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Thursday features a ten-game evening slate with a spotlight on games like Nashville and Ottawa, Chicago and Winnipeg, plus even Vegas and Vancouver.
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 12/19/19. 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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Jack Eichel - C, BUF vs PHI (FD - $8,900, DK - $7,800)
Philadelphia has allowed just 29 shots per game which is second-best in the league. However, Eichel does not need much to generate offense lately. He has ten goals and 19 points in his previous ten contests. This surge, along with shooting on net four times a game, has pushed his FanDuel price into the Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid neighborhood. MacKinnon is still a solid home option against Carolina tonight but Eichel may be worth the risk at a few hundred dollars lower.
Max Pacioretty - W, VGK vs VAN (FD - $7,200, DK - $7,300)
The winger has bounced back nicely hitting value in seven of his last ten appearances. Pacioretty is averaging 4.5 shots per game of late along with six goals and ten points in that span. Vancouver has been freefalling defensively over the last month. The Vegas second line has always been more consistent and potent when compared to the first. It is why Pacioretty's price is higher. The Canucks are trending towards a team that will allow the most points to DFS wingers (second-worst against LW). There are a lot of spots to look at on Thursday night including some contrarian options like Patrick Kane plus Arizona., Minnesota, and Ottawa have to be looked at
Also, Consider:
- Patrice Bergeron, Elias Pettersson, and even Max Domi are excellent plays on Thursday night.
- Filip Forsberg, Brendan Gallagher, and Nikita Kucherov are nice options on Thursday from the wing position.
DFS Defenders to Consider
Mark Giordano - D, CGY vs MTL (FD - $5,500, DK - $6,000)
Giordano carries a solid price on FanDuel for his points per game (around $400 per point). Also, there has to be some kind of bounce back for him. He has not scored in his last ten games at all with four assists. However, he is averaging nearly four blocks a game and hits the blocks bonus very frequently. The problem is the shot attempts -- where Giordano has just over four attempts of late but only two a game hitting the net. If the defenseman can fire more pucks on the net, he can take advantage of a Montreal team who has a penalty kill that converts just 75% of the time on the road.
Roman Josi - D, NSH vs OTT (FD - $6,600, DK - $6,400)
Josi is just a plug and play on Thursday night. He has eight points and three goals over his last nine games and does not truly cool off. He has 30 points in 33 games on the season and is on pace for 70+ points. He averages just about four shots a game and 1.5 blocks per contest which supplements his offense. Ottawa is a team that can give up 3-4 goals with regularity and the Predators have other options including Ryan Ellis as well.
Also, Consider:
- Jakob Chychrun is a very good option against a Minnesota team which allows the most DFS points to defensemen. Look at Alex Goligoski as well.
- Torey Krug is a nice GPP play against a bad Islanders defense of late along with Mark Giordano against Montreal. Again, think teams that allow lots of points per game.
DFS Goalie to Consider
Connor Hellebuyck - G, WPG vs CHI (FD - $8,100, DK - $8,500)
The idea was to look at goaltender who has an easy matchup. Hellebuyck faces a tired Chicago team on Thursday night that allows 35+ shots per 60 on the road. Chicago can fire 30+ shots a game themselves and that may be enough to warrant a GPP play especially on FanDuel where the Winnipeg goaltender is lower-priced. This is a slate with lots of potential and yes, lots of traps as well on Thursday night.
Also, Consider:
- The other good GPP choices on Thursday may include Marc-Andre Fleury. Darcy Kuemper, for Arizona, could be riskier than expected given his two sub-standard performances against Minnesota this season.
