FANDUEL NHL PLAYS
Tuesday, April 5th, 2016
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’
The National Hockey League schedule explodes tonight with 11 games on tap. We have a ton of big favorites (Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and the Anaheim Ducks) and several teams (Los Angeles Kings, Arizona Coyotes, Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Rangers) playing in back-back games.
GOALTENDERS
Make sure to check the RotoGrinders NHL Starting Goalies Page to confirm that the goalies listed below are starting prior to game time.
John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks, $8,400 - There are a plethora of solid cash game goalie options tonight and most of them have similar upside and a similar price. I think we are safe with any of the six goaltenders listed, but I plan to roll with John Gibson. The Ducks are fighting for every point they can get right now and they have been very good on home ice (25-10-5). The Winnipeg Jets have been decimated by injuries in the second half and they are ranked 28th in goals per game over the past month. Gibson is a lock for the win and he has a decent chance at a shutout this evening.
Other Goalies To Target (Cash Games) – Braden Holtby, Tuukka Rask, Pekka Rinne, Jonathan Quick, Scott Darling
Other Goalies To Target (Tournaments) – Cory Schneider, Mike Condon, James Reimer, Joni Ortio
CENTERS
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins, $9,800 – Crosby has been the game’s best offensive player for some time now. Sid the kid has registered a point in all but one of his last 19 games and he has amassed 39 points in his past 29 contests. The Ottawa Senators are a pushover defensively and Crosby should continue to pad his stats in this game.
Other Centers to Target (Cash Games) – Jeff Carter, Ryan Getzlaf, Patrice Bergeron, Aleksander Barkov
Other Centers to Target (Tournaments) – David Krejci, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Alex Galchenyuk, Nick Bonino, Artem Anisimov, Teuvo Teravainen
WINGERS
James Neal, Nashville Predators, $7,400 - Very few players have been as hot as Neal over the past month. He has produced 10 goals and 18 points in his previous 16 games and he should generate plenty of scoring chances tonight against the NHL’s worst possession team. The Colorado Avalanche limp into this game losing five of their last six games, allowing 23 goals against in the process. Neal has multi-goal upside in this plus matchup on home ice.
Artemi Panarin, Chicago Blackhawks, $6,900 – Panarin is absolutely scorching hot, producing three goals and eight points in his last two games. The Arizona Coyotes remain one of the National Hockey League’s worst defensive teams (sitting in the bottom third of the league in most defensive categories) and they also play very undisciplined hockey (leading the NHL in minor penalties taken). Making matters worse, they have had trouble playing shorthanded (29th ranked penalty kill), despite all the practice. Look for Panarin to stay hot in this prime matchup.
Tyler Toffoli, Los Angeles Kings, $6,000 - The Calgary Flames have been a disaster in their own end all season long. They have allowed a huge amount of scoring chances and high-danger scoring chances against, but it has been their atrocious goaltending that has done them in more often than not. Tonight it is Joni Ortio’s turn to get lit up. At $6,000, Toffoli is an outstanding play in cash games.
Other Wingers to Target (Cash Games) – Patrick Kane, Alexander Ovechkin, Corey Perry, Filip Forsberg, Loui Eriksson, Jonathan Huberdeau, Patric Hornqvist
Other Wingers to Target (Tournaments) – Craig Smith, Reilly Smith, Brendan Gallagher, Jamie McGinn
DEFENSEMEN
Brent Seabrook, Chicago Blackhawks, $5,100 - The Arizona Coyotes are the top team to pick on tonight for many reasons. I spoke earlier about how bad they are defensively and about their undisciplined play, but the Desert Dogs are also an awful road team (13-22-3) and this will be their second game in as many nights. Seabrook should have a very productive game at both even strength and on the power play.
Other Defensemen to Target (Cash Games) – Kris Letang, Shea Weber, Roman Josi, Torey Krug, Matt Niskanen, Aaron Ekblad
Other Defensemen to Target (Tournaments) – Cam Fowler, Andrei Markov, Justin Schultz