DraftKings Fantasy Hockey Cheat Sheet: November 18th

Tonight’s featured DraftKings contest has a $3 entry fee or FREE if you are a new user. The top 3,840 finishers will split a prize pool of $50,000 with first place taking home $4,000! 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 my ideal DraftKings lineup for tonight.

CENTRES

NICKLAS BACKSTROM – @ DET – $6,700

Backstrom has posted 12 points (6G / 6A) in 13 games this season, but tonight he will start his first game of the season on a line with his old pal Alex Ovechkin. Backstrom is a premier playmaker who has shown great chemistry with Ovechkin in the past. The Capitals were shutout by Petr Mrazek last week, so they will be desperate to score tonight.

BRYAN LITTLE – vs. WPG – $5,500

The Jets have been struggling recently, but Little has still posted strong numbers. He has five goals and four assists (nine points) in his last nine games. Little has the fifth highest salary among centres, but averages more fantasy points per game (3.8) that the four more expensive options. At $5,500 against a Canucks team struggling as much as the Jets, he is a strong play.

ARTEM ANISIMOV – @ EDM – $4,300

Anisimov is playing on arguably the hottest line in the NHL as well as centring the Blackhawks’ top power play unit. In his last eight games, Anisimov has four goals and four assists (eight points) and his $4,300 salary is more than digestible.

Value Options: Leon Draisaitl – vs. CHI – $3,600 / Jared McCan – @ WPG – $3,000

WINGERS

ALEX OVECHKIN – @ DET – $9,600

Ovechkin is still searching for his 484th career NHL goal to become the all-time Russian goal scorer (surpassing Sergei Federov). There was no better time than last Tuesday in Detroit on Federov night and Ovechkin did all he could to score. He fired 15 shots on goal, but remains scoreless in his last three games. Now the Capitals are back in Detroit and if fires anywhere near 15 shots, he will be a great play.

PATRICK KANE – @ EDM – $8,600

Kane currently leads the NHL in goals (13) and points (28). He enters play on Wednesday with goals in seven straight games to go along with eight assists…15 points in eight games isn’t so bad. He is $1,000 cheaper than Ovechkin, hotter than Ovechkin and has a better matchup than Ovechkin. Kane is THE play tonight.

BLAKE WHEELER – vs. VAN – $7,000

Like Little, the Jets recent struggles haven’t slowed Wheeler’s fantasy production that much. Wheeler has two goals and four assists (six points) in his last seven games and he makes for a reasonably cheap stack with Little against an exploitable Canucks team.

ARTEMI PANARIN – $5,500

Panarin’s move to the NHL has gone quite well. The 24-year-old winger has 18 points (6G / 12A) and 45 shots (2.5 S/PG) in his first 18 NHL games. His salary continues to rise, but he is still playable with his red-hot line mates. He enters play with four goals and three assists in his last six games.

Value Options: Jannik Hansen – @ WPG – $3,500 / Teemu Pulkkinen – vs. WSH – $3,000

DEFENSEMEN

DUSTIN BYFUGLIEN – vs. VAN – $6,300

When it comes to DraftKings and especially DraftKings Defensemen, it is nice to have someone who shoots a lot…Byfuglien is that player. He averages over three shots per game and has arguably been the Jets’ best player this season. He has three goals and one assist in his last seven games and

DUNCAN KEITH – @ EDM – $4,900

Keith’s return to the lineup has gone well, he has one goal and one assist while averaging 25:54 TOI in two games, showing no fill affects. As you’ve probably realized already, I am a fan of the Blackhawks stack in Edmonton and Keith is their clear No. 1 option on the blueline.

MIKE GREEN – vs WSH – $4,500

Since returning from an injury, Green has collected four assists and 11 shots on goal in five games. He is coming off of arguably his best game as a Red Wing and will be extra motivated to face his former team again tonight.

Value Options: Chris Tanev – @ WPG – $3,600 / Andrej Sekera – vs. CHI – $3,200 / Jakub Kindl – vs. WSH – $3,000

GOALIES

BRADEN HOLTBY – @ DET – $7,900

Holtby played well against the Red Wings last week, stopping 26 of 27 shots, however it was not enough as the Detroit won 1-0. The goal Holtby allowed was a softy, so he will be looking to get revenge tonight. He enters play having won three of four with a 1.98 GAA and .941 SV%. Detroit doesn’t score a whole lot, so as long as his mates can beat Mrazek tonight, he should pick up the W.

COREY CRAWFORD – @ EDM – $7,700

Crawford has won two of three, but has struggled for the better part of November. However, he played very well on Saturday in St. Louis, so playing in Edmonton tonight should be a breeze.

PETR MRAZEK – vs. WSH – $7,100

It is hard to look at Mrazek tonight and ignore what he did against the Capitals last Tuesday. He was outstanding, stopping all 38-shots that he faced for a 1-0 shutout win. Mrazek has been great all season-long, posting a 2.18 GAA and .935 SV%. His matchup is definitely not ideal, but he has performed well against everyone he has faced this year.

Value Option: Ondrej Pavelec – vs. VAN – $6,500

MY LINEUP