DraftKings NHL: Monday Picks

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Published on March 18, 2019

GOALIE

Cam Ward, CHI vs. VAN ($7,700): The Canucks are playing the second half of a back-to-back and the Blackhawks are looking to extend their winning streak to six. Ward has allowed four goals or more in each of his past five starts, but the bet here is that the Blackhawks' offense will bail him out. Louis Domingue ($8,000) is still the safest bet but Ward seems considerably less risky than Martin Jones ($7,700) against the vaunted Knights.

CENTER

Elias Pettersson, VAN at CHI ($6,300): He looked tired after the All-Star break with the weight of a mediocre team on his shoulders, but over the past five games he's scored a goal and three assists. Pettersson is consistently among the Canucks' top players in ice time, a testament to both his play and the team's lack of depth. Despite playing back-to-back Pettersson should have plenty of scoring chances against a leaky Blackhawks defense and poor goaltending.

Anze Kopitar, LA vs. WPG ($4,500): I don't like the Kings' chances against the Jets, either, but this is an awfully low price for a No. 1 center who's coming off a two-point performance with a strong track record against them. There's only a couple elite centers available tonight, and with a thin slate Kopitar might be a good value pick.

WING

Nikita Kucherov, TB vs. ARI ($7,900): The league's leading scorer has nine points in his past four games, and even with a red-hot Darcy Kuemper it's unlikely the Coyotes will be able to keep their opponents off the board. Kucherov was an uncharacteristic minus-3 with zero points in his last game against the Coyotes, but with seven goals in eight career games against them he's due for a bounce-back game.

Sven Baertschi, VAN at CHI ($4,500): He's traveling with the team and didn't play Sunday, but all signs indicate toward a return tonight. The hope is that Baertschi returns to his usual spot on Bo Horvat's left wing, but with all sorts of injuries plaguing the lineup, nothing's for certain. Baertschi averages nearly two shots per game so if he gets a top-six assignment he's not a bad value pick.

Vinnie Hinostroza, ARI at TB ($4,300): It'll be a huge uphill climb against the Lightning, but at least they'll likely face backup Louis Domingue. Hinostroza was been red-hot for the Desert Dogs, registering four shots against the Oilers and recording a hat trick against the Ducks the game before. This is an intriguing price for a winger who shoots a lot and at 2.7 fantasy points per game seems like a better buy than Tyler Johnson ($5,300).

DEFENSE

Alexander Edler, VAN at CHI ($6,000): He played 29 minutes each against the Rangers and Devils, and last night played over 31 minutes against the Stars. Back-to-backs be damned, the Canucks will be relying on Edler for heavy minutes after veteran Chris Tanev was lost again to injury. Edler gets a lot of shots and blocked shots because the Canucks ask so much of him, and it'll be the same again against the one-time rival Blackhawks.

Joakim Ryan, SJ vs. VGK ($2,500): This may be an off-board pick, but Ryan has some fantasy value simply because he plays with Brent Burns ($6,700) at even strength. The Sharks will lean on Burns heavily against a divisional opponent, which means Ryan may see a bit more ice time than usual, adding a little more value for a night thin on scoring defensemen. For those that want more offensive upside, Tim Heed ($3,200) is worth considering.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.