With a lot of games to choose from tonight, there are plenty of options for the starting six of your NHL daily fantasy team. Let’s take a look at some of the prime contenders:
C- Cody Eakin, DAL
Cody Eakin is on a five-game point streak, and it is very much so owed to being promoted to Jamie Benn’s line. Patrick Eaves has been a solid compliment on the top line as well, though it is looking like Patrick Sharp will be on the top unit tonight. In his last five games, Eakin has four goals and three assists, giving him 35 points on the year. He also has 11 shots on goal and a +3 rating. The Stars will be facing off against the Arizona Coyotes tonight, which has the potential to be a very high-scoring game. Eakin is a good bet for your starting six.
LW- Brad Marchand, BOS
Brad Marchand is having a career year. The 27-year-old is currently fourth in the league in goal scoring with 34 with an additional 21 assists. He grabbed an assist against the New York Rangers last night and has been buzzing on offense, points or no points. He is averaging three shots on goal per game his last five games, and just needs a few bounces going his way to get back on his torrid scoring pace. Perhaps a game against the Florida Panthers, who have struggled mightily against the Boston Bruins this year, will get him going again.
RW- Devante Smith-Pelly, NJD
Devante Smith-Pelly has worked out very well with the New Jersey Devils since being acquired from Montreal at the trade deadline. On the surface, the trade was the swapping of very similar bottom-six players, as the Devils shipped away Stefan Matteau. Matteau has one assist in nine games as a Canadien. Smith-Pelly has seven goals and three assists in the same number of games. Of course, DSP has had the benefit of playing on the first line in New Jersey. With Joseph Blandisi and Adam Henrique on his line, Smith-Pelly has had a lot of time and space created for himself and vice-versa. He has scored a lot of goals on second-chance opportunities and deflections in front, using his strength to his advantage. He has four goals and two assists in his last five games in particular. As the Devils play the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight, it might be a good idea to keep an eye on Smith-Pelly.
D- Dougie Hamilton, CGY
Dougie Hamilton has been heating up (no pun intended) for the Flames. He has seven assists in his last five games, including a pair of three-point nights. Hamilton needs just four more points in his last nine games to match his career-high, set last year on Boston. Hamilton has 14 powerplay points on the year as well. The Flames will be playing the Minnesota Wild tonight, with Niklas Backstrom getting his first start against his former team tonight. It will be an interesting matchup, and Hamilton is a person of interest in it.
D- Jake Gardiner, TOR
In a humorous moment of candor following the game I went to in Toronto on Monday, Jake Gardiner was interviewed after earning second star of the game honors. This was the first game played with Toronto being mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. After the game, in which Gardiner had a pair of assists, he was asked what the recent string of home wins meant to the confidence of the team. Gardiner, completely stone-faced, answered that it was looking unlikely that the Leafs were going to make the playoffs but the win was nice nonetheless. It clearly was not snark, anyone in a position like Gardiner who is one of the better players on an otherwise terrible team has to be able to laugh at themselves. But it was still amusing. Anyway, Gardiner has six goals and 22 assists on the year, three assists in his last pair of games. The Leafs could be looking to upset the Ducks on home ice tonight, and Gardiner will be key in doing so.
G- James Reimer, SJS
Since being dealt to the San Jose Sharks, James Reimer has been lights-out. He is 3-1-0 in four starts, with a 1.27 goals-against average and .952 save percentage. He already has two shutouts under his belt against Arizona and his opponent tonight, the Edmonton Oilers. Reimer was a very solid goalie at even strength in Toronto earlier this season, but suffered as a result of the team in front of him. Now, he is finally finding his groove and a chance to flourish on a winning team. Put Reimer between the pipes tonight on your daily fantasy team.
