Daily Fantasy Hockey Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings 12/20/17

Daily Fantasy Hockey Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings 12/20/17

Welcome back to another day of daily fantasy hockey here at DFSR. Today, we have a tiny three-game slate in store for us and we have two teams playing in back-to-back games(TOR,DET), so fatigue could be an issue for those teams. Let's not waste any more time and look at some of my favorite picks for tonight's slate.

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 lineups with a single click, or research as deeply as your heart desires, click the button below to test out yourself.

GOALIE

Brian Elliott FD - $8000 DK - $8300
Opponent - DET
Proj Pts FD - 13.52 DK - 3.38

This is a tough slate overall tonight and this position is no exception, but this guy looks like our best option as he is about to face the Red Wings and their sixth-worst offense(2.63 goals scored per game). Before he gave up four goals to the Kings last game, Elliot was on a blazing hot streak as he won six games in a row while allowing only nine goals during that span. The Flyers have been playing much better hockey lately and the Wings are playing at the time of this writing, so fatigue will be an issue. All things considered, Elliot is my top goalie in all formats this evening.

Also Consider: Curtis McElhinney(TOR) GPP formats only.

CENTERS

Brayden Schenn FD - $7100 DK - $6900
Opponent - CGY
Proj Pts FD - 12.82 DK - 3.72

This young man has been struggling by his standards recently, but he plays on the top line and the top powerplay unit with elite sniper Vladimir Tarasenko, so he is due for a huge game very soon(hopefully tonight). Schenn had an assist two games ago and he has nine shots in his last three, and he has 38 points in 35 games this season. The Flames are ranked 18 defensively(2.94 goals allowed per game) and even though Schenn has been struggling lately, it is a tiny slate, so he is a solid play in all formats.

Stack with: Vladimir Tarasenko, Alex Steen(PP), Paul Stastny(PP)

Tyler Bozak FD - $4100 DK - $3800
Opponent - CBJ
Proj Pts FD - 8.96 DK - 2.63

Auston Matthews is injured for the Leafs, so this guy has picked up his game recently as he recorded a goal, three assists, and four shots yesterday against the Hurricanes and he has ten shots in his last two games. The Blue Jackets have allowed a whopping 20 goals in their last four games and the Leafs are ranked eighth in offense, so look for them to score a few goals today and Bozak plays on the #1 powerplay unit, so fire him up in all formats.

Stack with: James VanRiemsdyk, Mitch Marner

WINGERS

Jakub Voracek FD - $7700 DK - $6800
Opponent - DET
Proj Pts FD - 15.5 DK - 4.52

This superstar winger leads the league with 33 assists and he's third with 41 points behind only Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov. The Red Wings not only struggle on offense, as they also allow an eighth worst 3.19 goals per game defensively. The veteran play-maker is on a three-game point streak with a goal and three assists, to go along with 10 shots and four blocks, and he has points in six of his last seven games with three of those being multi-point efforts. Voracek is my top overall play in all formats this evening.

Stack with: Claude Giroux(PP), Wayne Simmonds(PP), Sean Couturier(PP)

Josh Anderson FD - $5600 DK - $6100
Opponent - TOR
Proj Pts FD - 10.48 DK - 2.92

While his prices have risen lately, it has been warranted as this young winger has two goals, an assist, and 12 shots in his last three games, and he has a whopping 20 shots in his last five games. Anderson plays on the top line and the #2 powerplay unit for the Jackets and even though the Maple Leafs are above average defensively, they are playing in a back-to-back, so Anderson should be considered in all formats today.

Stack with: Artemi Panarin, Pierre-Luc Dubois

Also Consider: Johnny Gaudreau(CGY) GPP formats only.

DEFENSEMEN

Shayne Gostisbehere FD - $5700 DK - $5700
Opponent - DET
Proj Pts FD - 12.99 DK - 4.05

"The Ghost" has been impressive in his last two games as he has two powerplay goals, an assist, 10 shots, and three blocks. The young point man has 24 points this season with 15 of them on the powerplay and he now has points in eight of his last ten games. While normally I only consider him in GPP formats, the options are thin today, so lock and load "The Ghost" in all formats.

Mark Giordano FD - $5900 DK - $5200
Opponent - STL
Proj Pts FD - 11.79 DK - 3.58

This is probably the first time I've mentioned this guy all season, but it's a three-game slate and he has played well in his last two games as he has two goals, 13 shots, and five blocks. I couldn't find any decent value at the defense position today, so we need to spend up a bit here and Giordano is a solid play in all formats.

Also Consider: Alex Pietrangelo(STL)


Hockey is back and with it comes 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.

image sources

  • Claude_Giroux_2012-04-13: By Pens Through My Lens (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Ryan Couckuyt