Daily Fantasy Hockey 2015: DraftKings NHL Optimal Lineup for November 7

The heat may be off Joe Thornton at this point in his career. In his early years with the Boston Bruins and in his prime years with the San Jose Sharks, Thornton was expected to be the man for both teams.

A heavy burden was on Thonton's shoulders. He was expected to lead his team to the top of the conference in the regular season and rank among the top three or four scorers in the league. While he came close in those categories, Thornton has always fallen woefully short in the category that matters the most for all superstar hockey players: the playoffs.

His team has never won the Stanley Cup. Nor has it ever been close. Jumbo Joe has never been to the Stanley Cup Final.

Thornton is no longer expected to the be the dominant player for his team. Joe Pavelski fills that role nicely for the Sharks. But Thornton can still skate, shoot and pass. At 6'4" and 225 pounds, he also is quite strong on the puck and can hold onto it a little longer than most. That's why he is still a valuable player in DraftKings fantasy hockey.

Thornton has two goals and eight assists in his first 13 games, and he is well worth his $5,100 price tag. He is one of the key players we will have in our lineup when the Sharks host the Anaheim Ducks.

We have $50,000 to spend on nine players, and we think the following lineup will bring home the money.

Position	Player, Team	Opponent	FPPG	Salary
C	Joe Thornton, San Jose	Anaheim	2.8	$5,100
C	Bryan Little, Winnipeg	Philadelphia	3.7	$5,300
W	Max Pacioretty, Montreal	Boston	4.2	$7,800
W	Brendan Gallagher, Montreal	Boston	3,8	$5,600
W	Jiri Hudler, Calgary	Pittsburgh	2.9	$4,900
D	John Carlson, Washington	Toronto	4.1	$6,400
D	Olli Maatta, Pittsburgh	Calgary	1.8	$3,500
G	Braden Holtby, Washington	Toronto	4.6	$7,900
U	Dale Weise, Montreal	Boston	3.6	$3,500

Centers: Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks ($5,100) and Bryan Little, Winnipeg Jets ($5,300)

Thornton is often quite productive when he plays against the Ducks. While he did not score against them in the second game of the season this term, he notched six points in five games against Anaheim last year.

Bryan Little is not a superstar for the Winnipeg Jets, but he is the kind of player who helps his team win games because he is smart, aggressive and quite talented. Little is off to an excellent start with the Jets this year, as he has six goals and seven assists in his first 14 games.

Little is very capable of taking a pass or making a steal in the neutral zone and then attacking with it by holding onto the puck an extra split second. He can put it on the tape when he passes, but he has a deadly wrist shot. The Jets host the stumbling Philadelphia Flyers, and he should have plenty of scoring opportunities. Look for Little to score at least one goal in this game.

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Wings: Max Pacioretty, Montreal Canadiens ($7,800), Brendan Gallagher, Montreal Canadiens ($5,600) and Jiri Hudler, Calgary Flames ($4,900)

Taking two players from the same team can be risky, but the Montreal Canadiens have been tormenting their archrivals, the Boston Bruins, since the 2014 playoffs. No matter what the Bruins do, it seems the Habs always come out on top at the end of the 60 minutes.

While there are a number of Montreal players, such as P.K. Subban and Dale Weise, who have hurt Boston, nobody has done more damage than Max Pacioretty. The Montreal captain is a scoring machine most of the time, but his heart pounds faster when he sees Black and Gold. He had an assist against the Bruins in an early-season game in Boston, and he scored four goals and three assists against the Bruins last year.

Pacioretty seems to have Tuukka Rask's number, and that's not likely to change Saturday night. However, Rask has gotten off to a shaky start, so Pacioretty may be firing his shots at backup goalie Jonas Gustavsson instead.

Brendan Gallagher is a thorn in the side of the Bruins and every other team he faces. Gallagher may be just 5'9" and 182 pounds, but he plays like a much bigger man because he is not afraid to go to the front of the net and cause havoc. Gallagher is strong for his size and willing to battle for his place between the circles. He has six goals and six assists in his first 15 games, and we expect him to score at least one goal against the Bruins.

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Jiri Hudler is a polished scorer for the Calgary Flames, and they need him to be at his best when the Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Saddledome. Given the Penguins played and won on Friday night in Edmonton, the Flames should have an opportunity to get the early jump in this game. Hudler has four goals and seven assists in the first 14 games, and he is quite sharp around the net. Look for him to light the lamp here.

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Defensemen: John Carlson, Washington Capitals ($6,400) and Olli Maatta, Pittsburgh Penguins ($3,500)

John Carlson is one of the most impressive defensemen in the league. He is a sharp defensive blueliner who also has a masterful offensive game. When Carlson takes a shot from the point, he regularly creates a scoring opportunity because he forces the goaltender to make a difficult save, and his blasts often result rebound opportunities for his teammates.

Carlson scored a goal and an assist in the Caps' 4-1 win over Boston on Thursday night, and he has 12 points in 12 games this season. He should be able to find the scoreboard against Toronto on Saturday night.

Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

Olli Maatta is a sharp puck-carrier with excellent offensive instincts. He has scored just three points this season, and that's why he is going for a bargain-basement price. Maatta is sharp and quick in his movements, and we expect him to break through at Calgary.

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Goalie: Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals ($7,900)

Fantasy players pay a heavy price to put Braden Holtby in their DraftKings lineups, but he is one of the most consistent goaltenders in the league. Holtby has put together a 7-3-0 record to start the season, and he has a 2.12 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage.

Holtby had 28 saves in his last outing against Boston, giving up a bad-bounce goal in the first period and nothing else in the rest of the game. He should have the same kind of success on Saturday night against Toronto.

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