Daily Fantasy Hockey Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings 12/18/16

Hello and welcome to a nice cozy little Sunday in the NHL as there are a total of six games. There are two separate slates today, as the early slate starts at 12:00 pm, and the late slate starts at 7:00 pm. Have no fear though my friends, and we have you covered with picks for each slate. Let's get started shall we?

Hockey is back and with it come our NHL projections which help inform these picks every night. When you purchase a DFSR NHL subscription to our base hockey projections you also get access to our brand new NFL DFS suite of tools including full projections, optimal NFL lineups and our Player Lab, which includes filters to help you create NFL lineups for FanDuel and DraftKings for any format. It’s a set of tools well beyond anything we’ve ever had, and something we feel will help our users *ahem* tackle the NFL season.

If you want to see the numbers behind our projections, create linueps with a single click, or research as deeply as your heart desires, click the button below to test out yourself.

GOALIES

Sergei Bobrovsky FD - $9200 DK - $8000
Opponent - VAN
Proj Pts FD - 13.2 DK - 3.3

It all starts with Goalie Bob today for the early slate, and it didn't take me long to realize that he's an awesome play. First of all we all know that he's always been a good and sometimes great goalie, but the Blue Jackets as a whole haven't been very good since they joined the league. Well now they tightened up on Defense, started scoring goals, and Coach Torts hasn't had a nervous breakdown yet. Bobrovsky has been nothing short of sensational this season as evident by his league leading 18 wins and an unreal .935 save % and three shutouts. If that doesn't convince you today maybe this next part will. The Russian tender has won his last seven games in a row while giving up only nine goals during those games. And of course the Blue Jackets play the lowly Canucks and their 28th ranked offense today. Vegas currently has Columbus as -170 favorites, and there is no doubt that Bobrovsky makes a great play in all formats today.

 

 

Antti Raanta FD - $8900 DK - $8100
Opponent - NJ
Proj Pts FD - 0 DK - 0

When it comes to the late slate today, this was also an easy choice at the goalie position. The Rangers are currently listed as -182 favorites according to Las Vegas, and that comes as no surprise as the Devils and their 26th ranked offense crawl into New York today. King Henrik started in goal yesterday so Raanta will be the man today. He is 8-2 this season and has played better than Lunqvist who isn't a spring chicken anymore. Raanta has also won three of his last four games with two shutouts. The Devils are punchless on offense, and the Rangers are ranked 5th in defense, and they own the league's #1 offense so goal support is rarely an issue. Do not think twice today and start Raanta with confidence in all formats.

 

 

 

CENTERS

Mark Scheifele FD - $7600 DK - $7100
Opponent - COL
Proj Pts FD - 14.27 DK - 4.36

I am not excited about the center position today, so when studying the slate I use my ice time = opportunity theory, and I came up with the rising star Mark Scheifele. He averages 21 minutes of ice time per game, which is a ton of ice time for a forward. The young Jet is pointless in his last two games, but that should end today as the Avalanche and their league worst defense come to Peg City. Scheifele has 14 goals, 14 assists, and 76 shots on goal already this season and he has recently been reunited with Blake Wheeler on Winnpeg's top line. He seems like our best bang for our buck today, so start Scheifele with confidence in all formats in the early slate.

Stack With: Blake Wheeler, Nikolaj Ehlers

 

 

Kyle Turris FD - $5800 DK - $5900
Opponent - NYI
Proj Pts FD - 8.78 DK - 2.68

Oh boy oh boy, this position is even uglier this evening, but Turris looks like our safest bet to score a decent amount of points today, well hopefully at least enough to return value. The Islanders are ranked 28th on defense in the league, and 21st at killing penalties, and Turris plays on the top line and #1 Power-play unit for the Senators, so he should have opportunites to score fantasy points today. Also it has just been confirmed that The Islanders' third string goalie Jean-Francois Berube has been confirmed to start today which is good news for the Sens. So far this season Turris has 12 goals, 8 assists, and 63 shots on goal, and while he isn't the safest play by any means, this position is very weak today, so I am comfortable using him in all of my cash game and gpp lineups today.

Stack with: Bobby Ryan, Ryan Dzingel

 

 

 

 

WINGERS

Cam Atkinson FD - $6900 DK - $7400
Opponent - VAN
Proj Pts FD - 15.31 DK - 4.86

Here we have the highest projected winger from both slates today and with great reason. Atkinson has been awesome for the Jackets this year, and is currently on a five game point streak with 3 goals and 5 asissts. Wow that's pretty good and today he gets to face-off against the Vancouver Canucks and their 3rd worst Defence, so he has monster upside potential as he plays on the Jackets' deadly #2 line and their league leading #1 power-play unit. Dont' waste anymore time and lock Atkinson into every single one of your lineups today in all formats.

PP Stack with: Nick Foligno, Alexander Wennberg, Sam Gagner, Zachary Werenski

 

 

Artemi Panarin FD - $7400 DK - $6700
Opponent - SJ
Proj Pts FD - 10.12 DK - 3.29

Wow, anytime we can get one of Patrick Kane's line-mates at a huge discount, and who has actually been outplaying him lately, means we can't ignore him regardless of his team's matchup. The Sharks are ranked 6th on defense, but Panarin is scorching hot right now, as he has four goals and four assists in his last four games, and two goals and three assists in his last two games. As long as he stays this hot then last year's rookie of the year is matchup proof, and he makes a terrific play in all formats for the evening slate.

PP Stack with: Patrick Kane, Jonathon Toews

 

 

 

 

DEFENSEMEN

Dustin Byfuglien FD - $6600 DK - $6200
Opponent - COL
Proj Pts FD - 12.53 DK - 3.98

This was a fairly tough decision between Buffy and Werenski, and they both make great plays in the early slate, but it's Buffy's 28 minutes of ice time per game compared to Werenski's 22 minutes per game that makes me prefer the Winnipeg D Man slightly more today but it's very close as the both have terrific matchups as I've already mentioned. Byfuglien like the next guy I mention is a Defense/Winger hybrid, and he contributes everywhere for the Winnipeg Jets. Dusty plays on both penalty kill units as well as the top power-play unit, so he has a ton of chances to score fantasy points. He scored a goals and added an assist last game, and this season he has four goals, 17 assists, 93 shots on goal, and 55 blocked shots. He makes a great play in all formats against the lowly Avalanche today.

 

 

Brent Burns FD - $8300 DK - $8400
Opponent - CHI
Proj Pts FD - 16.1 DK - 5.19

This bearded wonder is in his own league on the ice, and while he's super expensive, we have to try and fit him into our lineups, and he's a must start on a short slate like this one this evening. He is always matchup proof, and he is almost always on the ice for the Sharks. This season he has 13 goals, 16 assists, 133 shots on goal, yes you read that right, and 57 blocked shots. Unbelievable, and Burns is currently on a seven game point streak. Enough said. Lock and load Burns in all formats this evening.

 

 

 

 

Hockey is back and with it come our NHL projections which help inform these picks every night. When you purchase a DFSR NHL subscription to our base hockey projections you also get accessto our brand new NFL DFS suite of tools including full projections, optimal NFL lineups and our Player Lab, which includes filters to help you create NFL lineups for FanDuel and DraftKings for any format. It’s a set of tools well beyond anything we’ve ever had, and something we feel will help our users *ahem* tackle the NFL season.

If you want to see the numbers behind our projections, create linueps with a single click, or research as deeply as your heart desires, click the button below to test out yourself.