Good day to all of my DFS peps out there! We have an interesting slate on our hands tonight that I'm looking forward too. Let's dive in and see if we can get a lineup or two together to win some cash tonight.

Slate Preview

Tampa Bay versus Montreal

On tonight's slate you're going to likely have to make a choice between Edmonton without Connor McDavid, Nashville in a good spot, Florida, and paying up for Tampa Bay. Just thinking out loud here, I don't know if spending up for Tampa Bay is how I want to spend my night, but I don't think crossing them off altogether is the way I may go about things either. What I'm running into now is Tampa changing up their lines, but they did mix them up in a way that favors us getting away from completely spending up on this slate. You can go with Brandon Hagel ($7,100) and Anthony Cirelli ($5,900) who are both skating right now with Nikita Kucherov and save some salary instead of a two-man of Kucherov and Braydon Point, for a cheaper price. This being Tampa Bay, I'll take any discount that I can. I do really like the spot here, and even if Cirelli and Hagel are moved off the top line at some point during the game, they should still skate together at even strength at the very least. I typically have been off of Tampa Bay since they got me a goose egg on the road in Anaheim, but I am leaning slightly in their direction on this eight-gamer tonight.

For the home Canadiens and this is completely DFS related for tonight, but I'd love to see a game live at the Bell Centre. That rink looks like it would be unbelievable to catch a game at, someday! Anyways, back to the slate. I built a Montreal lineup over the weekend of Nick Suzuki ($5,800 and starting to remind me of Patrice Bergeron) my guy Cole Caufield ($6,900, On Wisconsin), and paired them with a cheaper defenseman and had success. I three-maxed over the weekend, with this combo being the only one to get me a decent return and am considering going back here today. I don't even need this group to all-out go for two goals and two assists each (though, it would be nice), as long as this group gets on the scoresheet, I'll be happy with them. If you want to add Patrik Laine at $6,300, I'm fine with this as well. I don't love the matchup here for Montreal but at the same time last week I didn't like the matchup going into Utah, that worked out well in my favor. Wasn't all-in on playing the Stars in Dallas and the top line got on the board there too. Even as far as the Rangers last Saturday this group did well and came out of New York with a win. If I'm going to Montreal here it would be to avoid some of the chalky spots on this slate, which sometimes is a good strategy to go with.

Washington versus Edmonton

Washington mixed up their lines again for the tenth time in as many days, as we're now back to an Alex Ovechkin ($8,500) and Connor McMichael ($4,900) top line winger group but honestly, I don't mind it and am considering the Capitals here on this slate. After looking a little lopsided coming back from the Christmas break, the Caps have now ripped off four wins in a row and I recall last year playing this team in Edmonton and having some success. As much as I love Dylan Strome (way to go, Blackhawks), I might be grabbing my center elsewhere tonight, which means that this matchup for me is all about the top four wingers. I can't see myself breaking up Ovechkin and McMichael throwing on Aliaksei Protas at ($4,300) or even Tom Wilson at $5,200 is intriguing. Out of all the games and lines I'm looking at tonight, the Capitals might be outside looking in on a single-entry lineup, but I don't cross off anyone on an eight-game slate.

Over to the home Oilers and it feels like someone is absent from the lineup. Hey, maybe recently hired Joe at work blindly throws Connor McDavid into a lineup without thinking? The Oilers second line will now take on top line responsibilities and between me, all of you, and the wall, that line is going to be a popular play tonight. Leon Draisaitl is at his usual higher price coming in tonight at a smooth $9K but where you get relief is by adding Victor Arvidsson at $3,800 and Vasily Podkolzin at $3K. I have been extremely encouraged by this line's play the past week or so and if I'm going to build around them here's how I'd go about it: for single entry I'd only throw them in if I'm extremely confident in whatever filler stack that I'm going to. If this Edmonton top line goes off and my filler stack does not, I'm sunk and am willing to bet here that Edmonton has a better chance of success here tonight than a depth line. With all that in mind, I would use this group in three-max as an anchor line and pair them with different fillers that are on the board. Even if you want to add more depth from Edmonton, I don't mind that play as maybe Ryan-Nugent Hopkins ($4,800) becomes more active on the power play with no McDavid there, or even going to the blue line is an option. If you like Edmonton tonight, play them, as that goes for any line on any slate that you like. For me, I can't say heads or tails if I'm going there tonight but it's Edmonton at home that could see a Capitals top line that is leaky defensively. Believe me, they are under consideration.

Defensemen

Top of the board tonight is Zach Werenski at $37,000, oh wait wait, I'm sorry all. Habit at this point to mention him even with Columbus off the slate tonight. I have to love Roman Josi here going up against a Sharks team that doesn't score much…or save many goals, if you have the $7,700 that's a fine play. Evan Bouchard with any Edmonton stack at $6,500 is good to go, and I even don't mind him as a one-off if you're looking elsewhere besides the Oilers for a forward group. Adam Fox going up against the Senators tonight coming off a two-assist game has my attention, the price at $5,600 is what I'm having trouble with on what exactly I'd want to do there. I do like Mike Matheson at $5,200 but only if I'm pairing him with a Montreal stack of some sort, really any cheaper Habs d-man is good in my eyes. Darren Raddysh, I have circled, for any Tampa build you decide to make if you want to drop down from expensive Victor Hedman, he’ll see some power play time and is currently on the top pair. Moving on down the line, I don't mind Cam York at $3,100 and Matt Roy for the Capitals at $2,800 makes for a perfect punt tonight if you need it.   

Goalies

In net tonight, I don't think you have to spend up to have a successful night in net. I haven't been able to say that since maybe November. If Logan Thompson is in net tonight versus Edmonton, he's going to see volume and may be the second or third best goaltender so far this season so I do have interest at $7,100. Either Ducks goaltender as well going up against Florida is $7K and don't mind the play to get a little unique. I don't like targeting just two goaltenders on a given slate but those would be the two spots where the price and matchup both get the green light.  

Good luck tonight everybody!  

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