Each day I will be providing my recommended player picks for your FanDuel daily fantasy hockey lineups.
My FanDuel NHL Plays will be broken down by player positions, and will include picks for cash games (50/50s/double-ups/head-to-head) and GPPs (guaranteed prize pool tournaments).
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Are you new to Daily Fantasy Hockey? Check out these strategies documents first for tips and recommendations to craft your winning FanDuel hockey lineups:
Introduction to Daily Fantasy Hockey: Breaking it Down
Winning Strategies for Cash Games (head-to-head, 50/50s)
Winning Strategies for GPP Tournaments
Advanced Tips for Winning by Utilizing Vegas Odds and Line Combinations
FanDuel Daily Fantasy Hockey Research and Strategy Tools
We have a solid six-game slate in the NHL tonight to kick off the weekend. The Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes and Boston Bruins are your biggest favorites, and we have four teams (Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks and the Winnipeg Jets) playing on the tail end of a back-to-back set.
GOALTENDERS
Make sure to check the RotoGrinders NHL Starting Goalies Page to confirm that the goalies listed below are starting prior to game time.
Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild, $8,100 – The Minnesota Wild are the biggest favorites on the board tonight and they should have no problem handling a Winnipeg Jets team playing their second game in as many nights. The Jets have struggled on the road this season (8-14-2) and the Wild have been very good on home ice (14-7-2). Dubnyk has posted terrific numbers in January (2.31 GA, .924 SV%) and I expect him to stay hot in this game.
Other Goalies To Target (Cash Games) –Tuukka Rask, Andrei Vasilevskiy
Other Goalies To Target (Tournaments) – Cam Ward, James Reimer, Robin Lehner
CENTERS
Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks, $8,500 – The Blackhawks have won nine in a row and they are getting consistent scoring from both of their top two lines. Toews is playing his best hockey of the season recently, producing three goals and seven points in his last four games. Despite playing in consecutive games, I like Toews and the Blackhawks’ offense to keep rolling in Toronto tonight.
Other Centers to Target (Cash Games) – Tyler Seguin, Patrice Bergeron, Eric Staal, Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf
Other Centers to Target (Tournaments) – Tyler Johnson, Ryan Spooner, Jack Eichel, Artem Anisimov, Tyler Bozak
WINGERS
Zach Parise, Minnesota Wild, $8,800 – Parise should have plenty of scoring opportunities tonight against a very undisciplined Winnipeg Jets squad. Parise has looked very good of late, with five goals and 19 shots on net in his last five games. Despite getting a boost in goal with Connor Hellebuyck, the Jets have still allowed the eighth-most high-danger scoring chances and the sixth-most goals against per game. Parise has hat-trick upside in this plus matchup on home ice.
Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning, $6,400 – Kucherov has been one of the most consistent and safest cash game plays all season long. The 22-year-old Russian has points in 11 of his last 12 contests, including five of the multi-point variety. Look for Kucherov to find the score sheet again tonight.
Other Wingers to Target (Cash Games) – Jamie Benn, Patrick Kane, Steven Stamkos, Corey Perry, Loui Eriksson, Artemi Panarin
Other Wingers to Target (Tournaments) – Daniel Sedin, Andrew Shaw, Sam Reinhart, Leo Komarov, Elias Lindholm, Jason Pominville
DEFENSEMEN
Ryan Suter, Minnesota Wild, $4,500 – Suter is coming off a multi-point performance and he continues to be the best value defenseman on FanDuel. The Winnipeg Jets lead the National Hockey League in minor penalty minutes per game and they have not done a good job killing off those penalties (27th-ranked penalty kill). Look for Suter to break through with the man advantage in this one.
Other Defensemen to Target (Cash Games) – Torey Krug, Duncan Keith, Justin Faulk, John Klingberg
Other Defensemen to Target (Tournaments) – Dustin Byfuglien, Rasmus Ristolainen, Brent Seabrook, Noah Hanifin, Shea Theodore