Daily Fantasy Hockey 2015: DraftKings NHL Optimal Lineup for November 21

Matt Duchene is firing on all cylinders right now for the Colorado Avalanche.

It's a good thing he is because the Avs have been in the process of digging themselves a fairly substantial hole through the first quarter of the 2015-16 season.

But over the last 10 games, Duchene has shown he's not just going to sit back and take it. While his teammates have had a tough time putting the puck in the net, the Avs' top center has been firing with machine-like precision.

He has scored nine goals and six assists in his last 10 games, and there is little doubt head coach Patrick Roy will be looking at Duchene for more when the Avs face off against the Capitals in Washington Saturday night.

Duchene is a heady player who gets to the front of the net or whistles his shot on net when he gets to the prime scoring area between the face-off circles. He is producing at a spectacular rate, and the Avs need him to continue his hot streak if they are going to rise from the Central Division cellar.

He is one of the key players in our Draft Kings Saturday lineup. We have $50,000 to spend on nine players, and it's about spreading that money around to deliver balanced scoring. We believe we have a mixture that will bring home the cash.

Position	Player, Team	Opponent	FPPG	Salary
C	Matt Duchene, Colorado	Washington	3.9	$5,600
C	David Krejci, Boston	Toronto	4.5	$6,000
W	Mike Hoffman, Ottawa	Philadelphia	3.8	$5,100
W	Anthony Duclair, Arizona	Winnipeg	2.6	$4,100
W	Loui Eriksson, Boston	Toronto	3.7	$5,200
D	Erik Karlsson, Ottawa	Philadelphia	4.7	$7,300
D	John Klingberg, Dallas	Buffalo	3.8	$5,800
G	Jake Allen, St. Louis	Detroit	5.7	$7,500
U	Valeri Nichushkin, Dallas	Buffalo	1.7	$3,400

Centers: Matt Duchene, Colorado Avalanche ($5,600) and David Krejci, Boston Bruins ($6,000)

Duchene has scored 10 goals and added seven assists in 19 games this year. In addition to his scoring streak, he has been a demon in the face-off circle, recording a 71-48 edge in his last 10 games. Winning the draw leads to more possession time, which leads to more scoring opportunities.

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David Krejci has been one of the big keys for the Boston Bruins so far this season. While the Bruins have been a win-one, lose-one team throughout most of November, they have been putting the puck in the net. It is their defense that has been subpar.

Krejci has been their best offensive player since returning to full health after an injury-plagued 2014-15 season. He leads the Bruins with eight goals and 14 assists, and he has been a big part of the Bruins' league-leading power play with two goals and seven assists. Krejci's ability to gain time and space in the offensive zone by changing his skating pace often leads to scoring chances. Look for him to score a goal and an assist against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.

Wings: Mike Hoffman, Ottawa Senators ($5,100), Anthony Duclair, Arizona Coyotes ($4,100) and Loui Eriksson, Boston Bruins ($5,200)

We are not spending our money on any of the high-priced wingers such as Alex Ovechkin, Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko or Jamie Benn because we don't want to blow our budget on one or two superstars.

Mike Hoffman is a hard-working and hustling player who could be in a good spot on Saturday night when the Senators host the shaky Philadelphia Flyers. Hoffman got off to a bit of a slow start this season, but he has picked it up with four goals and six assists in his last 10 games.

Hoffman should be a big factor on the power play as he has scored four of those points (two goals and two assists) with the man advantage. He should be good for a goal against Philadelphia.

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Anthony Duclair is not one of the league's bigger names, but the Coyotes may have scored a coup when they picked him up in a trade with the New York Rangers last year. Duclair is a fast skater with an explosive shot, and he has scored seven goals and five assists this year.

The Coyotes have built a 7-4-1 road record this season, and they will be in Winnipeg on Saturday night. The Jets are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games, and they have been weak defensively with 63 goals allowed. The 20-year-old Duclair has scored at least one point in each of his last three games, and he should get on the scoreboard here.

Loui Eriksson has picked up his play considerably this season, and that's a great comfort to Bruins coach Claude Julien. Eriksson has been quite responsible in the defensive zone, and he has been productive in the offensive zone.

He has an eye-catching nine goals and eight assists in 18 games, and he is coming off his best game in a Bruins uniform, scoring a hat trick on Thursday night against a strong Minnesota Wild team, and he should be able to keep up his scoring against the Maple Leafs on Saturday night.

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Defensemen: Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators ($7,300) and John Klingberg, Dallas Stars ($5,800)

Yes, we have gone with a low-priced group of wingers, but that's because we wanted to pick up the production from the blue line. There's no better defenseman to do that with than Erik Karlsson of the Senators. Karlsson is quick to make a move to the net in the offensive zone, and he has a rocket shot that can turn any game in Ottawa's favor.

Karlsson has scored five goals and 16 assists in 19 games this season, and he has been quite hot over his last 10 games, notching 12 points. He had two goals and an assist in Ottawa's 3-0 win over Columbus on Thursday night.

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The Dallas Stars have risen to the top of the Central Division with 16-4-0 record, and stars such as Benn, Tyler Seguin and Patrick Sharp rightfully get much of the credit. However, defenseman John Klingberg has been dynamic on the blue line for head coach Lindy Ruff with four goals and 18 assists in 20 games.

Klingberg does not have the explosive shot many of the league's top-scoring defenseman possess, but he has the gift of accuracy when he's shooting or passing. He has an excellent chance to get on the board when the Stars host Buffalo on Saturday night.

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Goalie: Jake Allen, St. Louis Blues ($7,500)

Jake Allen toiled in the minor leagues for several years, including playing for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League, before getting a chance to play regularly with the Blues in the 2014-15 season.

Allen has been quite sharp this season with a 9-4-0 record, a 1.91 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage. Allen has three shutouts already this season, and he should be in a good position for a strong game on Saturday night when the rested Blues host the Detroit Red Wings.

Detroit won a tough battle at home with the Los Angeles Kings on Friday night, and the Red Wings are likely to be quite fatigued in this game.

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