.

Wingers

Alex Ovechkin – vs. TOR – $9,100

Ovechkin has been held off of the score sheet for two games in a row, but should be able to record a point tonight with the Maple Leafs in town. He has 40 goals on the season and has averaged an absurd 6.5 FPPG over the last month. He has one goal and two assists in two games vs. Toronto this season and 32 points (22G / 10A) in 30 games on home ice this season.

Andre Burakovsky – vs. TOR – $4,900

Burakovsky has one goal, three assists and 3.4 DraftKings points per game in his last five games. He has landed a regular role in the Capitals top-6 and has produced at a solid pace for a $4,900 player. If you can’t fit Ovechkin into your lineup, Kuznetsov-Burakovsky is a solid fall-back for a much cheaper price.

David Perron – vs. MTL – $4,700

It’s difficult to pinpoint which of the Ducks’ top-3 lines will score, but since the All-Star game it has been Getzlaf more often than not. Perron has landed a permanent spot next to Getzlaf since being acquired from Pittsburgh and he has picked up 16 points (7G / 9A) in 18 games.

Value Option: Michael McCarron – $2,700

McCarron has one one assist, seven shots and 3.5 FPPG in two games since being recalled from St. John’s (AHL). Tonight McCarron has been bumped to the Canadiens’ second line and will play between Alex Galchenyuk and Lars Eller. At $2,700, McCarron is a strong punt-play tonight.

Defensemen

Sami Vatanen – vs. MTL – $5,100

Vatanen had a terrible start to the season, but his recent stretch has been fabulous. He has three goals, six assists and 4.1 FPPG in his last eight games. The Ducks are playing very well right now, something the Habs are not. Vatanen is the fifth most expensive D option tonight, but is arguably playing the best hockey of any of them.

Matt Niskanen – vs. TOR – $5,000

Niskanen had a goal last night and he will play huge minutes on the top pair and top power-play with John Carlson out. Niskanen shoots a lot and blocks a fair amount of shots as well. With Toronto in town, he is a strong blueline option.

Morgan Rielly – @ WSH – $4,500

I’ve locked the Maple Leafs down a few times in this article and I think it is a slam dunk that the Capitals will win tonight, but Rielly is a legitimate blueline option still. He has one goal and two assists in his last four games and his heavy workload an offensive ability warrants consideration. His owned percentage is bound to be low, which makes him even more intriguing.

Goalies

Petr Mrazek – vs. CHI – $8,000

On a small three-game slate, the goaltending options are limited. Mark was won two in a row while stopping 52 of 56 shots (.929 SV%) and has gone 11-5-5 with a 2.02 GAA and .925 SV% on home ice this season. The matchup is obviously not appealing, but the Blackhawks are not the same team on the road as they are on home ice, which puts Mrazek above Corey Crawford on my list tonight.

John Gibson – vs. MTL – $7,600

Gibson stopped 29 shots in the Ducks win over the Kings on Sunday and tonight’s matchup is much better. He has won three in a row while posting a 2.00 GAA, .919 SV% and 5.5 FPPG. The Habs were blown out on Monday and offer a good matchup for Gibson, who is 10-5-1 with a 1.91 GAA and .926 SV% on home ice.

Philipp Grubauer – vs. TOR – $7,200

Grubauer will definitely be a high-volume play tonight because of his great matchup and low salary. He has 3-3-1 with a 2.00 GAA and .930 SV% on home ice while the Maple Leafs come in at 12-19-2 on the road.

Sample Lineup