NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Thursday 11/1/18
A good chunk of you probably already play daily fantasy football, and I'd be willing to bet a significant portion have also tried out daily fantasy basketball and baseball. But hockey? Hockey?
It's time to give it a try over on FanDuel, because it's a ton of fun. And our analysis and projections can help you win.
To help, let's take a look at some goalies, high-priced skaters, and lower-priced players to target for today's slate.
Goalie to Target
Cam Talbot ($7,900): The Edmonton Oilers carry some risk on Thursday night after their clunker of a 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild. However, the Chicago Blackhawks come to town after playing last night in Vancouver (4-2 loss). Chicago can produce 30-plus shots with ease and Talbot has beaten Chicago before (31 saves, 1 goal allowed). Better choices may exist out there but this may be the best matchup. Jimmy Howard ($7,300) could carry some value on a night like this. Even Mike Smith ($7,400) is a high-risk play on Thursday that might pay off.
High-Priced Skaters
Vladimir Tarasenko ($7,300): Tarasenko has a plus matchup at home against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday. Tarasenko has 3 goals in his last two games on 10 shots. He generated six high-danger chances in those contests and hit a post and crossbar along the way. There are bountiful amounts of options on Thursday night, but the St. Louis Blues sniper may have finally put that slow start behind him. Other wingers that may be viable options include Mikko Rantanen ($7,400) and Nikita Kucherov ($8,000). Phil Kessel ($8,100) has another game against the New York Islanders, which potentially could mean another multi-point performance.
Connor McDavid ($9,300): McDavid is still the most expensive option of the night among all players. However, the Chicago Blackhawks historically have played poorly in Edmonton, with McDavid averaging over 30 FanDuel points per contests in those games he has appeared in. There is some risk given the lower scoring 2-1 overtime game from Chicago last week. On the other hand, with the increasing chance that Cam Ward starts for Chicago, goals may be on the upswing. If one does not want to spend $9,300, though, other options exist. Jack Eichel ($7,400) plays one of the worst teams in the league in the Ottawa Senators. Evgeny Kuznetsov ($7,600) could carry a little extra value from the Washington Capitals with a larger slate. Ownership will be spread around.
Value Skaters
Zach Sanford ($3,400): Sanford has made a huge impact since he ascended into the Blues' top six. His sheltered deployment (22 minutes the last two games) is risky, and yet his speed could wreak havoc on the Vegas defense. Relatively low shot volume (1.2 shots per game) would be almost moderate if he played more. His ability to make plays creates a reason for ownership on Thursday night. Other inexpensive options on the wing may include Ryan Hartman ($3,400) and Miles Wood ($3,900), along with Pontus Aberg ($3,100), who's riding a hot hand of late.
Ryan Pulock ($3,900): The Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders can score in bunches, and combined for nine goals in their last meeting. Pulock had three assists and looked dominant at times in the 6-4 win. If it worked once, why go away from it? Yes, Pulock generated a couple high-danger chances that did not go anywhere, but one of his shots was deflected for a goal. That well above average shot (which can top 100 mph) is difficult for any goalie to stop. He just has to be more accurate, as his less than 50% accuracy rate is lower than usual for him. Vince Dunn ($3,900) and Dennis Cholowski ($3,800) carry above average potential for tonight on a night where defensive value plays are in abundance.
Chris Wassel is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Chris Wassel also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username chriswassel. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.
