NOTE: All pricing references pertain to DraftKings
Key Skaters
W Alex Ovechkin (WAS)
It’s inexplicable to me that Ovechkin is priced down at $6,400 for this matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mind you that Ovechkin is coming off a four-point (two-goal) game against the Rangers in a matchup that saw him priced up at $7,200. This game should have scoring chances back and forth and Ovechkin at this price is simply egregious.
C Elias Pettersson (VAN)
Pettersson and the Canucks are playing their second game in as many nights facing off against the Detroit Red Wings who look like they’re picking up where they left off last season. Detroit lost their last game 7-6 after blowing a major lead against the Lightning. Detroit allowed the sixth-most shots against per 60 minutes at 5v5 last season and they will be missing their top-line center in Dylan Larkin. Pettersson, Vancouver’s top-line center is coming off of a multi-point effort last night and I expect it to happen again tonight.
W Mikko Rantanen (COL)
With the absense of Nathan MacKinnon still going on and now Gabriel Landeskog suspended, a lot of the weight for the Avalanche is going to rest on Rantanen’s shoulders. In his last night nine games against St. Louis Rantanen has four goals and four assists. Rantanen will assume a most substantial role with both of his linemates out tonight.
Favorite Line Stacks
Toronto Maple Leafs
John Tavares, Mitch Marner, Nick Ritchie, Jason Spezza
With this Leafs stack, you get two high-priced skaters in Tavares and Marner and two value guys in Ritchie and Spezza. Ritchie correlates with Tavares and Marner on the top even-strength line while Spezza is on the top power-play unit for now in the absence of Auston Mattews. Toronto had plenty of pressure on this Senators team two nights ago as Anton Forsberg needed to make 46 saves to defeat the Leafs. While I expect Toronto to have plenty of chances again I also expect them to capitalize on them this go around.
Calgary Flames
Elias Lindholm, Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, Rasmus Andersson
The Flames will play their first game of the season and will be facing the leaky defense of the Edmonton Oilers. All four players here correlate on the top power-play unit while Lindholm, Gaudreau, and Tkachuk are all together on the first even-strength line.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, Ondrej Palat, Victor Hedman
While I touched on this game in the blurb on Ovechkin above I like the idea of a Lightning stack in this matchup. Point, Kucherov, and Palat correlate on the top even-strength line and top power-play unit where defenseman Victor Hedman also stands out. The former Norris Trophy winner has five points in two games this season and has spent at least 24 minutes on the ice in each game thus far.
Also Consider…
Boston Bruins
Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy
Edmonton Oilers
Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Jesse Puljujarvi, Tyson Barrie
Top Positional Skaters
*Not mentioned in “key skaters'” section. Last skater at each position is my favorite value
Center
- Connor McDavid (EDM)
- John Tavares (TOR)
- Patrice Bergeron (BOS)
- Nazem Kadri (COL)
Wing
- David Pastrnak (BOS)
- Andrei Svechnikov (CAR)
- Bryan Rust (PIT)
- Brendan Gallagher (MTL)
- Patrik Laine (CBJ)
- Kevin Labanc (SJ)
Defense
- Morgan Rielly (TOR)
- Roman Josi (NSH)
- Cale Makar (COL)
- John Carlson (WAS)
- Drew Doughty (LAK)
- Matt Grzelcyk (BOS)
Goalies
- Connor Hellebuyck (WPG)
- Thatcher Demko (VAN)
- Jake Allen (MTL)
- Jack Campbell (TOR)
GOOD LUCK!!