We’re entering uncharted territory here: daily fantasy hockey. As a bettor, covering NHL DFS feels strange but DraftKings is offering a USA vs. Canada Showdown contest with an entry fee of $20 and first-place prize of $10K and I have a hard time saying no.
It all comes down to this, though––the highly-anticipated USA vs. Canada rematch. The hockey rivalry between these teams has been rejuvenated and it will have millions of viewers glued to their televisions tonight. Let’s break down the top DFS options for tonight’s showdown contest on DraftKings.
Set your DraftKings fantasy hockey lineups here: 4 Nations Showdown $40K Stars and Snipes [$10K to 1st] (CAN vs USA)
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USA vs. Canada
Captain’s Pick
Cale Makar, CAN ($12,300 CP) – The 26-year-old missed Saturday’s matchup versus the United States due to illness but will be back tonight. Cale Makar is Canada’s motor at three levels of the ice and does enough of everything to consistently stuff the stat sheet. He has totaled 9.6 FPTS and 14.2 FPTS in each of his 4 Nations games. Outside of his obvious offensive contributions and overall threat, Makar has stood tall on defense, totaling seven blocked shots while also avoiding costly penalties, unlike his defensive counterparts. I am fully expecting physicality and fights again, which should lead to powerplay opportunities. Makar is the sole defenseman on Canada’s powerplay unit and should have few problems notching at least one point when he is surrounded by guys like Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Sam Reinhart and Connor McDavid.
FLEX Plays
Connor McDavid, CAN ($10,200) – Speaking of McDavid, he is a must-start for tonight’s contest. He will be the best player on the ice and the second-best player (MacKinnon) is on his own team and powerplay line. The Canadians will be playing with revenge on their minds and likely treating this game as if it were a Game 7. McDavid’s takeover meter is always full and he can activate it at any moment. The 28-year-old center has totaled four points in three games during the tournament and has netted goals in back-to-back games. He was rather quiet in the Sweden game with 7.8 FPTS but has amassed 13.0 and 18.0 FPTS in the past two games.
Jake Guentzel, USA ($6,600) – While Jake Guentzel has found most of his value this tournament from strictly scoring goals, I still expect him to be a main contributor tonight. He will likely share the first line again with Auston Matthews and Jack Hughes. Even if the United States shifts the lines a bit, the roster is stacked and Guentzel will be paired with elite playmakers. Guentzel was quiet in the USA’s loss to Sweden and totaled just one shot on goal and 1.5 FPTS. He amassed 27.5 and 19.5 FPTS in the previous two games and scored twice against Canada on Saturday. USA has yet to release its lines but Guentzel was an underrated addition and will show up when his name is called.
Fade
Jordan Binnington, CAN ($9,000) – If Canada is going to win this game, it’s likely because of an offensive explosion. I doubt the game is too high-scoring but if so, I’m expecting Jordan Binnington to be on the losing end of that battle. The United States expects to have both of the Tkachuk brothers as well as Auston Matthews back in the lineup. Binnington has been consistent throughout the 4 Nations tournament, totaling at least 11 FPTS in all three starts. But, he has still allowed 2.60 goals per game and sports a sub-.900 save percentage. He is capable of stellar goaltending performances but that will be quite the task against a healthy United States lineup.
The Outcome
As I mentioned above, I doubt this game will turn into a full-blown scoring frenzy. Canada’s roster is probably better overall but its goaltending is a major question mark. The United States is near full health but how truly healthy are the Tkachuk brothers and Matthews? I think we are all expecting a wild game from start to finish that comes down to the final whistle. As potent as the Canadians are paired with their revenge factor, I’m still backing the Americans. Connor Hellebuyck steals games frequently and Binnington gives them away.
