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Chris Wassel's top NHL DFS lineup picks on FanDuel, DraftKings for 12/14/19. Expert daily fantasy hockey advice, sleepers & player recommendations.
Saturday features a nine-game evening slate with a spotlight on games like Boston and Florida, Toronto and Edmonton, plus even Washington and Tampa Bay.
Remember, when looking around for plays, an over/under of 6 dictates offense, but an over/under of 5 or sometimes 5.5 tilts towards the goalies. There are several games at 6.5, as that has become the new norm in hockey now.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy hockey lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 12/14/19. The lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @ChrisWasselDFS. Let's get to it, shall we?
DFS Forwards to Consider
Connor McDavid - C, EDM vs TOR (FD - $9,300, DK - $8,500)
Toronto has improved on the penalty kill with Sheldon Keefe coaching but even strength remains an adventure, to say the least. McDavid had two points against Minnesota but only one shot on goal. Something tells us that it will be different against the Maple Leafs. They are a team that will allow enough at 5 on 5 to give McDavid ample scoring chances. The irony is that McDavid has five points in his last two games with just two shots on net and yet six scoring chances. Crazy yet true! Play him again!
David Pastrnak - W, BOS vs TB (FD - $8,800, DK - $8,200)
The winger has bounced back nicely hitting value in his last two of his previous three appearances. He is playing Florida which allows over three goals a game at home and tends to play at a fast pace (near 70 shots combined per 60 in their last ten home contests). Pastrnak had a goal on eight shots and six scoring chances in his last meeting versus the Panthers earlier this season. Florida could not contain that top line and more of the same is expected on Saturday.
Also, Consider:
- Aleksander Barkov, Elias Pettersson, and even Max Domi are excellent plays on Saturday night.
- Alex Ovechkin (goal, seven shots vs Tampa), Jake Guentzel, and Nikita Kucherov are nice options on Saturday from the wing position.
DFS Defenders to Consider
Oscar Klefbom - D, EDM vs TOR (FD - $5,700, DK - $6,000)
Klefbom carries a solid price on FanDuel for his points per game (less than $400 per point). Also, he broke out after a slump with two points against Minnesota on Thursday. The key is that the defensemen must hit the net. He did seven times and created four scoring chances. The result was a goal and assist. Toronto allows the fifth-most points to defensemen in DFS which makes him a viable play again on Saturday night. So does the Klefbom ceiling -- 33 shots and 32 blocks over his last ten games.
John Carlson - D, WSH vs TB (FD - $7,400, DK - $7,300)
Carlson is just a plug and play choice at this juncture on Saturday night. He has ten points and four goals over his last nine games and does not truly cool off. He has 45 points in 33 games on the season and is on pace for 100+ points. He averages just about three shots a game and 1.7 blocks per contest which supplements his offense. Tampa Bay is a team that can give up 3-4 goals with regularity and the former Southeast Division rivals rarely play much defense against each other.
Also, Consider:
- Jakob Chychrun is a very good option against a tired New Jersey team. Darnell Nurse is a cheap, secondary Edmonton idea as well.
- Torey Krug is a nice GPP play against a bad Florida defense along with Filip Hronek against Montreal. Again, think teams that allow lots of points per game.
DFS Goalie to Consider
Darcy Kuemper - G, ARZ vs NJ (FD - $8,800, DK - $8,300)
The idea was to look at goaltender who has an easy matchup. Cue up Kuemper who faces a New Jersey team that has scored just ten goals in its last seven games while giving up well over 3.5 goals per game on the road. Also, New Jersey yields the most DFS points to goaltenders in the NHL and it is not close. Kuemper leads the slate in fantasy points per game among goalies as well on all platforms and is expected to start against New Jersey, who may have to start MacKenzie Blackwood.
Also, Consider:
- The other good GPP choices on Saturday may include Sergei Bobrovsky against the Boston Bruins. After that, wait on confirmed goalies before making a decision simply due to illnesses and possible flu outbreaks.
