Fantasy picks: Maple Leafs offer appealing stack

Each day this season, NHL.com's fantasy staff will provide daily picks for DraftKings NHL contests. This list of targets includes expensive and value options at each position to help you build a winning roster.

NOTE: These picks are for five-game contests Sunday, excluding the 4 p.m. ET game between the Ottawa Senators and Anaheim Ducks, and 5 p.m. ET games between the Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena and the Vancouver Canucks and Washington Capitals at Verizon Center.
C - Nathan MacKinnon, COL ($6,400)
MacKinnon has been one of the best at generating shots on goal this season (94 in 26 games). He has at least four SOG in six of his past 11 and has two goals and two assists in his past three. MacKinnon is averaging the fourth-most DraftKings points per contest (3.9) of centers playing Sunday but is priced seventh. Usually a strong play regardless of the matchup, MacKinnon gets an early Christmas present against the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are allowing the fourth-most goals in the League (3.00). MacKinnon should have a high ownership percentage, making him a safer play for 50/50 contests.
C - Tyler Bozak, TOR ($5,000)
The Maple Leafs get the Avalanche on the second of a back-to-back after defeating the Boston Bruins 4-1 on Saturday. Bozak has a point in five of his past six games and has been great at Air Canada Centre (five goals, 10 assists in 13 games). The line of Bozak, James van Riemsdyk ($6,400) and Mitchell Marner ($6,200) has been Toronto's most consistent unit, and is affordable enough to stack in your lineup. Fellow Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri ($5,500) also should be considered.

W - Taylor Hall, NJD ($7,100)
Hall has three goals and five assists in five games since returning from a knee injury, and will get his first taste of the New Jersey Devils-New York Rangers rivalry. Prior to a 4-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Friday, the Devils had scored a power-play goal in four straight games and seven of eight. New Jersey's resurgence on the power play is largely because of Hall's return, and the left wing has seven points in seven career games against the Rangers. Hall may not be as productive on the road, but his peripherals are better (nine blocks, 40 SOG in 10 games).
W - Jason Zucker, MIN ($4,400)
The Minnesota Wild's second line of Zucker, Mikael Granlund (W, $4,700) and Mikko Koivu (C, $5,400) quietly has been one of the most valuable in DraftKings. Zucker leads the way with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 26 games and has scored in two straight. He has three goals and five assists in his past eight, and had at least 3.0 DraftKings points in six of those games. The Blues have been riding No. 1 goalie Jake Allen lately, so there's a chance backup Carter Hutton (2.98 goals-against average, .888 save percentage) will be in net. St. Louis has allowed an average of 3.58 goals per game in 12 road games.
D - Oscar Klefbom, EDM ($5,000)
The only elite option among defensemen is Dustin Byfuglien ($6,100) of the Winnipeg Jets, so it may be a good idea to spend less at the position when building your lineup. This will allow you to avoid players with high ownership percentages, a good strategy in tournaments. Klefbom has a point in each of his past two games to go with six blocks and five SOG. Each point has come on the power play, and Winnipeg entered its game Saturday against the Calgary Flames ranked 25th in the League on the penalty kill (78.9 percent). The Oilers scored six goals against the Jets on Dec. 1 and could take advantage of them again.

D - Francois Beauchemin, COL ($4,300)
With top defenseman Erik Johnson on injured reserve, Beauchemin's playing time as increased. He's led the Avalanche in time on ice in two of the past four games and has played more than 20:00 in six straight. Like Johnson, Beauchemin is a blocks specialist. He has at least three in five of his past six games. The veteran doesn't need to get any points to be productive in DraftKings, but it helps that the Maple Leafs are allowing the most fantasy points to opposing defensemen this season.
G - Henrik Lundqvist, NYR ($8,000)
There's a chance Rangers coach Alain Vigneault will stay with the hot hand and start backup Antti Raanta. But it's more likely he'll turn to Lundqvist, who has played his best against the Devils in his career. Lundqvist is 34-16-7 with a 1.90 GAA and .931 SV% in 57 games against New Jersey. The goaltender has struggled but is 8-3-1 with a shutout at home. The Rangers offense (3.45 goals per game) has slowed down of late, but the Devils have allowed at least four goals in four of their past five games. Lundqvist should get plenty of goal support, only adding to his already-high win probability.

G - Antoine Bibeau, TOR ($6,000)
Rarely do you find a starting goaltender this cheap in DraftKings. Bibeau will make his first NHL start, coach Mike Babcock said after Frederik Andersen made 32 saves in the win against the Bruins. Bibeau will face an Avalanche team coming off a 10-1 loss to the Canadiens. Colorado is 1-6-1 in its past eight games, and Toronto is 8-4-0 at Air Canada Centre. There's no telling what to expect from the rookie, but Bibeau had success with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. He is 49-24-8 with 10 shutouts in 85 AHL games the past three seasons. Bibeau is a great tournament play and allows you to spend up for high-priced forwards.
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