Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey: Sunday picks
By Sasha Yodashkin
Sunday’s evening NHL slate consists of just three games, when half of the day’s action will have already concluded. While the Rangers and Senators will have the benefit of playing against Devils and Islanders teams that both allow around three goals per game, everyone else is stuck facing above-average defensive opponents. The night’s value plays aren’t limited to just those two teams, however, as can be seen below.
GOALIE
Andrew Hammond, OTT at NYI ($25): Hammond will likely draw the start with Mike Condon getting the first leg of Ottawa’s back-to-back set, and he gets a tremendous matchup against a reeling Islanders team that has dropped four straight and 19 of its first 30. The high likelihood of a win against this middling offensive unit should be enough to give Hammond the nod as your No. 2 goaltender. At $25 he’s the cheapest goaltender on this slate, and while he has struggled early this season, his career 2.26 GAA and .925 save percentage indicate that the Hamburglar is likely to start trending in the right direction soon. He may not be available at this combination of affordability and matchup again any time soon.
Goalie to Avoid
Martin Jones, SJ at CHI ($36): There is a lot of downside to this matchup, as Jones will be making his fourth road start in six days against the top team in the Western Conference. He has allowed at least two goals in five consecutive appearances, and that streak seems unlikely to come to an end here.
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CENTER
Oscar Lindberg, NYR vs. NJ ($12): Lindberg skates in a bottom-six role, but his 16 shots in the four games prior to this weekend suggest the 25-year-old Swede is still generating plenty of opportunities nonetheless. He scored 13 goals as a rookie last season, and could well break through against a Devils team that has allowed 2.97 goals per game. New Jersey netminder Cory Schneider has been even worse of late, with 14 goals allowed in his past three appearances, so getting a player of Lindberg’s caliber for the minimum price in this matchup is a steal.
Center to Avoid
Jonathan Toews, CHI vs. SJ ($21): Toews has only fired multiple shots on goal in four of his past nine games, so it’s no surprise that he has failed to score while picking up only three assists in that span. The Blackhawks captain hasn’t put the puck in the net since Nov. 6, and doesn’t deserve a lineup spot for $21 until he picks up the pace offensively.
WING
Patrick Marleau, SJ at CHI ($17): Marleau is skating on the top line and playing on the first power-play unit, but can still be had for just $17. The veteran winger has two power-play points in his past three games, and will have a great opportunity to add to that total against the 29th-ranked Chicago penalty kill. With 77 power-play points since the start of the 2013-14 campaign, Marleau’s proficiency with the man advantage is too great to be ignored in a matchup with the league’s second-worst penalty-killing unit.
Rick Nash, NYR vs. NJ ($20): Nash has never had a problem feasting on inferior competition, and is once again putting the puck in the net at a solid rate with 12 goals in 28 games. This reeling New Jersey team is far from the kind of playoff-level opponent that gives the veteran power forward trouble, so another strong scoring performance could well be in the cards for Nash. His 2.9 shots on goal per game suggest his offensive production is sustainable, and Schneider’s recent struggles further help solidify the case for playing Nash here.
Wings to Avoid
Marian Hossa, CHI vs. SJ ($22): Hossa’s production has been buoyed by a career-high shooting percentage of 22.9 percent, but there’s strong reason to believe the 37-year-old veteran won’t be able to sustain that rate for long. His shooting had been trending down, from 14.7 to 12.4 to 8.9 to 6.8 percent, over the previous four seasons, so it’s only a matter of time until it begins to decline once again. Don’t pay up for Hossa until his price drops to reflect his true skill level.
Michael Cammalleri, NJ at NYR ($18): Cammalleri has produced just 4.0 fantasy points, along with zero goals or assists and a minus-4 rating, in his past five games. That trend is unlikely to reverse itself against a Rangers team that has won three of its last four games via shutout.
DEFENSE
Erik Karlsson, OTT at NYI ($29): The Islanders are the worst defensive team on this slate, ranking 26th with 3.03 goals allowed per game. Ottawa’s leading point-getter should have a field day in this one offensively, and he also enhances his value defensively with 2.7 blocks per game. You have to be selective about when to pay up for Karlsson, but delivering $29 worth of production against this opponent is very possible for him.
David Schlemko, SJ at CHI ($12): Schlemko’s $12 price belies his offensive upside. The free agent acquisition from New Jersey has totalled 34.0 fantasy points in his past three games thanks to a goal and two assists, and has scored 15 power-play points since the start of the 2015-16 season. Schlemko’s momentum and Chicago’s penalty-killing woes give him an incredibly high ceiling at this salary.
Defensemen to Avoid
Dennis Seidenberg, NYI vs. OTT ($17): Seidenberg has managed just two assists in his past 12 games en route to 3.8 fantasy points per contest over that span. The 35-year-old stay-at-home defenseman has topped 23 points just twice in his career, and his lack of offensive ability significantly stunts his appeal. Playing for an underwhelming Islanders team further devalues a resume that already had a hard time justifying a $17 investment.
Dan Girardi, NYR vs. NJ ($16): Girardi suffers from many of the same problems as Seidenberg, but playing for a superior Rangers team gives him a higher floor. With just one assist over his past 17 games, Girardi hasn’t been involved much in the offensive success that has defined New York’s strong start. His lack of upside at that end keeps his ceiling too low to justify DFS usage at $16.
