This year, we’ve decided to go with a bit of different coverage for the Daily Fantasy Hockey picks. For those that were around last year, remember the 2,000-3,000 word publications every day. It was a long, arduous task for both myself and the editors to go through on a daily basis. Even worse, it was a long, arduous task for the readers to go through. In reality, most people don’t have the time to read upwards of 4,000 words a day for DFS hockey, and that was made clear to me.
This year, we’re going to go with a “cheatsheet” style of daily preview.
Everything will be assimilated in two categories: cash games (head-to-head and 50/50) and Guaranteed Prize Pools (GPPs). It should be easy to read, easy to follow, and should only take a couple of minutes to scan. It will help divide players by position, and by cost. Every position from every game won’t be reviewed, rather the focus will be on the absolute best plays possible. There will be thoughts at the end with regards to why certain players are chosen. I will also add in some “bargain bin” plays at the end of guys who are exceedingly cheap, and thus allows the DFSer to punt a roster spot and focus the salary cap elsewhere.
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Players that will be in order of perceived value, by position, and there should be enough to mix-and-match for each type of game available on Draft Kings. Some positions might only have a few plays, some might have several. It all depends on the day, the matchups, and the price.
Remember: players are in order of value, not necessarily in cost. Just because Sidney Crosby is $8,000 one day doesn’t mean he’s a better value than Andrew Shaw at $4,000.
Cash Games
| Centre | Wing | Defense | Goalie |
| Backstrom (WSH) – $5600 | Benn (DAL) – $6700 | Goligoski (DAL) – $3900 | Bishop (TBL) – $7100 |
| Sutter (PIT) – $3000 | Palat (TBL) – $5000 | Hedman (TBL) – $5000 | Rinne (NSH) – $7300 |
| Shaw (CHI) – $3800 | Tarasenko (STL) – $5000 | Schultz (EDM) – $4400 | Scrivens (EDM) – $7400 |
| Seguin (DAL) – $7400 | Nichushkin (DAL) – $3900 | Suter (MIN) – $4300 | |
| Nugent-Hopkins (EDM) – $5200 | Perron (EDM) – $4900 | Stone (ARI) – $3300 | |
| Ribeiro (NSH) – $3900 | Tanguay (COL) – $3800 | Pietrangelo (STL) – $5100 | |
| Berglund (STL) – $3500 |
- The two defensemen listed are going to be in about every one of my cash game lineups, particularly Goligoski. His price is just too good to pass up. I do like Stone as a second cheap option. Secondary PP minutes and softer in-game matchups make him appealing.
- The price on Nicklas Backstrom (WSH) is also too good to pass up: Alex Ovechkin’s centre, prime power play minutes, and facing a backup goalie for a team playing back-to-back nights on the road. Sign me up.
- Both Sutter and Shaw are very good values today. The former is going to be Evgeni Malkin’s centre for tonight while the latter is centering the second line in Chicago while drawing first unit power play time.
- I can’t pass on Jamie Benn tonight. Dallas/Chicago could be a very high-scoring game and he’s priced outside of the top-12 wingers. It’s hard passing on Ondrej Palat, too, as he’s Steven Stamkos’ winger and he’ll be getting top unit power play duties too.
- Valeri Nichushkin is back on Dallas’s first line, so his price seems pretty good today, too.
- We are still waiting for confirmation, and it might not be until close to game time, but Anaheim is still looking for a top line winger alongside Perry/Getzlaf. It may be Patrick Maroon, and if that’s the case, he’s nearly an auto-play.
Guaranteed Prize Pools/Tournaments
| Centre | Wing | Defense | Goalie |
| Ribeiro (NSH) – $3900 | Neal (NSH) – $6000 | Weber (NSH) – $5900 | Enroth (BUF) – $6200 |
| Stamkos (TBL) – $8000 | Palat (TBL) – $5000 | Goligoski (DAL) – $3900 | Scrivens (EDM) – $6400 |
| Backstrom (WSH) – $5600 | Ovechkin (WSH) – $8300 | Letang (PIT) – $4800 | Howard (DET) – $6700 |
| Lehtera (STL) – $2500 | Schwartz (STL) – $4900 | Schultz (EDM) – $4400 | |
| Scheifele (WPG) – $4300 | Kane (WPG) – $5700 | Hjalmarsson (CHI) – $2800 | |
| Spezza (DAL) – $6100 | Hemsky (DAL) – $4000 | ||
| Draisaitl (EDM) – $4200 | Perron (EDM) – $4900 |
- Nashville tops my list because A) they won’t be (or shouldn’t be) overly popular, and B) Ottawa was a very high-event team last year (they were 27th in unblocked shot attempts allowed per 60 minutes). The Senators also lost two-thirds of their second line from last year, while Nashville markedly improved.
- Tampa Bay is a good target, but should be commonly used.
- For secondary stacks, I like both the third line from St. Louis and second line from Edmonton. Lehtera/Schwartz are a cheap combo and the Rangers are a hurting team right now. I also have no problem picking on Calgary on the second night of a back-to-back, hence the Oilers.
- Jhonas Enroth is priced like a backup. I know Buffalo isn’t very good, but Columbus has a few key injuries and Ryan Johansen has only had two days of practice. If there’s a game where Buffalo wins against Columbus this year, this seems like a good one.
- There aren’t many bargain-priced defensemen I feel comfortable using in a GPP.
Slim’s Pickins (The Bargain List)
Patrick Eaves (DAL – $2500) – Erik Cole was late for a practice, so he’s being scratched for the season opener. In his spot on the second line with Spezza/Hemsky is Patrick Eaves.
Gabriel Bourque (NSH – $2500) – The wingman for Ribeiro/Neal on Nashville’s top line is Gabriel Bourque. Bourque has a better goals-per-60-minute rate over the last 3 years than names like Ryan Kesler, Jaromir Jagr, and Tyler Bozak. Coming in at a minimum price on the first line could be a pretty good value tonight.
Josh Gorges (BUF – $2500) – Gorges will be asked to block a lot of shots for this Buffalo team this year, which makes his minimum price attractive on most nights it stays at that level. Tonight included.
Good luck!
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