Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey: Getzlaf, Hagelin good Sunday plays
By Sasha Yodashkin
Sunday’s seven-game NHL slate promises to be exciting, with on-paper mismatches like Devils-Blue Jackets and Avalanche-Oilers likely to provide plenty of fantasy value. Those matchups aren’t the only ones with capable players available, so it’s important to comb the rest of the games in search of good deals as well. The players recommended below stem from a number of different teams, but all of them are strong candidates to out-produce their respective prices.
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GOALIE
Calvin Pickard, COL at EDM ($31) – Pickard’s combination of affordability and opportunity makes him a solid choice in net Sunday against the putrid Oilers. Edmonton’s 26th-ranked offense doesn’t inspire much fear in the competition, meaning Semyon Varlamov’s backup should be able to continue his strong play after averaging a respectable 13.5 fantasy points per game over his last five. Just because he isn’t a flashy name, that doesn’t mean Pickard isn’t incredibly well situated to provide great value.
Goalie to Avoid:
Braden Holtby, WAS at PIT ($35) – Holtby has been very up-and-down of late, with 5.0 or less fantasy points in half of his last eight starts. Sunday’s matchup with the Penguins has a high chance of being another clunker considering Pittsburgh is averaging 3.6 goals per game during its current five-game win streak.
CENTER
Ryan Getzlaf, ANH at WPG ($24) – Getzlaf has been dynamite on the power play this season, with 18 of his 55 points this season coming with the man advantage. Don’t be surprised if he’s able to add to that total against the Jets, as Winnipeg’s 78.5 percent efficiency on the penalty kill is the fifth-worst mark in the NHL. Getzlaf has his momentum back coming off a two-assist game Friday against the Bruins, yet still carries the decreased price associated with his minor slump prior to that performance.
Center to Avoid:
Mark Scheifele, WPG vs. ANH ($29) – Scheifele has come crashing back down to earth, with a total of 1.0 fantasy points in his last two games following an eight-game point streak. He’s just too expensive to justify including in lineups against the defensively-responsible Ducks based on his play in the last two games.
WING
Devante Smith-Pelly, NJ vs. CLS ($17) – If ever there was a time for the Devils to break out offensively, it would come against the Blue Jackets on the heels of a seven-goal performance against the Wild. The absence of Michael Cammalleri (hand) created an opening on New Jersey’s top line, and Smith-Pelly has blossomed in that role with four goals and two assists in his last four contests. Riding the hot hand against a weak opponent makes sense, especially when you don’t have to break the bank to do so.
Carl Hagelin, PIT vs. WAS ($19) – Hagelin has been a significant contributor during Pittsburgh’s five-game win streak, with at least 13.0 fantasy points in three of those games. The speedy former Ranger has fit in nicely on the second line with Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel, and has a good chance of outplaying his $19 valuation considering the offensive nature of the role he’s being asked to play with the Penguins.
Wing to Avoid:
Artemi Panarin, CHI vs. MIN ($21) – Panarin doesn’t have a goal or assist in his last four games, so the last team he wanted to see next on the schedule was a Wild squad that he holds a career-worst minus-four rating against to go along with just one assist in three meetings. Chances are, even skating alongside Patrick Kane won’t be enough to propel the rookie to fantasy productivity in this one.
DEFENSE
Michael Stone, ARI at SJ ($23) – Stone has added an offensive element to his game in addition to his shot-blocking prowess, tallying a goal and four assists over his last four games heading into the weekend. He picked up a goal and an assist against these same Sharks just three days ago, and reaching even half of his 19.0 fantasy points from that outing would make Stone a worthwhile play in the rematch.
Francois Beauchemin, COL at EDM ($19) – Beauchemin’s all-around ability should make him a valuable player in a matchup against the outclassed Oilers. He has reached or exceeded 8.0 fantasy points five times in his last six games, a tremendous rate for a defenseman under $20. Don’t expect the veteran to slow down much against the Oilers, as his mix of significant playing time and shot-blocking ability gives him a high floor night in and night out.
Defensemen to Avoid:
Brent Seabrook, CHI vs. MIN ($20) – Seabrook has been disappointing of late, failing to reach double-digit fantasy points in any of his last seven games while averaging just 4.3 in that span. Don’t expect a turnaround against a Wild team that limited him to -2.0 fantasy points in their last meeting.
Jacob Trouba, WPG vs. ANH ($18) – Trouba’s lack of offensive ability makes him a poor DFS choice, as he has just six goals and 11 assists in 70 games for a putrid rate of 0.24 points per game. With a total of just 18.0 fantasy points over his last four games, don’t expect Trouba to deliver a worthwhile performance against the surging Ducks.
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