Each day I will be providing my recommended player picks for your FanDuel daily fantasy hockey lineups. The goal is to help you build the optimal cash game (50/50s/double-ups/head-to-head) lineup.
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After a quiet but entertaining Wednesday night of hockey, the National Hockey League schedule explodes with an eleven-game slate on tap. The Tampa Bay Lightning, Montréal Canadiens and the Minnesota Wild are your biggest favorites on the board this evening, while the Toronto Maple Leafs are the only team playing on consecutive nights.
GOALTENDER
Make sure to check the RotoGrinders NHL Starting Goalies Page to confirm that the goalies listed below are starting prior to game time.
Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lighting, $9,300 - With the Montréal Canadiens goaltending situation still up in the air, I will go with Ben Bishop as my top option in net. Bishop is not only a lock for the win tonight, but he also has shutout upside. The Colorado Avalanche were just shutout Tuesday night by the Washington Capitals and this will be their third game in four nights. Look for the Lightning to dominate this game from puck drop and for Bishop to cruise to an easy victory.
Top Value Play: Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild, $8,200
CENTER
Alex Galchenyuk, Montréal Canadiens, $5,900 - If you watched the Arizona Coyotes play in Ottawa on Tuesday night (losing and allowing seven goals against in the process), it will come as no surprise to you that the Desert Dogs were one of the worst defensive teams in hockey least season and they should once again sit at, or near the bottom of the league in most defensive categories this season. The Montréal Canadiens are one of the top lines to roster tonight and Alex Galchenyuk represents the best value on this potent line.
Top Overall Play: Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning, $8,400
Top Value Play: Victor Rask, Carolina Hurricanes, $5,000
WINGERS
Jonathan Drouin, Tampa Bay Lighting, $5,500 – The Colorado Avalanche managed to finish last season as the National Hockey League’s worst puck possession team by a good margin, which created a mess in their own end. Fast forward to this year and we are seeing similar results. Colorado is once again struggling with possession, and this has led to 33 shots against per game and 11 goals against in their first three games of this young season. Jonathan Drouin has looked very good on the Lightning’s top line and as long as he continues to skate alongside Steven Stamkos he will remain a great value play.
Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis Blues, $8,000 - Vladimir Tarasenko is one of those players you could roster any night against any team. The 24-year-old Russian is one of the best players in the game and he is as consistent as they come. In four games this season, the young sniper has already registered four goals and 19 shots on net. The Edmonton Oilers have looked very good on the offensive side of their game, but their defense has been a different story. Like last year, the Oilers are currently ranked near the bottom of the league in many defensive categories, including Corsi, shots allowed and goals against per game. Tarasenko has multi-goal upside in this prime matchup.
Top Mid-Tier Play: Brendan Gallagher, Montréal Canadiens, $6,200
Top Value Plays: Patrick Eaves (DAL), Lee Stempniak (CAR)
DEFENSE
Shea Weber, Montréal Canadiens, $5,700 - So we know the Arizona Coyotes take a ton of penalties and they have trouble killing them off. We also know they are far from a sound defensive team. Shea Weber led the National Hockey League in power play goals by a defenseman last year, and he must be licking his chops when thinking of the plus matchup he has tonight. Weber not only has a high ceiling tonight, he also has a high floor, thanks to his ability to shoot, score and block shots.
Top Overall Plays: Brent Burns (SJ), Victor Hedman (TB)
Top Value Plays: Anton Stralman (TB), Kris Russell (EDM)