Fantasy picks: Rasmus Ristolainen picking up steam

Each day this season, NHL.com's fantasy staff will provide daily picks for DraftKings NHL contests. This lineup has been constructed with expensive and value picks and should be used as a basis for your roster decision-making.
C - Logan Couture, SJS ($6,700)
Couture, a Guelph, Ontario native, visits the Toronto Maple Leafs, whom he has four points and 21 shots on goal against in seven career games. He is a reliable DFS producer on the road, having scored 10 points with 44 SOG in 14 games this season. He has points in three straight and 10 in his past 10 games, offering first-unit power-play exposure to elite scorers Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski. The Maple Leafs allow the sixth-most DraftKings points to opposing centers.

C - Evgeny Kuznetsov, WSH ($5,700)
Kuznetsov has been one of the biggest fantasy disappointments League-wide, but has turned the corner with a four-game point streak (five assists, seven SOG in span). He has been setting up Alex Ovechkin and Justin Williams in recent games, and has been playing on the second power-play unit with rookie Jakub Vrana ($3,900). Kuznetsov's price has been stagnant despite his offensive awakening, so invest in him against the New York Islanders, who are allowing the seventh-most DraftKings points to opposing centers.
W - Filip Forsberg, NSH ($6,100)
Forsberg is stuck in a scoring rut; he has no points in his past seven games despite 21 SOG in the span. He's skating alongside Mike Ribeiro and rookie Kevin Fiala, and is averaging 2:49 of power-play ice time per game this season. Forsberg is primed for a bounce-back outing against the St. Louis Blues (has 14 points in 13 career games against them) at home, where he has 12 points in 13 games this season.

W - Sam Gagner, CBJ ($5,000)
Gagner is seeing first-unit power-play usage for the Columbus Blue Jackets and has eight points and 30 SOG in his past 10 games. Seven of his 19 points have come on the power play, and he's been a high-floor option of late with at least 2.0 DraftKings points in five of his past six games. He's averaging the same DraftKings points per game (3.3) this season as Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn, who's significantly more expensive ($7,400).
W - Josh Bailey, NYI ($4,900)
Bailey has settled into a top-line, first power-play role of late alongside Islanders captain John Tavares, who has 17 points in as many home games this season. Bailey has nine points, eight blocks and 24 SOG in his past 10 games (3.7 DraftKings points per game) and is back under $5,000 for a home game against the Capitals. He had one assist and three SOG against Washington on Dec. 1 (3.5 DraftKings points).
D - Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF ($5,600)
Ristolainen, sixth in DraftKings price among D-men, has been a DFS beast in his past 10 games, with nine points, 21 blocks and 33 SOG for an average for 4.6 DraftKings points per game. He has at least a point in five of six games since Jack Eichel returned from injury. He has PPP in back-to-back games for the Sabres, who rank fourth in the League with the man-advantage (22.8 percent). Kings goalie Peter Budaj has been far less dominant on the road, losing six of nine games.

D - David Savard, CBJ ($3,600)
Savard has quietly emerged as a fantasy asset with at least 3.0 DraftKings points in six of his past nine games. His price remains low despite having three points, eight blocks and 10 SOG in his past four games. He's averaging 21:14 per game this season (fourth among Columbus Blue Jackets skaters) and faces the Edmonton Oilers in a game that features two of the top six goal-scoring offenses in the NHL.
G - Cam Ward, CAR ($7,700)
The Vancouver Canucks are allowing the fourth-most DraftKings points to opposing goalies, and Ward is 6-2-0 with a .941 save percentage and two shutouts at home. Expect Ward to take care of business with the Hurricanes returning home after a respectable 1-1-1 California road trip. Ward remains a fantasy bargain in the midst of his best SV% season (.917) since 2010-11 (.923).

UTIL - Robby Fabbri, STL ($4,700)
Fabbri has points in five of his past seven games, including three multi-point outings. He's riding a three-game road point streak (three goals, two assists) and has five SOG in the span (5.2 DraftKings points per game). His price has budged $100 during his recent hot streak, and his association to Vladimir Tarasenko in all situations make him one of the best value picks on this slate.
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