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Chris Wassel's top NHL DFS lineup picks on FanDuel, DraftKings for 8/20/20. Expert daily fantasy hockey advice, sleepers & player recommendations.
Thursday features a two-game main slate which starts at 8:00 pm ET for DraftKings and FanDuel with the New York Islanders trying to eliminate the Washington Capitals. The nightcap features the Dallas Stars trying to finish off the Calgary Flames.
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. Also, note that FanDuel and DraftKings have split options for those who do not want to play the all-day slate.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy hockey lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 8/20/20. 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
Tyler Seguin - C, DAL vs CGY (FD - $7,300, DK - $6,400)
Seguin has three assists in his last two games but has not scored a goal in the bubble. That may be troubling to some and drive his ownership down. On the other hand, he has played better in his previous two contests. The shots and scoring chances are starting to return. Does the goal scoring dam finally break for the forward? It would be an ideal time as many have faded Seguin consistently since the NHL restarted.
Some other choices might include Mathew Barzal, Brock Nelson, Evgeni Kuznetsov, and even Joe Pavelski of the Dallas Stars.
Alex Ovechkin - W, WSH vs NYI (FD - $8,700, DK - $8,500)
The forward remains the most important cog in Washington's offense even into his mid 30's. He had two goals, including a power-play tally and game winner on Tuesday to keep the Capitals alive. He had eight shot attempts and four shots on goal. Expect even more from Ovechkin during Game 5 as the winger will try anything and everything to keep Washington from getting eliminated. More essential is that the winger generates scoring chances. He had six in Game 4. Expect that amount and maybe more.
Also, Consider:
It is a prudent idea to go exploring for more secondary scoring on Thursday. With just two games, searching for differences is paramount.
Exploring the second and third lines this time of year has to be done more than the top power-play units, etc. Typically, games feature less penalties on average as the playoffs move along. Even strength play develops more and more importance. Finally, look at Jamie Benn as a possibility or perhaps a Milan Lucic or Corey Perry from the value bin.
DFS Defenders to Consider
John Klingberg - D, DAL vs CGY (FD - $5,800, DK - $5,400)
This is a consistent play because most will look toward Miro Heiskanen. It appears that Klingberg is regaining his form after a tough season. He has four points in his last two games and looks engaged in the flow of play. This was something missing during the round robin.
His floor is a bit low from the blocks side of things and occasionally goes through long stretches of missing the net. This is a bit of a moderate risk but the offensive upside is hard to ignore on a short slate like this. John Carlson can be had for a higher price but then that will mean spending less elsewhere.
Rasmus Andersson - D, CGY vs DAL (FD - $4,600, DK - $3,400)
Easily, this all comes down to keeping things simple. Thursday features such a limited slate that exploring value defensive picks is more than acceptable. Plug a punt in and see what happens. Andersson could be more of a DraftKings play based on price but his FanDuel cost is not awful either. He has two assists in his last three games and 3+ shots in his previous two. Will Calgary open things up? That is the only real question here. If they can, Andersson should get his fair share of opportunities.
DFS Goalie to Consider
Anton Khudobin - G, DAL vs CGY (FD - $8,600, DK - $8,100)
This is all about taking a goalie most likely to get a win with a good performance. That should be Khudobin who stopped all but one shot in Dallas's Game 5 2-1 win.
Khudobin's risk is moderate because of the fact that Calgary plays at a strange yet frenetic level. They can score and give up a bunch or go completely cold. There is little in between with the Flames and that is the wildcard.
For FanDuel, some may take a shot at Semyon Varlamov or Braden Holtby but the New York-Washington game is expected to hit the over after the under connected in Game 4.
We will be in the RotoBaller Premium Slack Chat throughout the afternoon and evening. Also, if there are any other questions, the expert chat will be open throughout Thursday. Good luck today.
