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 quiet three-game schedule on tap for this Wednesday evening. The Detroit Red Wings are the biggest favorite on the board and Vancouver Canucks are the only team playing in back-to-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.
Petr Mrazek, Detroit Red Wings, $9,400 - Normally I avoid goaltenders versus the Ottawa Senators because they can score, but with the way Mrazek has been playing, I don’t think it matters who he is facing. The 23-year-old Czech has been a rock all season long for Detroit (1.97 GAA, .933 SV%, 4 SO) and he is your safest option in cash games this evening. If you are looking to save some salary at this position, I would go with Louis Dominuge, however he has been awful recently, allowing 15 goals against in his last three games.
Other Goalies To Target (Cash Games) – Marc-Andre Fleury, Louis Domingue
Other Goalies To Target (Tournaments) – Henrik Lundqvist, Ryan Miller, Craig Anderson
CENTERS
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins, $10,700 – It has been a long, long time since I have seen a player as hot as Sidney Crosby right now. In his last four games alone, Sid the Kid has generated an unbelievable seven goals, 12 points and 20 shots on net. Crosby has multi-point upside again tonight.
Other Centers to Target (Cash Games) – Pavel Datsyuk, Derek Stepan, Martin Hanzal
Other Centers to Target (Tournaments) – Derick Brassard, Henrik Sedin, Antoine Vermette
WINGERS
Justin Abdelkader, Detroit Red Wings, $5,100 - Playing on the Detroit Red Wings’ top line and number one power play unit with Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, makes Abdelkader one of the top value plays on the board tonight. The Ottawa Senators and their wide open style of hockey are once again the top team to pick on this evening. The Senators are a bottom-four team in many defensive categories, including Corsi, scoring chances allowed and goals against per game. Look for Abdelkader to hit the score sheet in this game.
Mikkel Boedker, Arizona Coyotes, $5,200 – With the Vancouver Canucks in town, Boedker is in a great spot to break out his mini-slump tonight. The Canucks are not only playing their second game in as many nights, but they are also one of the league’s weaker defensive clubs. Vancouver is a bottom-five team in possession, scoring chances against and high-danger scoring chances allowed this season. Look for Boedker to snipe at least one goal in this plus matchup on home ice.
Other Wingers to Target (Cash Games) – Henrik Zetterberg, Mike Hoffman, Mats Zuccarello, Patric Hornqvist, Max Domi
Other Wingers to Target (Tournaments) – Daniel Sedin, Dylan Larkin, Mark Stone, Gustav Nyquist, Chris Kunitz, Tobias Rieder
DEFENSEMEN
Brendan Smith, Detroit Red Wings, $3,100 – With the injuries to both Niklas Kronwall and now Mike Green, Smith has seen an increase in ice time and he is now the Red Wings’ power play quarterback. The Ottawa Senators are not only weak defensively, but they also play undisciplined hockey. The Senators have taken the sixth-most penalty minutes per game and they own the NHL’s worst penalty kill. Smith is easily the best bang for your buck on defense tonight.
Other Defensemen to Target (Cash Games) – Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson, Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Other Defensemen to Target (Tournaments) – Trevor Daley, Michael Stone, Derrick Pouliot, Ben Hutton