Daily Fantasy Hockey 2015: Best DFS NHL DraftKings Daily Values for December 26
The Christmas break gives hockey players a chance to rest and recover from nagging injuries before getting ready for the grind in the middle part of the season. Teams have set the tone with their play in October, November and December, and now it's time to make some improvements.
The span from the holidays through the end of February represents the dog days of the NHL season. The teams that prepare the best and come forth with the most consistent effort will do most of the winning from this point forward.
We also make an adjustment in fantasy hockey. We are looking for consistency and not the player who can raise his level for a game or two and then struggle.
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As the season resumes, we are giving you our top daily values on Saturday's DraftKings card. We will not select any forward who is ranked in the top 10 at his position, nor any defenseman in the top eight.
When it comes to value, we are staying away from expensive superstars with our $50,000 budget. We believe our suggestions will give fantasy players a dynamic fantasy lineup that can bring home the cash.
| C | Dylan Larkin, Detroit | Nashville | 3.4 | $5,700 |
| C | David Backes, St. Louis | Dallas | 2.9 | $5,100 |
| W | Brad Marchand, Boston | Buffalo | 3.9 | $6,400 |
| W | T.J. Oshie, Washington | Montreal | 3.4 | $5,900 |
| W | Max Domi, Arizona | Los Angeles | 2.9 | $5,000 |
| D | Drew Doughty, Los Angeles | Arizona | 3.2 | $5,400 |
| D | Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis | Dallas | 2.9 | $5,200 |
| G | Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay | Columbus | 4.6 | $7,400 |
| U | Jason Chimera, Washington | New Orleans | 2.0 | $3,900 |
Centers: Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings ($5,700) and David Backes, St. Louis Blues ($5,100)
While Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel were the two most ballyhooed selections in last summer's NHL draft, Dylan Larkin has been the most explosive and productive rookie in the 2015-16 season. (McDavid was off to a sensational start, but he suffered a shoulder injury and has been sidelined since early November.) Larkin has been one of the key players in the Detroit lineup, with 13 goals and 11 assists in his first 34 games. Larkin is a brilliant skater, and he gets his bullet of a wrist shot off in a fraction of a second. We expect his production to go up from this point, and he has an excellent chance to get on the board Saturday at Nashville.
David Backes is one of the most dependable players in the St. Louis Blues lineup. He plays all 200 feet of the ice and gets the job done in both the defensive and offensive zones. Backes is a smart player who can find open teammates, and he has an accurate shot that can find the top corner when he gets time and space. Backes has 10 goals and 11 assists this season, and he has been hot recently, with four goals and four assists in his last 10 games. Backes will get on the board at home Saturday night against the high-scoring Dallas Stars.
Wings: Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins ($6,400), T.J. Oshie, Washington Capitals ($5,900) and Max Domi, Arizona Coyotes ($5,000)
Brad Marchand is a firebrand who has helped turn the Boston Bruins around after a slow start to the regular season. Marchand is one of the Bruins' best offensive weapons, leading the team with 15 goals and nine assists, as he has a powerful and effective wrist shot that catches a lot of opposing goalies by surprise. Marchand is also an agitator who regularly gets under the skin of his opponents. Marchand is on pace to set a career high in goals, and his pace should increase, as he is getting power-play time this year. Marchand will get on the board against the Buffalo Sabres Saturday night.
The marriage of the Washington Capitals and T.J. Oshie has been a good one through the first three months of the season. Oshie has used his excellent hands to score 13 goals and nine assists in his first season in Washington, and he has been especially hot of late, scoring seven goals and three assists in his last 10 games. Oshie is a key part of Washington's productive power play, with four goals and four assists, and he should be quite dangerous when the red-hot Caps host the slumping Montreal Canadiens.
Max Domi has the speed and quickness to create instant offense for the Arizona Coyotes, and that is just what he has done on a regular basis for head coach Dave Tippett. Domi has scored 10 goals and 15 assists in his first 33 games, and he should be a huge threat Saturday night when the Coyotes host the Los Angeles Kings.
Defensemen: Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings ($5,400) and Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues ($5,200)
Drew Doughty may very well be the heartbeat of the Los Angeles Kings. On a team filled with star players, Doughty is the most important with his powerful skating, hard hitting and ability to create offense from the back end. Doughty has five goals and 14 assists this season, and he has also been credited with 53 hits and 43 blocked shots. The Arizona Coyotes will have a hard time containing him Saturday night in the desert.
Alex Pietrangelo has not gotten off to the most productive start this year. He has two goals and 11 assists, but that doesn't change the fact that he is an outstanding skater and one of the best puck-movers in the game. Those two factors indicate that his production should go up shortly, and he should be in a good position Saturday night when the Blues host the Dallas Stars.
Goalie: Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning ($7,400)
The Lightning have had a difficult time scoring this season, and that key factor has had an impact on Ben Bishop's win-loss record. He is 14-11-2 so far this season, and that's disappointing to head coach Jon Cooper and Lightning fans. Nevertheless, Bishop is doing his job on a consistent basis. He has a sharp 2.00 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage. The Lightning are at home against an underwhelming Columbus Blue Jackets team, and he should get the win and hold his opponent to one or two goals.
Enter the DraftKings $45,000 Sniper contest for Saturday's action. Use promo code BLEACHER REPORT when you sign up.
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