Fantasy picks: Leon Draisaitl thriving on top line

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.

C - Ryan Kesler, ANA ($6,100)
Don't let the seemingly tough matchup against the Calgary Flames and poor splits scare you: Kesler is a very safe play for the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. The center enters Saturday with at least 3.0 DraftKings points in seven of his past eight games. Kesler can be productive without getting points; he had 3.5 DraftKings points with three blocks and four shots on goal against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. In 65 career games against the Flames, Kesler has 21 goals, 28 assists 139 shots on goal.
C - Bryan Little, WPG ($5,100)
The Winnipeg Jets center scored his first of the season Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers after missing 21 games. He also had two blocks and four SOG for 6.0 DraftKings points. Little had 42 points in 57 games (0.74 points per game) last season and should benefit from playing on the Jets' top power-play unit, which has a solid matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks penalty kill (30th; 71.3 percent). It also helps that Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford is out after having an appendectomy Saturday. Backup goalie Scott Darling likely will play again Sunday after allowing three goals on 30 shots against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
W - Leon Draisaitl, EDM ($5,800)
Draisaitl has benefited greatly from being moved from center to right wing on the Oilers' top line with center Connor McDavid ($8,600) and left wing Milan Lucic ($6,000). He had two goals, an assist and eight SOG (12.0 DraftKings points) in a 6-3 win against the Jets on Thursday. The Minnesota Wild present a tough matchup but have allowed 10 goals during a three-game losing streak and are on the fourth of a five-game road trip. Draisaitl and the Oilers should take advantage of a tired Wild team, and the right wing likely will see low exposure in lineups.

W - Anthony Mantha, DET ($4,700)
Mantha is another young player who has gotten a boost from a line promotion. He is skating at right wing on the Detroit Red Wings' top line with Tomas Tatar and Henrik Zetterberg, and has three goals, an assist and 22 SOG in his past six games. The New York Islanders are allowing the fifth-most SOG per game (32.0), and Mantha's size (6-foot-5, 221 pounds) should give them problems. The rookie is a cheap option with a high floor for use in cash games and tournaments.
D - Jared Spurgeon, MIN ($4,800)
Spurgeon is more of a secondary-category specialist; he leads the Wild in blocks (43) and is third among their defensemen in shots on goal (44). But Spurgeon has three assists in his past two games to go with five blocks and seven SOG. Oilers goalie Cam Talbot has allowed 14 goals in his past five games, and Edmonton will present Spurgeon with plenty of block opportunities (31.8 per game). For less than $5,000, Spurgeon is a solid tournament option considering his ownership percentage likely will be low.
D - Michael Del Zotto, PHI ($4,300)
Del Zotto saw his three-game point streak (two goals, one assist) end in a 3-1 win against the Blackhawks on Saturday but made up for it with four blocks and two SOG (3.0 DraftKings points). Del Zotto is playing in all situations for the Flyers, who have won four in a row and have the NHL's third-ranked offense (3.08 goals per game). The Nashville Predators are reeling a bit after a 5-4 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, something the Flyers could take advantage of on the road. Del Zotto is averaging the third-most DraftKings points per contest (3.5) among defensemen playing Sunday but is priced 18th.

G - Jonathan Bernier, ANA ($7,800)
With limited goalie options, Bernier is the most appealing play against the Flames, who were held to one goal on 26 shots in a 4-1 loss to the Ducks on Nov. 6 with Bernier in net. He should start the second of a back-to-back with John Gibson expected to be in net Saturday against the Oilers. Bernier is averaging 5.4 DraftKings points in his past three games (2-0-1) and hasn't allowed more than three goals in any of his nine appearances this season. The Flames have scored three or fewer goals in 18 straight games; the last time they scored more than three was Oct. 28 in a 5-2 win against the Ottawa Senators.
G - Jaroslav Halak, NYI ($7,600)
The Islanders will get the Red Wings playing their third game in the past four days, and Halak is coming off his best performance of the season, a 38-save shutout against the Washington Capitals on Thursday. New York is on a three-game win streak, and Detroit entered Saturday having scored five goals in its past three games. Halak should be considered for tournament lineups as a contrarian start at goalie, as would Thomas Greiss (same price) should he be in net against the Red Wings.
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