Fantasy picks: Erik Karlsson on another level
Senators defenseman among top March 14 DFS options vs. Lightning at home
By
Ben Zweiman @BZweimanNHL / NHL.com Staff Writer
TOP CENTER: Jeff Carter, LAK ($6,900)
Carter at home against the Arizona Coyotes, who will play the second of a back-to-back set, should be music to your ears. The Los Angeles Kings center enters Monday with a goal, two assists, two blocked shots and four shots on goal in his past two games. He also has at least 3.0 DraftKings points in four of his past five, and is averaging 3.5 in three games against the Coyotes. "That '70s Line" is back together with Carter at center between Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli, and the unit should pounce on a tired Arizona team. Carter is priced seventh among centers and is a prime cash-game option.
VALUE CENTER: Brayden Point, TBL ($4,500)
Point is centering red-hot Nikita Kucherov on the Tampa Bay Lightning's top line in the absence of Tyler Johnson (lower body). He scored two goals on three SOG with one block for 8.0 DraftKings points against the New York Rangers on Monday, and remains affordable at the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. He has nine points on the power play, where he's currently patroling the first unit. He has three points, two blocks and four SOG in three games against the Senators this season.
TOP WING: Joe Pavelski, SJS ($7,400)
Pavelski has multipoint games in three of his past four, and has a favorable home draw against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. He scored two goals against the Dallas Stars on Sunday at SAP Center, giving him 36 points in 34 home games. He plays alongside Joe Thornton ($5,000) on the San Jose Sharks' top line and first power-play unit, presenting a viable stacking option. Pavelski had 6.5 DraftKings points (one goal, one block, six SOG) against the Sabres on Feb. 7.
VALUE WING: Elias Lindholm, CAR ($5,000)
Lindholm isn't exactly a threat to score (six goals on 120 shots in 55 games entering Monday) but he had a two-game assist streak entering Monday, when the Carolina Hurricanes faced the New York Islanders in the first game of their home-and-home. Lindholm has torched the Islanders this season, scoring a goal with four assists and six SOG in two games (7.0 DraftKings points per contest) entering Monday. New York likely will start Thomas Greiss, who has allowed at least three goals in three of five games. Lindholm has a high ceiling and is incredibly affordable.
TOP DEFENSEMAN: Erik Karlsson, OTT ($7,500)
It's rare that this many elite defensemen play on one night, and none are as hot as Karlsson is right now. The Ottawa Senators captain has three goals, four assists and 21 SOG in his past five games. He has at least three SOG in seven straight and has outplayed San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns, who hasn't scored in nine straight and has three assists and 15 SOG in his past five. The Senators face the Tampa Bay Lightning, another team on the second of a back-to-back on the road. Karlsson has four assists, eight blocks and nine SOG in three games against the Lightning (5.5 DraftKings points per contest).
VALUE DEFENSEMAN: Alec Martinez, LAK ($4,500)
Martinez entered Monday against the St. Louis Blues on a four-game point streak (one goal, five assists). But his point production is only a plus considering his secondary category coverage; Martinez had 134 blocked shots and 121 SOG in his first 67 games. He can easily return value in a tournament without scoring a point, but his chances of doing so are as high as ever at home against the Coyotes, who were allowing the third-most DraftKings points to defensemen this season before hosting the Colorado Avalanche on Monday.
GOALIE SPOTLIGHT: Braden Holtby, WSH ($8,000)
Holtby, normally priced in the mid-$8,000 DraftKings price range, is available for a discount because he's in the midst of only his second three-game losing streak of the season; the first came Nov. 26 to Dec. 3 (0-2-1). Holtby has allowed a combined 12 goals in his past three games, but fantasy owners can fall back on his stellar home splits. He's 22-6-1 with a .930 save percentage and seven shutouts at Verizon Center. The Minnesota Wild will play the fourth game of a five-game road trip and have allowed four goals in each of the first three games (1-2-0).
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