Thursday features a twelve-game evening slate with a spotlight on games like Boston and Tampa Bay, Toronto and Calgary, plus even Chicago and Arizona.
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 12/12/19. 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?
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DFS Forwards to Consider
Jack Eichel - C, BUF vs NSH (FD - $8,800, DK - $8,100)
Eichel almost draws up to the level of players like Nathan MacKinnon and even Connor McDavid (who is also on this slate). The favorable matchup against Nashville is a big reason here as the Predators can easily give up 3+ goals on the road. Now is the Buffalo center shooting as much as he used to? No. Eichel only averages 3.5 shots per game but he does have seven goals in his last ten games. While he will not go vastly under-owned, some will outright forget he is an option on Thursday night.
David Pastrnak - W, BOS vs TB (FD - $8,800, DK - $7,700)
The winger has bounced back nicely hitting value in his last two appearances. He is playing on the back end of a back-to-back but up against Tampa Bay. The Lightning yield 3.21 goals per game at home. Tampa Bay and Boston might be one of the higher-scoring games out there and having a blue-chip player like Pastrnak could help. He has six goals in his last nine games and ten points in that span.
Also, Consider:
- Aleksander Barkov, Mark Scheifele, and even Mika Zibanejad are excellent plays on Thursday night.
- Artemi Panarin, Leon Draisaitl, and Filip Forsberg are solid options on Tuesday from the wing position.
DFS Defenders to Consider
Victor Hedman - D, TB vs BOS (FD - $6,800, DK - $6,100)
We are feasting on Boston maybe a bit too much but Hedman provides excellent peripherals while averaging a point a game on the season. He has nine points in his previous nine contests including three goals while averaging nearly three shots a night. Seven of those nine points are on the man advantage. That is the biggest thing that has heated up for Tampa Bay. Their first-unit power play has been among the top-five for the last 10-15 games now. The DraftKings price is more attractive on this slate especially.
Dougie Hamilton - D, CAR vs EDM (FD - $6,200, DK - $7,400)
Hamilton's floor is around six shots and blocked shots a game combined which helps as far as the value from peripherals, etc. The Carolina defenseman again should be one of the top DFS NHL producers of the night. The dropoff in price on FanDuel is enough to roster him again on Thursday night. Hamilton is more of a FanDuel play only but can be used on all platforms as Vancouver is not one of the elite when it comes to preventing DFS points by defensemen (middle of the pack). Hamilton had a goal, assist, and five shots Tuesday night in Edmonton.
Also, Consider:
- Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis are up against Buffalo (one of league's worst penalty kills) on Thursday. Also, Oscar Klefbom is producing great peripherals for Edmonton.
- Tony DeAngelo or Adam Fox are reasonable choices against San Jose later tonight. John Marino of Pittsburgh makes for a nice punt play as well versus Columbus.
DFS Goalie to Consider
John Gibson - G, ANA vs LA (FD - $7,800, DK - $7,900)
The idea was to look at a lower-priced goalie who could match up well against his opponent. Gibson fills that bill well. Also, Los Angeles gives up the most DFS points to goaltenders in the NHL. Yes, that is even more than Detroit. Gibson was good in Minnesota and Winnipeg finally getting a much-deserved win in Minnesota on Tuesday. Sometimes, coming home after a road trip can be difficult but Anaheim is stingy at home -- allowing 13 goals in their last five games. If the Kings top 30 shots, this becomes a very good play.
Also, Consider:
- The other good GPP choices on Thursday may include Sergei Bobrovsky against the New York Islanders and Jordan Binnington (only $7,500 on DraftKings).