Daily Fantasy Hockey Picks for DraftKings & FanDuel - 4/4/16

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Welcome to another night of daily fantasy hockey with Daily Fantasy Sports Rankings. We start the final week of the season with a small five game slate with playoff implications mixed in every game. Look for some exciting, spirited hockey as teams fight for a playoff birth and positioning in the first round.

Only the St. Louis Blues are playing on a back to back and will also be playing a third game in four nights. While I would normally avoid this situation the Blues are red hot and dominated the Avalanche last night in a 5-1 win.

If you have any questions throughout the day be sure to join the conversation in the comments section below. Also, be sure to check LeftWingLock to get confirmation on all of the starting goalies for Tuesday. Now onto the picks.

 

Goaltenders

Jonathan Quick
Opponent - VAN
FD - 8600 DK - 8200

The Kings have not yet found that late season form that everyone is expecting and have struggled lately winning just five of their last 10 games. Quick shutout the Flames two starts ago and beat the Oilers in a barn burner but has really struggled facing playoff caliber teams. The good news is he will be facing the Canucks tonight who have been eliminated for awhile now and have lost eight of their last 10 games. Look for a big game out of Quick and the Kings as they gear up for a long playoff run.

 

Ben Bishop
Opponent - NYI
FD - 10000 DK - 8400

Bishop has been tremendous for the Lightning lately going 6-3 in his last nine starts with a .939 save % and three shutouts. He has played a big role in the success of the Lightning this season as they sit just two points behind the Panthers in the Atlantic Division. It will be a tough task for the Bolts moving forward with the news that Steven Stamkos will miss 1-3 months but look for Bishop to put the team on his back going into the playoffs.
Also Consider - Brian Elliott - St. Louis Blues vs. ARI

 

 

 

CENTER

Aleksander Barkov
Opponent - TOR
FD - 6500 DK - 6900

The Panthers top line is what is keeping them ahead of the Lightning for the division lead as they have been scoring at will. Barkov is coming off a huge game where he tallied four points in a comeback win vs. the Canadiens. In his last 10 games he has picked up 12 points(3 on the PP) and added 31 shots on goal. He makes a great play on his own in any format and while stacking the top line will be extremely highly owned, it will be hard to fade in an elite matchup vs. the Leafs.

Stack with - Jonathan Huberdeau, Jaromir Jagr

 

 

Derek Stepan
Opponent - CBJ
FD - 6900 DK - 5900

The Rangers have struggled down the stretch losing three straight and have lost six of their last 10 games. Look for a big bounce tonight as they travel to Columbus to face the Blue Jackets and their 29th ranked defense. During the struggles Stepan has still been contributing and has tallied points in five of his last six games including three multi point games. He is a safe choice in any format tonight.

Stack with - Chris Kreider, Mats Zuccarello

 

Also Consider - Alexander Steen - St. Louis Blues vs. ARI

 

WINGERS

Nikita Kucherov
Opponent - NYI
FD - 6900 DK - 7000

The loss of Steven Stamkos could be huge for the playoff chances of the Lightning. One player cannot take the place of a superstar. It takes a whole team to pull together and make it happen. Kucherov will definitely play an even bigger role than he already has in his breakout season. He is coming off a three point game and has picked up 10 points in his last nine games. If the Lightning respond to the injury like they did two nights ago in New Jersey you should see another multi point game from Kucherov.

Stack with - Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson

 

Shane Doan
Opponent - STL
FD - 5100 DK - 4500

The projection system has loved Doan all year but I have hesitated to write him up. Jokes on me I guess as the 39 year old winger has 27 goals on the season(his most in 7 years) and 45 total points. For the cost he has been a terrific fantasy play lately with six points in his last 10 games with 24 shots on goal and a +4 rating. The Coyotes have a tough matchup on Monday and while they may not win they should be able to get a goal or two as the Blues are playing on back to back nights and a third game in four nights.

Stack with - Max Domi, Brad Richardson

 

Also Consider - Troy Brouwer - St. Louis Blues vs. ARI

DEFENSE

Aaron Ekblad
Opponent - TOR
FD - 4100 DK - 4900

Their are no elite fantasy options on the point tonight so I will start by targeting the Maple Leafs. Ekblad is usually looked over in fantasy as he is a much better real life D man but he is coming off a two point night vs. the Habs. He provides a fairly safe floor averaging over two shots on goal per game and adds additional value on DraftKings where blocked shots are counted.

 

Alec Martinez
Opponent - VAN
FD - 4000 DK - 4800

Another mid tier cash game play on a night lacking offensive upside on the point. Martinez has provided a solid floor on DraftKings for fantasy owners lately averaging around two shots and two blocks per game. The Kings get a great matchup on Monday to turn around their slump vs. the Canucks. Take the value at D and pay up for your forwards and goalie tonight.

 

Also Consider - Keith Yandle - New York Rangers @ CBJ

 

 

 

Daily Updates Below:

 

 

 

 

***All advanced stats in this article are sourced from www. puckalytics.com***

***All goaltender and team line combination information is provided by www.leftwinglock.com***

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