Isn't it interesting how team points become so much more valuable in the last quarter of the season, but individual stats are much less so. Why? Well, as teams race to get those last playoff wildcard spots, or home ice advantage for those sitting #2 or #3 (let alone in the crazy Pacific Division), it's obvious.   But exactly when are the individual awards clinched?  The Vezina ✔️, the Norris ✔️, the Calder ✔️, even the McDavid awards (sic). Seriously, if any of Linus Ullmark, Erik Karlsson, or Matty Beniers took a mid-March puck from Ian Cole to break his jaw, would it even matter today? Apologies to Sidney Crosby, 2013.  

Daily fantasy, back to the focus here. Important games tonight, but no guaranteed blowouts. Anaheim and Chicago played Wednesday, and not B2 today.   

Centers: the aforementioned Crosby ($7400, back to DraftKings), and Vincent Trocheck ($5400). Sid, 139 points in 81 career games vs. NYI. And since Valentines Day, he's had as many multipoint efforts (3), as zeros.  I don't see a zero tonight, either. In that same time period, Trocheck has averaged a point per game and over 3 shots.  He's a big part of what's made the Rangers scary even before the trade deadline.  

Wings: Valeri Nichushkin ($6600), Teuvo Teravainen ($4300), and Tyler Bertuzzi ($3700).  Colorado has turned the corner, finally??  But every time I think this, they lose badly (7GA against both the Devils and Stars). Still, 6-3-1 for their last 10, and the big winger has been off the scoresheet just once in those games. Teravainen has been spotty, but his hat trick against the Lightning reminds us that he remains a force. Bertuzzi simply needs to make a splash with his new team, and despite the top-six talent above him I DON'T see him sitting on the Bruins' third line for long.  At the lowest price of my picks, I'm happy to hang with him.  

Defensemen:  Charlie McAvoy ($5600), and Adam Larsson ($4300). The best defenseman on the best team, and not even much sniff of a Norris nomination – my point from above, his missing that first quarter has disqualified him. But for overall two-way play, he's been stellar.   Larsson passed his career season-high in points (26) this week, and even off the scoresheet, he'll contribute shots and blocks.

Goalie:  Tristan Jarry ($7700), to rebound from two "really bad starts," and beat the Islanders when it counts. Jarry has had good and bad this year, but his home record is still 10-4-3, and it's not likely that the Isles sweep the Pens for the season.  

Utility: Dawson Mercer ($5000). Ten goals and 17 points in his last 10 games, these sound like McDavid stats.   The opposite of a sophomore slump, he's already eclipsed his totals from '21-'22. Is Nico Hischier making him better, or is it the other way around?

Options:  Bet twice on the Avalanche?  You could fit Artturi Lehkonen and/or Evan Rodrigues with just a little shuffling. 

Good luck!  Comments @dokhockey