March 20, 2016

Barry Leonard's DFS advice for 3/20/16. Daily Fantasy Hockey Lineup Picks and sleepers for FanDuel & DraftKings NHL cash games and GPPs.

Welcome to the Daily Fantasy Hockey (NHL DFS) lineup picks article for March 20th of the 2015/2016 NHL season. Each day we'll be providing you with a handful of forward, defensemen, and goaltender picks for DraftKings and FanDuel GPP and cash games.

Seven games are on the schedule today, meaning that there will be plenty of options to fill out your fantasy lineups. Some of the best teams in the league will be in action when Washington, Chicago, and Anaheim take the ice. Those places are, of course, popular places to look for fantasy targets.

With some of the top players in action, you'll have to find some value picks to help complete your lineup. Be sure to not overlook the rosters of Arizona, Colorado, and even Montreal.

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NHL DFS Picks for Sunday, March 20th

A couple strategy notes. For cash game construction look for players who can contribute to your score when they are not providing offense. Examples are guys who take a ton of shots, defensemen who block a lot of shots(DraftKings). Also, look for guys who get powerplay time and especially Top 6 forwards. You can find value in players who join a new line due to an injury or just get a promotion and more ice time.

For large field tournaments (GPP's) you want to find payers who have multi-point upside and can grab double-digit fantasy points. To stack the most upside in your forwards, a common strategy is to punt the defenseman position. This doesn't mean just grab anyone. Try and look for a D-man who will be playing more PP time or might get a boost in overall playing time due to an injury.

Let's take a look at some solid plays for today's action.

Frederik Andersen - Goaltender, Ducks  (DraftKings - $7,900 FanDuel - $9,300)

The Anaheim Ducks have been playing some of the best hockey in the NHL over the past few months, and the goaltenders have benefited. Although it's been a timeshare, Andersen should be in line for the start today after it was revealed that John Gibson is dealing with the flu. Andersen started for Gibson Friday and stopped 38 shots in a shutout of the Bruins. Today Anaheim goes up against a Winnipeg team that's only averaging 2.50 goals per game. With wins in nine of his last 10 starts, Andersen should be the top netminder target today. Just check his status closer to puck drop, as Gibson would also make for a good target should he get the starting nod.

Mike Smith - Goaltender, Coyotes  (DraftKings - $6,800 FanDuel - $7,900)

This one is definitely a bit of a risk, but Smith has been dominant since returning from core muscle surgery. Although he hadn't started a game since December, he's been very sharp in his first two outings back. First, he made 44 saves in a shutout of Edmonton, then he allowed just one goal in a victory over San Jose. He'll face those same Sharks today and will look to duplicate Thursday's stellar performance. It's certainly hard to beat the same team in back-to-back starts, but it's worth taking a chance on the Arizona netminder today.

Alex Galchenyuk - Center, Canadiens  (DraftKings - $5,200 FanDuel - $6,200)

Galchenyuk was kept off the scoresheet Saturday night, but has been on fire recently with 14 points in his last 12 games. He logs heavy ice time and gets ample opportunities to put up points. He's a great fantasy asset, and can put up points in all of the categories. Today brings a matchup with a Calgary team that's really struggled to stop opposing centers. His salary has remained low despite his production, making him a great target for your fantasy lineup.

Evgeny Kuznetsov - Center, Capitals   (DraftKings - $6,800 FanDuel - $7,300)

Kuznetsov just keeps being Kuznetsov. If you've noticed that he's a frequent target for fantasy lineups, you're right. He's having an excellent season and leads the talent-rich Capitals with 53 assists and 73 points. He was on fire Friday night, dishing out three helpers against the Predators. He's now rolling with a five-game point streak, and 11 points in the last 11 games. Kuznetsov has been a fantasy gem this season and needs to be in your lineup no matter which DFS site you are playing on.

Chris Kunitz - Winger, Penguins   (DraftKings - $4,800 FanDuel - $6,200)

Kunitz picked up a goal and an assist Saturday against Philadelphia and finished the game with a rating of plus-2. He now has five points over this last five games, and a rating of plus-30 for the season.The veteran winger has been producing at a good clip for fantasy owners recently, despite not taking more than two shots in each of the last 10 games. He's not going to get you a lot of extra points in the other categories, but his ability to rack up goals and assists makes him useful on both DraftKings and FanDuel, especially for the decent price tag that comes along with him.

Patrick Kane - Winger, Blackhawks   (DraftKings - $8,600 FanDuel - $8,400)

Drafting Kane makes it difficult to afford some other quality players, but there's enough value out there today to make it work. By this point, you know what you're getting with Kane. He's arguably the best player in the NHL, and is capable of stuffing the stat sheet each time he's on the ice. He leads the league with 92 points, and is second in both assists (53) and goals (39). The 27-year-old enters today's tilt with Minnesota with three points in his last two games. Even when he doesn't record a point, he's still valuable thanks to his tendency to shoot the puck. He's fired at least five shots on goal three times in the last five games. Kane is an absolute fantasy beast - you know what to do.

Jamie McGinn - Winger, Ducks   (DraftKings - $4,000 FanDuel - $4,300)

McGinn has benefited from his move to a talented Anaheim team, and has found a productive spot on the second line. He's got five points in the nine games he's played with his new team, and has become relevant to fantasy hockey. With a goal in each of his last two games, McGinn is worth a look in fantasy lineups today. If you're going to spend some serious cap space on a high-priced player, you'll need to find value elsewhere, and McGinn is a great place to look, as he's going up against one of the worst teams in the league against left wingers. He's not going to shoot a ton, but he's got a rating of plus-1 with his new team and can be a sleeper pick for both DFS sites.

Hampus Lindholm - Defenseman, Ducks  (DraftKings - $4,500 FanDuel - $4,800)

Lindholm gets solid minutes for the Ducks and also spends time on their second power-play unit.  He's coming off a big game Friday in which he scored and dished out an assist against Boston. He's got three points in his last three games and 10 penalty minutes in the last six. He's available at a decent price, gets a good matchup with Winnipeg, and can help in all fantasy categories. Take him as a value pick at defenseman today.

Erik Johnson - Defenseman, Avalanche   (DraftKings - $5,700 FanDuel - $3,900)

Johnson can often get overlooked, but he's worth a roster spot today, particularly on DraftKings. He has just 25 points this season, but found the back of the net Friday, the second time in three games. He's got three points in his last four games and has a good chance to add to that today in a favorable matchup with Edmonton. Even when Johnson isn't putting up points, he can be a valuable fantasy assets thanks to his shots on goal and blocked shots. Johnson blocked five shots in his last game and has 20 over the last six games. He's not the best option for FanDuel, but take him on DaftKings and enjoy the numbers you will get.

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