I generally do not pick two players playing against each other in the same game for a daily fantasy hockey lineup. The same applies for a goalie and a player from opposite teams. You might see two players among the “value picks” from opposite teams, but that doesn’t mean you should take them both. No matter the value, you’re also likely cannibalizing points, so any gains made below a certain price point – the point where production and cost intersect – can be lost if production declines overall as well.
There are many things that determine value: The player’s history (both short and long-term), the price, recent production, opponent, line matching at even-strength, power play time and injuries are just some of the factors to consider. The “Top Value” doesn’t necessarily mean the cheapest player, either.
Finally, as far as goalies go, it’s the one position I’ll pay through the nose for if I really like the match-up. The same applies for back-ups with good match-ups. In a given night, with a full slate of games, I won’t have more than three different goalies across all my lineups, usually two. I’ll name the goalies I like specifically in the match-ups they appear in.
Here is today’s slate of games (and DraftDay values). Reminder: check Left Wing Lock for up-to-the-minute information on starting goalies.
Games are color-coded as follows:
Green means load up. Yellow means grab a couple of players. Red means value plays only.
New York Islanders at Boston Bruins
After a really tough stretch of games where they almost could never win, the Islanders have now won three straight games on the road, including wins in Detroit and Minnesota. They have scored 17 goals over those five games, and only one on the power play.
Boston is reeling a little bit. With injuries to Zdeno Chara, Dennis Seidenberg, Loui Eriksson and on and on it goes, their depth is taking a hit. They have still managed to go 4-2 in their last six games, and haven’t lost at home since a 3-2 shootout lost to St. Louis on November 21. It’s impressive.
The Islanders already hold a win over Boston, a 3-1 win nearly two months ago now. A lot has changed, and the Bruins aren’t the complete team they were simply due to injuries.
This should be a close game, especially considering the injuries Boston is going through. If you want a really off-the-board goalie, I would go with whoever starts for the Islanders. Realistically, I’ll just stay away from this game altogether.
|
Top RW Value |
Top LW Value |
Top C Value |
Top D Value |
Bargain Bin |
|
(BOS) $8800 |
Daniel Paille $5000 |
(NYI)
|
Thomas Hickey |
(BOS) $5000 |
