NHL

NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Friday 4/19/19

Chris Wassel  —  @ChrisWasselDFS Apr 19th, 2019
On the brink of elimination, the Calgary Flames will need a big performance from Mike Smith in a must-win game. Who else should you trust in NHL DFS?

A good chunk of you played daily fantasy football this year, 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

Mike Smith ($7,600): Smith projects to start on Friday night against the Colorado Avalanche in an elimination game. Calgary finds itself on the brink after a second overtime loss -- this time in Colorado after blowing a 2-0 third-period lead. Smith faced 50-plus shots for a second game in a row and was pressured all night by Colorado's forwards. Colorado is playing "downhill hockey," which should pad their shot totals. Basically, the term means the forwards are attacking quickly with a hard forecheck and are aggressively battling for loose pucks in the corners to set up slot shots. Frederik Andersen ($7,900) could be a play, too, and especially if Boston can generate close to 40 shots again.

High-Priced Skaters

Nathan MacKinnon ($9,000): MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen ($7,800) are a good mini-stack to look at on Friday night. MacKinnon has five-plus shots on net in six straight contests and 21-plus FanDuel points in three consecutive games. When a player is right around five scoring chances a night and nearly three high-danger chances a contest, that is significant. No matter who Calgary matches against MacKinnon, he finds a way to create and make plays much like he did the first half of the season. Auston Matthews ($8,400) is an excellent secondary option, particularly if the game turns into a high-energy track meet (Game 4 combined for 80 shots).

David Pastrnak ($8,100): The Toronto Maple Leafs killer returned at a crucial time to set the tone in a 6-4 Boston Bruins win on Wednesday night. Pastrnak scored twice and fired six shots on net (10 shot attempts). One of those goals was a power-play goal, which had been a source of frustration during the first three games for Pastrnak. The chances that were not going in the first three games did in Game 4. Usually, once the right winger gets a little bit of confidence, he goes on a streak of chances and points. Toronto also let him into the slots a little too easily. If that happens again, Pastrnak's quick release in the slot will be lethal, and that means more points! Mitchell Marner ($7,600) is a risky play but can explode offensively at any time.

Value Skaters

Zdeno Chara ($3,800): This is a true knuckle-puck of sorts. Chara, oddly enough, has 12 real-world points in his last 18 meetings against Toronto. That includes a goal and four blocked shots on Wednesday night. He may be extremely hit or miss, but his price is that of a punt play. Chara may be beyond 40, but he still knows how to accumulate fantasy points on occasion versus his biggest rival. Other options could include Ian Cole ($3,600) and Cale Makar ($3,500) from Colorado.

Colin Wilson ($3,400): Wilson has nine shots in his last two games and an assist as well. For as low of a price as he is, the boost in ice time to nearly 15 minutes a night helps. He generates opportunities in small doses -- enough to warrant a punt play on Friday night. With a short two-game slate, values are tough to find because so many are looking for any gem that can be uncovered. Sam Bennett ($3,700) could fare better at home and did have three straight double-digit FanDuel point nights before a skunked Wednesday night.


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