FanDuel NHL: January 10
By Matt Rogers
FanDuel NHL: January 10 is a daily fantasy sports column focusing on the best FanDuel NHL player and value options for your daily lineups. The salary options are based on the daily salaries set by FanDuel. We’ll check the best options in each position, and help you afford an ideal lineup for your big FanDuel NHL paydays.
Before we review the top options for each FanDuel NHL lineup position, let’s review the FanDuel NHL scoring rules:
Forwards/Defense
- Goals = 12pts
- Assists = 8pts
- Shots on Goal = 1.6pts
- Short Handed points = 2pts
- Power Play Points = 0.5pts
- Blocked Shots = 1.6pts
Goalies
- Win = 12pts
- Goals Against = -4pts
- Saves = 0.8pts
- Shutouts = 8pts
Given the FanDuel NHL scoring options, we know the top options for offense and defense are players who tend to score a goal or record an assist in most games. Also, if one of those players is often playing on the penalty kill, there’s an added benefit if they could score the unique short-handed goal. The Ottawa Senators led the NHL in the 2015-2016 season with 17 short-handed goals.
As for Goalies, you’ll want to pick a goalie on a team who has the highest winning percentage of the day. Losing the 12 point win can easily be the difference between losing money and a big pay-day. A FanDuel comparison would be picking a MLB pitcher who will most likely win.
Now that we’ve established the rules and goals for playing FanDuel NHL, let’s take a look at tonight’s best options:
Next: Top Centers
Top Centers
We’re going to make some big, expensive, lineup plays for today. These moves will require making several value plays as well to make the big moves affordable. Our first big play, is at center with Connor McDavid ($8,700).
The young 19-year-old McDavid is a rock star on the Edmonton Oilers. Already a Captain of the team, Connor is consistently scoring double-digit FanDuel NHL points-per-game, and often scores over 20 points. For tonight, McDavid is the most expensive center option, but he’s also the most productive. Tonight, the Oilers have a solid match-up against Martin Jones and the San Jose Sharks, at home in Edmonton. I’m paying up for McDavid in this match-up.
Bo Horvat ($5,200) is our value option at center tonight. At only 21-years-old, Horvat is another young hot commodity in the NHL. But Bo has yet to prove himself in the league and is still a cheaper option in this position.
Over the last five games, Horvat consistently averaged over 16 FanDuel NHL points per game, and his salary only climbed $400. Now is a great time to lock him in before he becomes more expensive.
Next: Top Wings
Top Wings
We’ll begin to balance out of all the young talent at center, with a 37-year-old veteran pick at wing with Patrick Marleau ($6,000). We talked about the match-up the Oilers have with the Sharks, but the Sharks also have a juicy scoring match-up with the Oilers. In fact, the Edmonton v. San Jose game likely turns into a high-scoring game. The Oilers are one of the top scoring teams in the NHL, but their defense and goaltending isn’t as solid, and they often get locked into shootouts.
Marleau is averaging over 15 FanDuel NHL points-per-game, and is a solid option spending on $6K on his lineup pick. Looking for another Sharks, Kevin Labanc ($4,000) is a solid value option. The young 21-year-old wing on the 2nd regular and power play lines for the Sharks is averaging over 11 FanDuel NHL points-per-game over the last five.
Staying with the Oilers v Sharks match-up one more time, we’ll stack Patrick Maroon ($5,900) with our McDavid center pick. Maroon is hit-or-miss, piling up 33 to 45 FanDuel NHL points in games over the last two weeks, but also logging 3-11 point games as well. This is a risky value play, but if we expect McDavid to have a great game, Maroon is often his great game sidekick.
Finally turning our attention to another game, David Backes ($5,600) is bringing a 16 FanDuel NHL point game average into Saint Louis tonight against the Blues. We’ll plug Backes into our lineup as another hot value pick this week.
Next: Top Defense
Top Defense
While we found value already, we’ve spent a lot of our salary on Center and Wings. I’d also like to grab one of the top goalies with a juicy match-up. So, for defense we’ve got to dig for value. John Klingberg ($5,800) had a couple of 20+ FanDuel NHL games over the last week. With a reasonable salary, we’ll see if he can do it again tonight against the Anaheim Ducks.
Alexander Edler ($4,700) seems like a value pick flying under the radar over the last two weeks. Edler is getting plenty of ice time for the Vancouver Canucks, logging around 25 minutes per game, and is averaging over 11 FanDuel NHL points per game in the last two weeks. Alexander is a great value pick for defense tonight against the Nashville Predators.
Next: Top Goalie
Top Goalie
Corey Crawford ($8,900) is an excellent goalie for the Chicago Blackhawks. Crawford, now with two Stanley Cups, is 15-8-3 this season giving up 2.33 goals per game and a .925, 10th in the NHL. Over the last five games, Crawford started three and averaged a fairly consistent 17 FanDuel NHL points. Even in a loss, Corey racked up 12.8 points on 31 saves against the Blues.
The Blackhawks have used both Crawford and Scott Darling in net throughout the season. However, they typically play Crawford in two games, then swap him out of the third game for Darling. So keep an eye on the starting lineups as we approach game time, but it should be Corey in net. Even if Crawford isn’t a go, I’d recommend swapping Darling into his spot and stick with the Hawks at goal.
Always check NHL lineups throughout the day when playing FanDuel NHL. As a fan, you likely know the league isn’t overly forthcoming with injury news, and players are often scratched at the last-minute with little information. Also, goaltenders are never a sure-thing. Good Luck today Fanduelers!