DraftKings Fantasy Hockey Cheat Sheet: May 20th

I hope all of my fellow Canadians have a great May 2-4 long weekend! This Friday edition is coming at you live from my cottage, so my views may be slightly hazy because of all the sunshine and the fact that I’m writing this from my dock.

Both the Lightning and Blues find themselves down 2-1 in their series, making Game 4 huge for them. Win and they’re back on even terms, lose and they’re in big, big trouble. Do you believe in them knotting it up? Or are you leaning towards the Penguins and Sharks taking commanding leads. Find out what I think.

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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.

Forwards

Vladimir Tarasenko – @ SJS – $7,700

The Blues have been shutout for two straight games and I have a very hard time believing that Martin Jones and the Sharks will be able to make it three in a row. Tarasenko has been a non-factor through three games, failing to record a point in the series so far. Despite the two straight shutouts, Tarasenko totalled eight shots on a goal and is averaging 3.35 shots per game in 17 postseason games. He is a young forward who is still getting used to the playoffs and even head coach Ken Hitchcock said “he is learning some hard lessons” but hopefully Tarasenko can show the Sharks a few things in Game 4. The Blues desperately need him to.

Phil Kessel – @ TBL – $7,100

Kessel might have terrible breath, but his play on the ice this postseason has been exceptional. His scoring pace in the playoffs is more what everyone expected out of him in the regular season when he was traded to Pittsburgh. He is scoring at a 41-goal, 94-point pace (per 82 games), which would have been good for third and second respectively had he done in it in the regular season. The Lightning haven’t been able to stop him (2G / 2A in the series) and expect more out of him as the Penguins look to take a 3-1 series lead.

Ondrej Palat – vs. PIT – $5,600

The Lightning find themselves down 2-1 in the series, but Palat has been a bright spot for them so far. He has two goals, two assists and 4.5 FPPG in the first three games of the series and is coming off of a one goal, one assist performance in the Game 3 loss. Jonathan Drouin had a tough time in Game 4, but the trio of Palat-Valtteri Filppula-Drouin should be able to get things going again in Game 4.

Carl Hagelin – @ TBL – $5,300

Like Kessel, Hagelin has enjoyed a much more productive postseason and continued it in Game 3. He picked up one goal and one assist to give him 11 points (5G / 6A) in 14 games. He is reasonably priced at $5,300 and should make for a great stack with Kessel and you can add Nick Bonino into the mix as well.

Jonathan Drouin – vs. PIT – $4,900

Drouin was held off of the scoresheet all the way around in Game 3. He had no shots, no blocks so no DraftKings points. It snapped his three-game point streak, but he still has points in six of his last eight games and has been the Lightning’s best player for a lot of the playoffs. Expect him to bounce back in a huge home game for the Lightning.

Jaden Schwartz – @ SJS – $4,900

I’ve already stated I expect the Blues to at least put up a fight in Game 4 and if I’m in on Tarasenko, I’m definitely in on Schwartz as well. He hasn’t had any spectacular games, but he he has been very consistent and that is just fine with me at $4,900. He has five assists, 17 shots and 14 blocked shots (2.6 FPPG) in his last 10 games and has consistently fired at least two shots per game of that stretch. He might not score two goals with an assist, but he probably won’t put up a goose egg either.

Defensemen

Colton Parayko – @ SJS – $5,200

Parayko was moved onto a pairing with Kevin Shattenkirk in Game 3 and it didn’t produce any results, but Parayko is a reasonably priced defenseman who produces a healthy amount of shots and blacked shots with the potential to score one or two goals per game—especially when he is playing with an offensive dynamo like Shattenkirk (monitor that prior to Game 4).

Jason Garrison – vs. PIT – $4,100

When there are so many talented, but expensive forward options and no salary relief when it comes to goalies, cheap defensemen is almost a must. Garrison is averaging 2. shots per goal and half of a blocked shot per game in his last 10, while adding five points (1G / 4A) for 2.6 FPPG. He has an absolute blast and if he is firing two shots on goal with that kind of shot, one just might find the back of the net.

Brian Dumoulin – @ TBL – $3,100

I am digging really deep with Dumoulin. He doesn’t see any power-play time, but he sees huge minutes next to Kris Letang, which is great no matter what. He blocks about as many shots as he takes, which isn’t overwhelmingly high, but it’s enough to keep him relevant and with the potential of picking up cheap assists with potent Penguins’ offence.

Goalies

Brian Elliott– @ SJS – $8,500

Elliott has had a tough go in the last two games, which included getting pulled in Game 3, so we could see Jake Allen start Game 4, which wouldn’t be horrible because it would give you $1,100 of cap relief if you elect to play a Blues’ netminder. It can’t get worse for the Blues and I might be crazy, but I expect a very inspired effort in Game 4.

Andrei Vasilevskiy – vs. PIT – $8,100

Vasilevskiy can’t catch a break. He stopped 38 shots in Game 2 and lost, stopped 44 shots in Game 3 and lost again. Even in losing two straight while allowing seven combined goals, Vasilevskiy has picked up 4.6 and 4.8 DraftKings points, making him an intriguing option in Game 4. He’ll likely get peppered again and if the Lightning can score enough, he’d pick up the win and maybe seven or eight Fantasy Points.