The App is Back! Don’t forget to download the NBC Sports EDGE app to receive real-time player news, mobile alerts and track your favorite players. Plus, now you can check out articles and player cards. Get it here!
NHL Plays will highlight the best and the most underrated daily fantasy options among forwards, defensemen and goaltenders.
Please note, these players were chosen early in the day, so make sure to check NBCSports Edge’s player news for any lineup changes, injuries and potential changes in the crease for starting goaltenders.
Additionally, it is worth reminding everyone that FanDuel allows you to roster nine players (2C, 2W, 2D, 2UTIL, 1G) with a salary cap of $55,000, while DraftKings has a cap of $50,000 for nine players (2C, 3W, 2D, 1G, 1UTIL). Yahoo has a $200 cap for nine players (2C, 3W, 2D, 2G).
Don’t forget, for everything NHL, check out NBCSports Edge Player News, and follow @NBCSEdgeHK and @mfinewaxhockey on Twitter.
There are 12 games in the NHL on Saturday. The Florida-Nashville game is a stand-alone contest in Draft Kings.
Forwards
Auston Matthews (Toronto), C $10,400 (FanDuel), $9,600 (Draft Kings), $35 (Yahoo)
Matthews set a couple of records on Thursday as his 55th goal of the season established a new Toronto record while with his 56th goal, he became the all-time single season U.S.-born goal-scorer, surpassing Jimmy Carson and Kevin Stevens. Matthews has to be at least a co-favorite with Connor McDavid for the Hart Trophy as he has 56 goals and 97 points this season. He has points in 15 straight games with 19 goals and 29 points.
Elias Lindholm (Calgary), C $8,100 (FanDuel), $7,200 (Draft Kings), $31 (Yahoo)
Lindholm has scored 30 goals for the first time this season with 38 in 71 games and that includes a huge slump two weeks into the season when he had six goals in 36 games. Currently Lindholm has a three-game goal-scoring streak in which he has four goals and has 73 points this season.
Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary), W $9,500 (FanDuel), $7,500 (Draft Kings), $32 (Yahoo)
Gaudreau is having a career year as he already has tied his career high in points with 99 and still has 11 games remaining in the regular season. Gaudreau and the Flames are in Seattle Saturday and he makes a nice play with linemates Elias Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk. He is in the final year of his long-term contract and is going to get a big deal in the off-season from Calgary or the team of his choice.
Matt Duchene (Nashville), C/W $7,400 (FanDuel), $8,600 (Draft Kings), $26 (Yahoo)
Duchene is also having a career-best season, which comes off last season’s career worst campaign where he had only six goals and 13 points in 34 games. It has been a 180 degree turn this season as Duchene has 37 goals and 37 assists in 66 games as he has turned the Nashville offense around (with the obvious help from the great Roman Josi). Duchene had a five-game points streak with three goals and eight points.
Zach Hyman (Edmonton), W $6,500 (FanDuel), $4,800 (Draft Kings), $19 (Yahoo)
A good play in Yahoo and Draft Kings, Hyman is third in Oilers scoring with 48 points including 24 goals. He is seeing second line time with Leon Draisaitl and Kailer Yamamoto during five-on-five action and sees first power play time with Connor McDavid, Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Tyson Barrie. The Oilers play Colorado at home Saturday.
Bargain Bin: Kevin Hayes (Philadelphia), C $5,100 (FanDuel), $4,700 (Draft Kings), $18 (Yahoo), Jean-Gabriel Pageau (New York Islanders), C $4,400 (FanDuel), $2,900 (Draft Kings), $17 (Yahoo), Lawson Crouse (Arizona), W $3,000 (FanDuel) $3,200 (Draft Kings), $13 (Yahoo), Ilya Mikheyev (Toronto), W $4,900 (FanDuel), $4,300 (Draft Kings), $17 (Yahoo), Anthony Mantha (Washington), W $4,800 (FanDuel), $4,200 (Draft Kings), $15 (Yahoo)
Defensemen:
Roman Josi (Nashville), $8,000 (FanDuel), $11,000 (Draft Kings), $34 (Yahoo)
Josi went two games without a point after a 13-game points streak but is back on track with a pair of three-point games this week. The favorite for the Norris Trophy has 19 goals and 87 points and has a great chance with 12 games remaining to become the first defenseman since Brian Leetch in the 1991-92 season to get to 100 points.
Zach Werenski (Columbus), $6,300 (FanDuel), $7,200 (Draft Kings), $19 (Yahoo)
Werenski returned to action this week after missing nine days with an upper-body injury. He had a goal and an assist in three games and has 11 goals and 44 points in 63 games. Werenski and the Blue Jackets are in Detroit to play the Red Wings. He is a good play in Yahoo and FanDuel.
Darnell Nurse (Edmonton), $5,900 (FanDuel), $5,300 (Draft Kings), $18 (Yahoo)
Nurse has eight goals and 32 points in 65 games and has a goal and four points in his last six games. Nurse had 16 goals last season and has enough money value to be put in your fantasy lineup Saturday.
Ivan Provorov (Philadelphia), $4,800 (FanDuel), $4,600 (Draft Kings), $17 (Yahoo), Chris Wideman (Montreal), $4,400 (FanDuel), $2,500 (Draft Kings), $16 (Yahoo), Esa Lindell (Dallas), $4,800 (FanDuel), $3,900 (Draft Kings), $17 (Yahoo), Oliver Kylington (Calgary), $4,400 (FanDuel), $3,700 (Draft Kings), $11 (Yahoo)
Goaltenders:
Jake Oettinger (Dallas), $8,000 (FanDuel), $8,000 (Draft Kings), $32 (Yahoo)
Oettinger gets a nice matchup against a New Jersey side who are missing their top-player Jack Hughes. Oettinger has been strong this season with a 25-12-1 record to go with a 2.48 GAA and a .916 save percentage. Play him with confidence.
Juuse Saros (Nashville), $7,800 (FanDuel), $9,600 (Draft Kings), $33 (Yahoo)
Saros has won four of his last five starts and is 35-21-3 with a 2.55 GAA and a .921 save percentage. The Predators have been playing him a lot and he has shown no signs of wear and tear this season. Saros will face the high-scoring Florida Panthers at home for the first time this season.
Other plays:
Jacob Markstrom (Calgary), $8,300 (FanDuel), $8,200 (Draft Kings), $39 (Yahoo), Igor Shesterkin (New York Rangers), $8,400 (FanDuel), $8,300 (Draft Kings), $37 (Yahoo)
