Fantasy picks: Thomas Vanek scoring consistently

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 - Alex Galchenyuk, MTL ($6,600)
Galchenyuk missed more than a month because of a knee injury but has one goal, three blocks and four SOG (3.3 DraftKings points per game) in two games since returning. He's in his usual spot on the Montreal Canadiens' top line with Max Pacioretty and Alexander Radulov, and you'll want a piece of the Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins ahead of what could be another high-scoring game.
C - Vincent Trocheck, FLA ($6,000)
Trocheck just took home

honors after three straight multipoint games. He has a point in five straight and has totaled 13 points and 30 SOG in his past 10 games (5.1 DraftKings points per game). After a slow start, he's thriving on the top line with Jaromir Jagr in the absence of injured Aleksander Barkov and should continue that against the Edmonton Oilers.

W - Conor Sheary, PIT ($5,500)
Sheary has 26 even-strength points (T-22nd in NHL) on the Penguins' top line with Sidney Crosby. His price remained unaltered after a three-point game in the 8-7 overtime win against the Washington Capitals on Monday. Sheary and the Penguins face Canadiens goalie Carey Price, who has allowed 32 goals in his past 10 games (4-4-2, .888 save percentage). Sheary has nine points in 16 road games and one goal on four SOG in two games against Montreal.
W - Thomas Vanek, DET ($5,100)
Vanek leads the NHL in even-strength points per 60 minutes (3.30; minimum 200 minutes played), according to stats.hockeyanalysis.com. He has 30 points in 33 games and is getting sheltered minutes and plenty of scoring chances. The veteran has 14 points in 16 games at home, where the Detroit Red Wings host the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. He's riding a six-game point streak, averaging 4.4 DraftKings points per game over his past 10 games, and is surprisingly affordable in DFS.
W - Andreas Athanasiou, DET ($4,500)
Now for the cheap stack of the night: Athanasiou skates with Vanek and Frans Nielsen on Detroit's second line, and they have been making fantasy waves of late. Athanasiou has eight points and 28 SOG in his past 10 games (3.5 DraftKings points per game) and is finally getting proper usage in a top-six and second power-play role for the youthful Red Wings. He scored a dazzling goal against the Penguins at home on Saturday.
D - Brent Burns, SJS ($8,000)
Burns leads all skaters with 5.3 DraftKings points per game and is one of five (minimum 20 games) averaging better than a point per game (45 in 44 games). The others are Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov. Burns has had at least 5.5 DraftKings points in seven of his past 10 games and is worth spending up for when the San Jose Sharks play the Los Angeles Kings on the road, where he has 25 points in 22 games.
D - Trevor Daley, PIT ($4,000)
Daley broke out for three assists against the Capitals on Monday and offers cheap exposure to the Penguins offense against the struggling, depleted Canadiens. He should log at least 24 minutes with Kris Letang out of the lineup again, block multiple shots, and see power-play time on the first or second unit.

G - Jared Coreau, DET ($7,700)
Coreau is confirmed to start against the Bruins at home on Wednesday. He has overtaken Petr Mrazek as the Red Wings' starting goalie in Jimmy Howard's absence and has been excellent since allowing five goals in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic. In his four starts since, he has allowed a combined six goals and has two shutouts. He's 2-0-0 with a .939 SV% at home, and the Bruins were just shut out at home by the New York Islanders.
UTIL - Jujhar Khaira, EDM ($2,600)
This 22-year-old scored his first NHL goal for the Oilers against the Arizona Coyotes on Monday. He has four SOG in two games since being recalled from Bakersfield of the American Hockey League on Jan. 11 and is an affordable DFS option to help you accommodate Burns' expensive price tag. He played in a depth role alongside Mark Letestu and Zack Kassian on Monday and has a chance to score again against the Panthers, who are on the second of a back-to-back and have allowed a combined 13 goals in their past three games.
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