Monday features a single-game NHL slate, which begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on DraftKings. In this article, you will find DFS advice for DraftKings lineups, plus some DraftKings Sportsbook bets to target.
Set your DraftKings fantasy hockey lineups here: NHL Showdown $30K Kick Save [$10K to 1st] (ARI vs OTT)
DraftKings Sportsbook
Arizona Coyotes over 2.5 goals +100
If you’ve read this column over the last week you know we’ve had success targeting the Coyotes during their recent surge on offense. Once again the game totals for the Coyotes tonight look low compared to their recent output. Going back over their past 12 games, the Coyotes have failed to go over three goals just three times in regulation and have landed a ridiculous 25 goals in their past four games alone. This offense will eventually hit the skids again, but tonight they face a weaker opponent in Ottawa who is 12th-worst in quality scoring chances allowed on the season and sixth-worst in shots allowed per game. Ottawa gave up eight goals to Arizona in a game just 10 days ago and since then we’ve only seen the Coyotes get more confident. The Arizona money line at +145 looks solid too, but if you’d rather just trust their offense to continue running (and not have to worry about a meltdown in the Arizona net) then the +100 on offer for the over 2.5 team goals (Arizona) looks like an even better play.
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Captain’s Candidates
Nick Schmaltz, Arizona Coyotes at Ottawa Senators ($12,300)
In case you’ve been living under a rock (or just don’t follow the bad teams in hockey), I’ll recap what Schmaltz's last couple of weeks have looked like. The winger has 14 points in his past five games alone and has posted back-to-back games of 55.5 and 34.3 DKFP last week. That 55.5 DKFP game came against the Senators who remain a poorer defensive team that has allowed three or more goals in five of its last seven games. Schmaltz isn’t going to score 50-plus points again today (or he at least isn’t likely to) but he’s been the main catalyst on a Coyotes offense that has been humming of late. Using him in the Captain’s spot today — where he’s only the 12th-most expensive player — means you can pair him with a Clayton Keller ($9,000) or Shayne Gostisbehere ($8,000) for an upside stack that’s hard to beat.
Karel Vejmelka, Arizona Coyotes at Ottawa Senators ($15,600)
The Coyotes’ goaltending has been a roller coaster ride all season. Rookie Karel Vejmelka has shown flashes of brilliance with plenty of self-destructing efforts thrown in the mix, as well. He’s coming off a great game against Boston, though, where he stopped 37 of 40 shots faced and has also been far better on the road, where he’s posted a .921 save percentage in 15 starts. These two teams combined for 13 goals just 10 days ago, so the goalies tonight will likely not be as heavily owned in the Captain’s spot as they should be. Vejmelka’s a good tournament Captain’s pick and an especially good target if you’re playing for a low-scoring outcome.
Tim Stuetzle, Ottawa Senators vs. Arizona Coyotes ($11,700)
The Senators' offense is still missing some key pieces with Drake Batherson out, but that’s meant a bigger role for second-year man Tim Stuetzle of late. Nine points in his past 10 games is solid and he’s averaged well over 17 minutes per game over his past five starts. Much of that time has come on the power play and the Coyotes are certainly a team that can implode on special teams on any given night. Stuetzle’s got just as much upside as any of the Ottawa forwards right now and comes at a price that will give you far more salary flexibility than the Senators’ other big names. If the Senators win big, a big game could certainly be had from Stuetzle who has shown up with a multiple-point night in two of his past five games.
Flex Options
Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators vs. Arizona Coyotes ($9,800)
The Senators' offense continues to be one of the worst in the league and has been outshone lately by the Coyotes by a longshot. Stacking the Senators has some contrarian appeal tonight, but if you’re going heavy on Arizona then Tkachuk should be the first stop on Ottawa for a comeback play. The winger is easily Ottawa’s most consistent threat upfront and has goals in three of his past four starts. His 12.6 DKFP average at home is heads and shoulders above anything else any other forward on his team has produced, and using him in the flex means you get access to his solid shot volume. Tkachuk’s got multiple ways he could factor into winning lineups today but bumping him down to a flex option, given Ottawa’s scoring issues of late, makes sense as well.
Shayne Gostisbehere, Arizona Coyotes at Ottawa Senators ($8,000)
The Coyotes will be without Jakub Chychrun, which means we will likely see a lot of Gostisbehere on the ice. The former Flyer has stepped into a major role for the Coyotes and still mans their top power-play unit. His ice time shot up over the 24-minute mark in his last game and he should easily push for similar levels tonight. He’s averaged a stout 4.1 blocked shots + shots on goal and also comes $1,600 cheaper than his counterpart on the other side in Thomas Chabot ($9,600). Gostisbehere correlates well with all of the Coyotes’ top forwards and while there are better upside options available for the Captain’s spot today, his affordable price and solid floor make him a desirable flex option.
Travis Boyd, Arizona Coyotes at Ottawa Senators ($6,600)
Arizona is thin at the center position, but with their offense playing so well, paying up for their top-line tonight also makes a ton of sense. Boyd still costs well under $7,000 and has grabbed double-digit DKFP in three of his past five games. Boyd’s not necessarily a must roster, but if you are planning to play one of his wingers in Nick Schmaltz ($12,300 CP) or Clayton Keller ($13,500 CP) in the Captain’s spot — who both have better upside than him — then using Boyd as a flex play is recommended. Any big night by one of his wingers would likely lead to a solid night for him as well.
Matias Maccelli, Arizona Coyotes at Ottawa Senators ($2,000)
Maccelli is a recent call-up who has been getting consistent third-line minutes for the Coyotes of late, as well as some second-unit power-play exposure. The 21-year-old has been getting a solid audition since joining the club and we shouldn’t expect his role to shrink tonight after producing four points in five games. There are a few different forwards we could look to on these teams as a punt option, but Maccelli has been generating decent returns for his price level and plays for the more in-form offense at the moment. Looking to him to record another cheap point today isn’t a poor idea at all in Showdown lineups.
Set your DraftKings fantasy hockey lineups here: NHL Showdown $30K Kick Save [$10K to 1st] (ARI vs OTT)
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