Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey: Wednesday picks
Some people call Wednesday “Hump Day.” As silly as that may be, it is the middle of the week, and you may need something to give you a little bit of a spark. Perhaps that can be daily fantasy hockey. There are four games on the NHL slate, and here are some of the players we feel you should target and avoid…
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GOALIE
Aaron Dell, SAN at CGY ($29): The Sharks are the one team that’s playing Tuesday and Wednesday, but there’s still reason to like Dell. The Flames only average 28.9 shots on goal per game, while San Jose only gives up 26.8. In his handful of appearances, Dell has a stellar 1.78 GAA and a .936 save percentage. Those are numbers worth buying into, especially at this price.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Brian Elliott, CGY vs. SAN ($30): Elliott’s overall numbers this season are terrible (2.95 GAA, .889 save percentage). While he seemed to pick up his play a bit briefly, he only has a .892 save percentage in his last five appearances. He’s only averaging 8.2 fantasy points per game, and he’s sort of in a middle ground where he’s not one of the reliable or expensive guys, but he’s not looking like a bargain either.
CENTER
Evgeny Kuznetsov, WAS vs. PIT ($18): The Penguins are dealing with an illness hitting the team, which could impact several key players, including Marc-Andre Fleury. Even if Fleury is able to gut it out, he has a 3.07 GAA and a .910 save percentage. Kuznetsov has been on a tear recently, notching eight points in his last four games.
CENTER TO AVOID
Mark Scheifele, WPG vs. MON ($24): Carey Price has been his usual excellent self, posting a 2.12 GAA and a .928 save percentage this year. Scheifele is having a strong season, but his 18.9 shooting percentage is likely to regress a bit. On top of that, there has been a shakeup to the Jets, as Scheifele’s linemate Patrik Laine is dealing with a concussion. That’s another reason to be skeptical of him in this matchup, especially at this price.
WING
Alexander Radulov, MON at WPG ($19): The Jets are allowing 2.91 goals per game, and their penalty kill ranks 26th in the NHL. Radulov is playing 3:06 per game with the extra man, and he’s notched 10 power-play points in that time. While the Canadiens have been hit with injuries, Radulov has eight points in his last seven games. Clearly, his missing teammates aren’t hindering Radulov’s output, and the Jets likely won’t be able to put the kibosh on him either.
Marcus Johansson, WAS vs. PIT ($18): As noted previously, the Penguins could be shorthanded, and regardless they are allowing 32.6 shots on goal per contest. Johansson has had some good puck luck, but overall he has 14 goals and 15 assists, with eight of them coming on the power play. Pittsburgh ranks 21st on the penalty kill, and it’s likely to be worse with Fleury in net as opposed to the injured Matt Murray.
WINGS TO AVOID
Phil Kessel, PIT at WAS ($25): Kessel is one of the Penguins dealing with an illness, so if plays he may not be at full strength. On top of that, the Capitals are leading the league in goals allowed per game, and Braden Holtby has a 1.90 GAA. Washington also is ranked third on the penalty kill, another point against Kessel. Given his price point, an ill Phil seems like a risky proposition.
Jaromir Jagr, FLA at NYI ($18): In his last five starts, Thomas Greiss has a 1.55 GAA and a .955 save percentage for the Islanders. Jagr has been incredibly impressive for a man of his age, but he’s only taken 10 shots in his last eight games. The 44-year-old is only averaging 5.5 fantasy points per game, and as the season rolls on perhaps Jagr’s age will start to catch up with him. If not, Greiss’ recent play is concerning enough as is.
DEFENSEMEN
Jeff Petry, MON at WPG ($19): Shea Weber has been great for Montreal, but Petry has been good in his own right, averaging 7.6 fantasy points per game. Petry has 21 points, and he’s put 96 shots on goal in 40 games. He’s also blocked 74 shots, so he can help on both ends of the ice, and thereby help your daily fantasy lineup.
Aaron Ekblad, FLA at NYI ($17): Greiss has been excellent recently, but the fact remains the Islanders are allowing 33.3 shots on goal per game. Ekblad takes a ton of shots for a blueliner, as he’s already notched 143 in 42 games. Even if Greiss continues to stand on his head, Ekblad can still help your fantasy team, and at this price he doesn’t need to have a great game to provide good value. All he needs to do is be his usual, prolifically shooting self.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Kris Letang, PIT at WAS ($28): Letang is another sick Penguin, and he’s also the second most expensive defenseman available Wednesday. He also has to go up against Washington’s great goal prevention, and their formidable penalty kill. Half of Letang’s points have come with the extra man, so this is a particularly bad matchup for him, healthy or not.
Mark Giordano, CGY vs. SAN ($24): Giordano’s 6.9 fantasy points per game is quite good for a defenseman, although you will find a few cheaper players with better per-game averages. He also only has two goals in his last 13 games, and they both came against Vancouver. The Sharks only give up 26.8 shots on goal, and even with Dell in net, San Jose is tough to score on.
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