Top Goalies
Darcy Kuemper (ARI)
Kuemper has been good in his last two starts and faces a team in the Flyers that have been underwhelming to start the season, to say the least. On FanDuel where pricing is never adjusted properly, Kuemper stands out as a value option whereas on DK he’s the highest priced option in between the pipes tonight. He’s fine for me on both sites behind an Arizona defense that have limited high-danger chances while still allowing upwards of 30 shots per game.
Tuukka Rask (BOS)
For the first time in a while Tuukka has something to prove and a fire lit underneath him. With the strong play of Jaroslav Halak, Rask’s “backup” Tuukka needs to show up tonight at home against a Stars team that have won their last three road games consecutively. While he’s still hard to trust, even at home, on this slate I see Tuukka having good enough upside tonight.
Others to consider: Thomas Greiss: NYI; If you’re full fade on Montreal, I’m fine with this upside play), Cam Talbot: EDM; He’s shown well in his last four starts against them overall. If you go here, don’t watch.)
Key Three Skaters
Mathew Barzal (NYI)
Barzal and the Isles host the Canadiens tonight, a team that has allowed the center position to produce 16 goals, 23 assists, and 124 shots in 13 games. The Isles second line center comes in with two goals and two assists against Montreal in his last four games. While he has just one goal thus far, Barzal has 11 assists in 13 games and presents good value tonight at one center spot where we’ll want to look to spend up at the other in most cases.
David Pastrnak (BOS)
Pasta is fifth in the league in shots per 60 minutes with 13.96. He’s also second in goals per 60 minutes (2.69), third in Corsi-for per 60 (25.72), and skate on one of the more dominant lines in the league over the last couple of seasons. While he may have just one goal over his last four games, he has 19 shots over that span and should find plenty of opportunities tonight against Dallas, who will be starting their backup goaltender in Anton Khudobin.
Brendan Gallagher (MTL)
The Canadiens have some young talent, including Gallagher who often goes overlooked as one of the more underrated wingers in the league. Gally has nine goals in 13 games this season with 45 shots over that span. When you look deeper, you realize that what he’s done isn’t a fluke. While being fifth in the league in goals per 60 minute (2.42), Gallagher is also 13th in shots per 60 minute (12.08), fifth in high-danger scoring chances per 60 (7.78), and averages 3:48 of power-play time per game. He has seven points in his last eight games against the Islanders and is a more than viable play tonight as a one-off.
Favorite Line Stacks
Islanders Second Line
Beauvillier – Barzal – Eberle
This line brings great value and features two skaters (Barzal, Eberle) on the Isles top power-play unit.
Bruins First Line
Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak
One of the best lines in the league over the past couple of seasons. The only question is whether or not you can fit them in and build around them.
Oilers First Line
Nugent – Hopkins – McDavid – Caggiula
I was wrong on Caggiula the other night. He seems to fit in well with RNH and McDavid who could make a statue productive on the ice. This line obviously starts with McDavid but with his ability to elevate the play of his wingers, this line is certainly in play against Washington.
Other to consider: Devils first line (Hall – Hischier – Palmieri)
Top Position Plays
Not included in “key three” or “favorite line stacks” sections.
Center
Connor McDavid (EDM) – No reason to not consider the best player in hockey, especially when he has points in 12 of 13 games this season with multiple points in seven of those games.
Evgeni Malkin (PIT) – Leads all skaters in points per 60 minutes.
Tyler Seguin (BOS) – Perhaps still a little revenge on the mind of the high-volume forward in the league.
Alex Galchenyuk (ARI) – The Flyers have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to centers this season. Great value on both sites.
Nicklas Backstrom (WAS) – 15 points in 13 games thus far and a solid value play skating on the second line and top power-play unit.
Wing
Alex Ovechkin (WAS) – Had no points in his last game against Edmonton, so I would expect him to come out firing at home.
Taylor Hall (NJ) – Four goals and eight assists in his last nine games against the Penguins to go along with 37 shots.
Phil Kessel (PIT) – Fourth in the league with 4.45 points per 60 minutes.
Jordan Eberle (NYI) – Three goals in his last three games with nine shots over that span. Good value option that sees top power-play time.
Travis Konecny (PHI) – The value is great on both sites and so is the opportunity skating on the top line. The Flyers have high hopes for him and will give him every opportunity to prove that he’s going to be an asset moving forward.
Tomas Tatar (MTL) – Great value play on FanDuel and a good enough price on DK to consider.
Jamie Benn (DAL) – $5,800 on DK? He hasn’t been that cheap in over three years. Seriously. I looked. He’s still in the mid-7K range on FD but for a guy with goals in back to back games, $5,800 is preposterous.
Anders Lee (NYI) – He’s a goal scorer and is too cheap on a site (FD) that is goal-dependant. With a high-volume of chances, five goals in 13 games, and a history of generating high-danger scoring chances, Lee stands out as a one-off option.
T.J. Oshie (WAS) – Good tag-team partner with Backstrom on the second line and top power-play unit.
Clayton Keller (ARI) – Has one point in each of his last four games and nine points (five goals, four assists) in 12 games this season.
Richard Panik (ARI) – Good value on the top line and the Flyers have allowed the third-most goals to left-wingers this season.
Defense
Oliver Ekman-Larsson (ARI) – The Flyers have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to defensemen this season.
Oscar Klefbom (EDM) – The Caps have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to defensemen this season.
Jeff Petry (MTL) – Petry is an ice hog skating on the top defense pairing, top power-play unit, and penalty kill as the Canadiens’ only offensive threat on the blue line with Shea Weber still out with an injury.
John Carlson (WAS) – With no points in his last three games Carlson is due to bounce back after a hot start to the season.
Sami Vatanen (NJ) – Shots and blocked shots galore, Vatanen racks up points in many ways and has a goal and an assist in his last three games.
Nick Leddy (NYI) – Leddy is still underpriced on both sites skating on the top pairing and top power-play unit.
Darnell Nurse (EDM) – I mentioned the Flyers’ struggles with the position and Nurse is 10th in the league at the position with 7.38 shots per 60 minutes.
Torrey Krug (BOS) – Playing in just his third game back, his salary is still to low.
GOOD LUCK!!
