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 Rotoworld’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) and Yahoo has a $200 budget for nine players (2C, 3W, 2D, 2G).
There are nine games scheduled for today, not including the postponed contest between New Jersey and Pittsburgh. In addition, the Sabres-Islanders game has the unusual weekday start time of 6pm ET.[[ad:athena]]
Forwards:
Connor McDavid (Edmonton) – C - $9,000 FanDuel, $9,000 DraftKings, $35 Yahoo
I always feel a bit bad about including McDavid in this because it feels like too easy of a choice, but a red hot McDavid against the Ottawa Senators? There aren’t any truly sure things in hockey, but this certainly is a formula for success. He showed no mercy against the Senators on Sunday, scoring a goal and five points in the contest. Do note that Leon Draisaitl is a slightly cheaper alternative, who could end up doing just as well or better, so if you find yourself coming up a little bit short when setting up your lineup for tonight, you can swap McDavid for Draisaitl.
Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary) – W – $7,800 FanDuel, $6,000 DraftKings, $23 Yahoo
A big step down from McDavid in terms of price, but Gaudreau can certainly deliver too. He’s scored six goals and 10 points in eight games this season while recording at least a point in all of those games. As an aside, only four players in Atlanta/Calgary Flames history have had longer season-opening point streaks.
Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg) – C – $7,400 FanDuel, $7,100 DraftKings, $26 Yahoo
Another steady option like Gaudreau, Scheifele has recorded at least a point in seven of his first nine games. With four goals and 12 points, Scheifele is also in a three-way tie for eighth place in the NHL scoring race.
Joe Pavelski (Dallas) – C - $6,600 FanDuel, $7,500 DraftKings, $23 Yahoo
Pavelski is 36-years-old, but he’s clearly not done yet. He started off the 2020-21 campaign on fire with five goals and 10 points in six contests. I am a little hesitant to take him in DraftKings though because his price on that site is a lot less of a bargain than elsewhere.
Bargain Bin: Nikolaj Ehlers (WPG) - $6,600 FanDuel/$6,700 DraftKings/$20 Yahoo, Bo Horvat (VAN) - $6,500 FanDuel/$6,800 DraftKings/$20 Yahoo, David Perron (STL) - $6,400 FanDuel/$5,400 DraftKings/$20 Yahoo, Nazem Kadri (COL) - $6,300 FanDuel/$5,400 DraftKings/$18 Yahoo, Tyler Toffoli (MON) - $5,900 FanDuel/$5,700 DraftKings/$21 Yahoo, Elias Lindholm (CAL) - $5,800 FanDuel/$6,700 DraftKings/$20 Yahoo.
Editor’s Note: Dominate daily with our premium DFS Tools that are packed with our lineup optimizer, a salary tracker, projections and much more. And don’t forget to use promo code PUCK10 to get 10% off. Click here to learn more!
Defensemen:
John Klingberg (Dallas) - $6,600 FanDuel, $6,900 DraftKings, $21 Yahoo
Klingberg has been a great offensive defenseman throughout his career and 2020-21 isn’t shaping up to be an exception. He already has two goals and eight points in six games this season. He was held off the scoresheet on Jan. 31, but that was his first game of the season without a point.
Cale Makar (Colorado) - $6,300 FanDuel, $6,800 DraftKings, $26 Yahoo
No sophomore slump here. After winning the Calder Trophy in 2019-20 with 50 points in 57 contests, Makar already has a goal and 11 points in 10 games this season. He’s on a four-game point streak going into Tuesday’s contest against Minnesota.
Drew Doughty (Los Angeles) - $5,600 FanDuel, $6,400 DraftKings, $17 Yahoo
If you’re looking for a bit of a cheaper option, Doughty is certainly worth a look. He might not win the defensemen scoring race this season or even finish in the top-five, but for years he’s been a consistent contributor at both ends of the ice. He’s off to another strong start with three goals and six points in eight games.
Bargain Bin: Jeff Petry (MON) - $5,500 FanDuel/$6,700 DraftKings/$21 Yahoo, Darnell Nurse (EDM) - $5,200 FanDuel/$6,200 DraftKings/$19 Yahoo, Samuel Girard (COL) - $5,100 FanDuel/$4,400 DraftKings/$18 Yahoo, Duncan Keith (CHI) - $4,900 FanDuel/$5,900 DraftKings/$15 Yahoo, Tyson Barrie (EDM) - $4,800 FanDuel/$5,200 DraftKings/$18 Yahoo.
Goaltenders:
Philipp Grubauer (Colorado) - $8,500 FanDuel, $8,100 DraftKings, $37 Yahoo
While Grubauer has never reached the 40 starts milestone in a single season, he’s been a steady goaltender throughout his career. Through 182 career contests, he has a 2.40 GAA and .920 save percentage. This season though, he’s been taking it to another level with a 1.75 GAA and .930 save percentage in eight starts. His strong play combined with the talent of the Avalanche team in front of him makes him a good choice on most nights.
Kevin Lankinen (Chicago) - $7,200 FanDuel, $7,200 DraftKings, $29 Yahoo
Lankinen is the ultimate discount goaltender right now. He had a stunning first month in the NHL, posting a 1.97 GAA and .937 save percentage in six starts. He’s still not a great bet to win given the Blackhawks team in front of him, but for that price, he’s worth taking.
Bargain Bin: John Gibson (ANA) - $6,800 FanDuel/$7,400 DraftKings/$32 Yahoo.
