Welcome to the Daily Fantasy Hockey (NHL DFS) lineup picks article for Wednesday, March 23rd of the 2015/2016 NHL season. Each day we'll be providing you with a handful of forward, defensemen, and goaltender picks for DraftKings and FanDuel GPP and cash games.
This is where it gets interesting (and tricky). Only two games make up Wednesday's tiny slate. Three of the four teams sit relatively comfortable in a playoff spot, while the other is a big seven points away from extra hockey. With only a couple weeks left of the regular season, anything is possible.
Tonight's lineup features players from both New York teams, a goalie they refer to as The King, and value options at each position. For updated goalie confirmations, check out leftwinglock.com.
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NHL DFS Picks for Wednesday, March 23rd
A couple strategy notes. For cash game construction look for players who can contribute to your score when they are not providing offense. Examples are guys who take a ton of shots, defensemen who block a lot of shots(DraftKings). Also, look for guys who get powerplay time and especially Top 6 forwards. You can find value in players who join a new line due to an injury or just get a promotion and more ice time.
For large field tournaments (GPP's) you want to find payers who have multi point upside and can grab double digit fantasy points. To stack the most upside in your forwards a common strategy is to punt the defense position. This doesn't mean just grab anyone. Try and look for a D man who will be playing more PP time or might get a boost in overall playing time due to an injury.
Let's take a look at some solid plays for today's action.
Henrik Lundqvist - Goaltender, Rangers (DraftKings - $8,600 FanDuel - $ )
Lundqvist is coming off his first win, a 25-save performance against the Florida Panthers, since the end of February. This is usually the time of season where Henrik hears his name chanted the loudest as he's been known to step it up with playoffs approaching, and during the postseason. Look for Hank to build off his most recent win and feed off the loud and enthusiastic Madison Square Garden crowd. Henrik has won 20 games at home this season, and has lost only five, while his GAA is also 44 points lower at the garden than on the road. He's got a tough opponent in the Boston Bruins, but when on his game, Henrik is one of the best in the league.
Mika Zibanejad - Center, Senators (DraftKings - $4,700 FanDuel - $ )
Zibanejad has picked up a point in four straight games, three goals and two assists, and has really stepped his game up in the middle to latter part of March. Zibanejad tallies plenty of shots and the occasional blocked shot. Although on Ottawa's top power play line, Zibanejad hasn't picked a power play point in over 10 games, holding more value for DraftKings. The Senators visit Brooklyn to face a struggling New York Islanders team that has lose three straight. Ottawa is desperately holding on and need production from all areas of the ice.
Derek Stepan - Center, Rangers (DraftKings - $5,400 FanDuel - $ )
One of Stepan's greatest appeals regarding Daily Fantasy is his ability to put the puck on net often. He's extremely valuable because he doesn't have to score or assist to put a sizable and affective dent in fantasy lineups. Luckily for us, Stepan is always capable of scoring on any given night, and has proven to be one of the focal points of the Rangers offense this season. He hasn't scored a goal since March 12th but has still posted eight points in his last 10 games. Stepan is a steady option that tallies his fair share of power play points as well, and should be considered for all formats.
Kyle Okposo - Winger, Islanders (DraftKings - $6,100 FanDuel - $ )
Okposo scored the only goal for the Islanders in their last game against the Philadelphia Flyers and could really use a boost to get back on track. After falling into a wild card spot, watching the surging Pittsburgh Penguins soar past them in the standings, the Islanders will look to get back to their winning ways against a team outside of the playoff picture. The Senators have relinquished the fourth most goals in the NHL at 2.97 per game. Okposo, alongside John Taveras, should lead the charge and put up some solid fantasy numbers. Okposo has scored five goals in his last 10 games.
Mats Zuccarello - Winger, Rangers (DraftKings - $6,000 FanDuel - $ )
Zucarello also scored a goal in his last game, and like Stepan, plays a huge role in keeping the wheels to the Rangers offense turning. Zuccarello has a high ceiling, as he's capable of breaking out for multiple points on any given night. He sees time on the power play and will be in the mix, on both sides of the puck, in a gritty matchup with the Boston Bruins. Zuccarello is a safe option for both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Calvin De Haan - Defenseman, Islanders (DraftKings - $4,000 FanDuel - $ )
De Haan is one of those defenseman that also doesn't need to score to produce for Daily Fantasy. Over his last five games, De Haan has tallied an impressive 23 blocked shots and a helpful nine shots on goal. In that five game span, De Haan only posted one point, but still managed to drop fantasy point lines of 6.5, 3.0, 3.0, 2.5, and 3.5; all solid for his low price. He sees over 20 minutes of the ice a game, and holds a lot more value in DraftKings because of his abundance of blocked shots. He is an affordable option that will help you draft the next guy on this list.
Erik Karlsson - Defenseman, Senators (DraftKings - $8,300 FanDuel - $ )
Karlsson has been an assist machine all season, sitting at 60 overall. He's on pace to surpass his career high of 78 points, and is only four away from that mark. Karlsson plays close to an insane 30 minutes a night and also blocks a ton of shots. He has blocked 14 over his last four while shooting 11 on net over his last three. Despite his high price, Karlsson should be considered every time his skates touch the ice. He is one of the top defenseman daily on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
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