There are no teams on a back to back tonight, so all teams should be rested. There are three teams that are big favorites (via Covers Experts), and they are Los Angeles, Vancouver, and Washington. Vancouver always makes me nervous for cash game reliance in net, so I would particularly look at Jonathan Quick or Braden Holtby.
The mumps are going around Pittsburgh, and Olli Maatta is the latest victim. That has put Scott Harrington with Kris Letang, and Derrick Pouliot on the second power play unit. They will also be without Brandon Sutter tonight because he, too, is being tested for the mumps. Happy Mumpsmas.
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As always, check Left Wing Lock for goalie confirmations.
Players 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 $8000 one day doesn’t mean he’s a better value than Andrew Shaw at $4000.
Cash Games
| Centre | Wing | Defense | Goalie |
| Carter (LAK) – $6800 | Kunitz (PIT) – $5000 | Josi (NSH) – $5800 | Quick (LAK) – $8200 |
| Sedin (VAN) – $3600 | Marleau (SJS) – $5200 | Jones (NSH) – $3100 | Holtby (WSH) – $7800 |
| Thornton (SJS) – $5200 | Vrbata (VAN) – $6200 | Green (WSH) – $4600 | |
| Backstrom (WSH) – $8000 | Neal (NSH) – $6000 | Vlasic (SJS) – $3000 | |
| Ribeiro (NSH) – $4600 | Ovechkin (WSH) – $9100 | ||
| Johansson (WSH) – $3100 | Maroon (ANA) – $3000 | ||
| Dubinsky (CBJ) – $3400 | Brouwer (WSH) – $4300 | ||
| Gaborik (LAK) – $7700 | |||
- Jeff Carter is the play in cash games on Los Angeles’ top line tonight, partly due to price.
- It’s not a bad night to spend on the blue line, given that it’s a short slate, but there are only seven players over $7000 that are not on Pittsburgh or San Jose.
- I don’t particularly love Pittsburgh’s matchup, but it’ll be hard to get away from Kunitz at that price.
- I have two Nashville defensemen listed, but obviously just taking one is the right move. Josi has a decent price, but Jones is a staple of the second PP unit against a team that has a bad PK.
Guaranteed Prize Pools/Tournaments
| Centre | Wing | Defense | Goalie |
| Backstrom (WSH) – $8000 | Ovechkin (WSH) – $9100 | Green (WSH) – $4600 | Andersen (ANA) – $8300 |
| Kopitar (LAK) – $7300 | Gaborik (LAK) – $7700 | Muzzin (LAK) – $4900 | Miller (VAN) – $7500 |
| Carter (LAK) – $6800 | Forsberg (NSH) – $7100 | Jones (NSH) – $3100 | |
| Ribeiro (NSH) – $4600 | Neal (NSH) – $6000 | Ekblad (FLA) – $3700 | |
| Smith (NSH) – $4400 | Bergenheim (FLA) – $4500 | ||
| Barkov (FLA) – $2600 | Boyes (FLA) – $3300 | ||
- Washington and Los Angeles are the obvious plays tonight. If looking at those teams, the top lines are the plays. That said, if people want to avoid the Giordano-Brodie pairing of Calgary, the second line of Brown-Stoll-Williams is the line to look at.
- Nashville’s James Neal is a game-time decision. If he doesn’t play, expect Craig Smith on the top line.
- Florida makes a good cheap stack against a hobbled Pittsburgh team. I like the Triple B line for Florida, if only they are really cheap, and make it easy to stack in any other line with them.
Slim’s Pickins (bargain plays)
Jay Beagle (WSH-C, $2700) – Tom Wilson was benched in Washington’s last game, and Beagle was put on the top line with Backstrom and Ovechkin.
Jeremy Morin (CBJ-W, $2500) – Morin was put on the Columbus top line with Ryan Johansen and Nick Foligno in the wake of the Boone Jenner injury.
Scott Harrington (PIT-D, $2500) – Harrington played over 18 minutes in his last game playing alongside Kris Letang.
Good luck!
