Fantasy Hockey: NHL DFS FanDuel Power Plays for March 15

Welcome BACK to the NHL DFS FanDuel Power Plays column. This edition is focused on the Main slate for Friday, March 15th. This is a fantasy hockey post focused on top lineup plays each day.

Well if you followed yesterday’s lineup advice, you’re likely mad at me and I don’t blame you. I leaned too far toward the ‘fade-the-calk’ side and it burned us. Scott Laughton and Alexander Radulov each had a goal, making Laughton a cheap fantasy hockey play on Thursday night, and Alex just keeps dominating the offensive side of the ice.

While Matt Murray didn’t start last night, I liked the Penguins goalie situation, so hopefully you stuck with Casey DeSmith, who had a big night with a shutout and 26 saves. In fact, with the right pivot moves and DeSmith in your lineup, you may have had a solid night, and you’re baffled by the apology.

I didn’t quite make it, even with DeSmith in my lineup, to cash in all formats. However, all DFS NHL players have nights were they don’t do well. The key is to learn from what mistakes you may have made (sometimes it’s just pure bad luck) and use that knowledge for the next slate, in this case Friday night.

Before we get there, a reminder to never take a NHL DFS optimal lineup as ‘bible’ for your personal lineup each day. Use the suggestions as guidance. Also, make sure you follow final lineup thoughts throughout the day on our twitter account @FantasyCPR or me @MattyMcMatt17  to catch late breaking lineup news.

Here’s a look at the NHL schedule for the Main slate on Friday, March 15th:

Flyers at Maple Leafs 7pm ET (Total Projected Goals: 6.5)

Hurricanes at Blue Jackets 7pm ESPN+ (Total Projected Goals: 6)

Golden Knights at Stars 8pm ET NHL Network (Total Projected Goals: 5.5)

Ducks at Avalanche 9pm ET (Total Projected Goals: 5.5)

Rangers at Flames 9pm ET ESPN+ (Total Projected Goals: 6)

Devils at Canucks 10pm ET (Total Projected Goals: 6)

Judging by the feature picture of this post, and the picture on this page, it won’t surprise you I’m big on the Flames playing the Rangers on home ice Friday. The total projected goals for the game is six, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Calgary scored five or six of those goals.

But, we should also be aware of some high-scoring potential in Toronto, where a hot Flyers offense takes on a very good Maple Leafs team. The Hurricanes and Blue Jackets is intriguing, but that feels more like a hard-fought defensive playoff type of game.

I don’t like playing against the Stars, unless there are solid defensive options, but while the Ducks and Avs looks like a low-scoring game, I think the Avalanche still have appealing offensive options. Also, there are some sneaky picks to grab in Vancouver.

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So, let’s start building our NHL DFS optimal lineup by looking at the top centers for this slate…

Fantasy Hockey: NHL DFS FanDuel Power Plays Top Centers

You likely can’t go wrong with the top center picks for Friday night. Just pick the one who makes your lineup the most affordable. Nathan MacKinnon ($8,400) should have the best shot at 20+ points, so its not surprising he’s the most expensive.

John Tavares ($8,300) and Auston Matthews ($8,000) may be decent plays, but I don’t like how well Brian Elliott, who’s likely starting in the cage for the Flyers, is playing lately. I’d much rather pay up for MacKinnon, or take a surging Tyler Seguin ($7,800) or consistent Sean Couturier ($7,600).

But, I think you’re just as well of playing Sean Monahan ($7,500) for the smoking hot Flames on home ice against a horrendous Rangers team, or Sebastian Aho ($7,500) in Columbus as the Hurricanes continue to claw for a playoff bid.

Any one of those four are great picks, but Monahan and Aho present the most value given they’ll likely get you nearly 20 points, with a much higher ceiling, while your saving a few hundred FanDuel NHL dollars.

You could get really expensive and grab both Monahan and Aho, or a combination of MacKinnon/Seguin with Monahan/Aho. But, as you’ll see in a minute, there are so many great winger plays on Friday night, you’re better off getting some value out of the second center pick and loading up with the four winger spots.

Fortunately, our top value play from last night, Scott Laughton ($3,800) is back on the ice for the Flyers. Now with four goals and two assists in the last six games, Laughton has a point in each of the last six games and is heating up at the right time for the Flyers. He could easily stay hot in Toronto, against a Leafs team who’s offense is better than their defense.

Fantasy Hockey: NHL DFS FanDuel Power Plays Top Wingers

While there are just over a handful of great considerations for top center picks, the wingers make me feel like a kid in a candy store, as long as I can figure out how to get my parents to pay up for the mountains of candy I’m about to inhale.

The great thing is, if we make the right moves, like Laughton at center and some smart value plays at defense and goalie, we can grab at least three of the top winger plays.

Again, Mitch Marner ($8,300) isn’t a bad play on home ice against the Flyers, but given the other plays available, there’s no chance I’m even considering him. For starters, Johnny Gaudreau ($8,000) is a must have in all formats.

Yes, Johnny G is going to be chalky. The Flames just piled up nine goals on Tuesday and Gaudreau had three goals and three helpers in the affair. Yes, that’s six points in one game, or 72.8 FanDuel NHL points from one player. Do NOT expect the same outcome on Friday night. However, there’s a very solid chance he has another 20+ point night for fantasy hockey players.

Fortunately, after Gaudreau the options are actually somewhat affordable. Mark Stone ($7,300) should be a good play in Dallas, with a projection of 15 to 20 points, but I don’t love playing any team against the top five stingy Dallas defense.

However, Mikko Rantanen ($7,500) has nearly the same projected point potential and is on home ice against a vulnerable Ducks defense. Rantanen is especially attractive if you have MacKinnon already in your lineup, but he’s another way to grab the goodness from the top-two Avs lines.

After that, in nearly the same point projection spot, we have Alexander Radulov ($6,400) and Matthew Tkachuk ($6,300) each playing on home ice for hot offensive teams. Radulov has been scoring no matter that situation, and Tkachuk is playing with fire in his belly, four goals and one assist over the last two games.

Depending on how you play out the winger spots, you don’t necessarily have to grab a value play for the fourth role. But if you do, Blake Coleman ($4,600) and Oskar Lindblom ($4,700) are each great double-digit FanDuel NHL point plays for a decent value.

Alright, let’s finally look at a few top picks on defense…

Fantasy Hockey: NHL DFS FanDuel Power Plays Top Defenders

Mark Giordano ($6,700) could definitely be a great play at defense, if you fade the rest of the Flames offense. Spending a good chunk of your FanDuel NHL salary on Giordano prevents you from getting some of the best winger picks within the second or third spots. So, I recommend grabbing three or four other Flames and fading Giordano. But, yes, he should have a good night.

Instead, I’d rather get double-digit points from guys like Tyson Barrie ($5,300), Shea Theodore ($4,800), and Alexander Edler ($4,800). Yes, I still like Ivan Provorov ($5,000) and Travis Sanheim ($4,300).

While Provy and Sanheim are decent plays, guys like Barrie are firing off three to five shots per game, improving their goal and assist potential, while also adding points for shots, and Tyson isn’t afraid to layout for blocked shots, getting at least one per game.

Edler and Theodore are in the same mold a Barrie. You can play them and nail down double-digit points without even having a shot on goal. The reason I usually like Provy and Sanheim is the offensive side of the game.

Given the match-up all five have, they’re all great plays, but Barrie, Theodore, and Edler have offensive match-ups allowing them to reach a higher 20 to 30 point ceiling.

Fantasy Hockey: NHL DFS FanDuel Power Plays Top Goalies

Ben Bishop gets the night off, which makes Anton Khudobin ($8,000) a great play on most nights. However, I don’t love the match-up against a re-surging Golden Knights hockey team, even on home ice for Khudobin. Still, it’s a great idea for GPP. If Anton can save most of the high volume of shots the Knights likely get on goal, Khudobin will be one of the best plays of the night.

I’m hoping a lot of Fantasy Hockey players jump on Frederik Andersen ($8,500). I HATE taking the Maple Leafs against the Flyers in Toronto. Even in Toronto. The Flyers are one of the hottest teams, when not playing the Capitals, in the NHL. Andersen and the Leafs defense hasn’t been the best in the league. This isn’t a great situation for Frederik.

However, I do like the sneaky option of Brian Elliott ($7,700) against the Leafs in Toronto. Flyers fans, and really NHL fans in total, seem to think Elliott is a terrible net-minder. Yet, his stats prove otherwise, a top ten goaltender with just not enough starts to prove it.

But, if you can’t stomach the value from Elliott, the obvious best play on Friday night is Mike Smith ($8,100) or David Rittich ($8,100) on home ice against the Rangers. I’m not expecting a shutout from this match up, but I am expecting a win. This is a safe way to get 20 to 25 points from the position.

Fantasy Hockey: FanDuel Power Plays March 15th Main Slate Summary

Rittich and Smith are safe positions at the goalie position on Friday night. Khudobin is an interesting top play option against the Stars, but we also should consider Elliott a great value on road-ice against the Leafs.

At center, we have a plethora of great picks, with Laughton as a great value play. I would grab Monahan or Aho before MacKinnon or Seguin, but all four are great plays.

Assuming you continue to nab value with guys like Barrie, Sanheim, Provorov, Edler, or Theodore at the defense position, and Coleman or Lindblom at winger, you have great group of wingers to consider as top plays from Johnny G, Rantanen, or Tkahcuk as well as Stone or Radulov.

With that summary in mind, here’s a look at a sample lineup for the NHL DFS FanDuel Main slate on Friday, March 15th 2019:

C       Sean Monahan ($7,500)

C       Scott Laughton ($3,800)

W     Johnny Gaudreau ($8,000)

W     Mikko Rantanen ($7,500)

W     Matthew Tkachuk ($6,300)

W     Blake Coleman ($4,600)

D      Shea Theodore ($4,800)

D      Alexander Edler ($4,800)

G      Brian Elliott ($7,700)

Remaining Salary: $0

Note: This is a recommended lineup after discussing our top options for the slate. You should use this as a guide, and provide your own input when building NHL DFS FanDuel lineups.  We are not telling you, or selling you, to use this lineup.

Best of luck in your NHL DFS FanDuel contests and stay tuned to Fantasy CPR for all your DFS news and analysis across NHL, NBA, MLB, EPL, GOLF, College Basketball, and NASCAR this Spring!