Fantasy picks: Don't sleep on Rangers, Sharks

NHL.com's fantasy staff will provide daily picks for DraftKings NHL games during the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs (until end of conference finals). This article includes expensive and value plays and should be used as a basis for your roster decision-making.
TOP CENTER: Logan Couture, SJS ($5,500)
The San Jose Sharks offense has bounce-back potential after being shut out in each of the past two games, and Couture is available at a discount in a good spot. Couture's price has dipped after being held without a point in each of the first three games against the Edmonton Oilers, but he has plenty of experience in these spots having led the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs in points (30 in 24 games). He had his fifth regular season of at least 50 points and has 30 points in 38 home games in the regular season and playoffs combined.

VALUE CENTER: Brandon Dubinsky, CBJ ($4,300)
The Columbus Blue Jackets are facing elimination in Game 4 at home, but Dubinsky gives them a glimmer of hope given his success against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has eight points in seven games against Pittsburgh in the regular season and playoffs combined, including 8.0 DraftKings points (one goal, one assist, one block, five shots on goal) in Game 3. He has 25 points and 86 SOG in 40 career postseason games.

TOP WING: Jake Guentzel, PIT ($6,100)
Sidney Crosby's chemistry with Guentzel and Conor Sheary ($5,900) has been something special this season, with each Penguins forward finishing among the top five in even-strength points per 60 minutes in the regular season, according to stats.hockeyanalysis.com. After a quiet Game 1, this line has taken the postseason by storm; the trio has combined for 11 points over the past two games. Guentzel, priced sixth among wings on this three-game slate, is a must-own player regardless of fantasy format. He has 13 points in his past eight games and eight points in six games against the Blue Jackets in the regular season and playoffs combined.

VALUE WING: Chris Kreider, NYR ($5,000)
The New York Rangers continue to struggle at Madison Square Garden, but fantasy owners can count on Kreider to get at least one point in Game 4 against the Montreal Canadiens. Kreider led the Rangers in goals (28) and home points per game (32 in 37 games) in the regular season. He has 20 goals in 68 career postseason games and plays on the Rangers' first power-play unit; the Rangers are bound for a breakout having gone 0-for-10 through three playoff games.
TOP DEFENSEMAN: Oscar Klefbom, EDM ($5,200)
Klefbom scored a goal in Game 1 against the Sharks, but has paid DraftKings dividends in each of the first three games this postseason because of his strong peripheral coverage. He has at least two SOG and two blocked shots in each of the first three games of the series, totaling eight blocked shots and seven SOG. He is averaging 4.4 DraftKings points per game against the Sharks through eight games (regular season and postseason combined). He has scored 11 of his 16 power-play points on the road.
VALUE DEFENSEMAN: Brady Skjei, NYR ($4,000)
Skjei scored the lone goal on three SOG against the Canadiens in Game 3, giving him three points and 11 SOG in eight career NHL playoff games. He finished second among rookie defensemen in points (39) behind Zach Werenski (47) of the Blue Jackets in the regular season and has been respectable against the Canadiens this season with 2.3 DraftKings points per game (season average: 2.2). He's averaging 2:12 per game on the power play in this series, proving cheap exposure to high-end scoring chances.

GOALIE SPOTLIGHT: Martin Jones, SJS ($7,800)
The prowess of Oilers goalie Cam Talbot has overshadowed Jones, who has allowed two goals or fewer in each of the three games this series (.935 save percentage). If the Sharks offense bounces back on home ice against the Oilers, Jones likely would return DraftKings value with low ownership. He's 19-11-4 with a .917 SV% at home in the regular season and playoffs combined. The Sharks went 8-4 at home in the 2016 playoffs, so there's a strong chance they even the series in this spot.
---
Check out
DraftKings.com
to play 1-Day Fantasy Hockey today. Entering is quick and simple: sign up for a free account, enter the $3 1-Day Fantasy Hockey contest and set your lineup, catch the games and win!
DraftKings fantasy hockey contests are operated by DraftKings Inc. and are in no way sponsored or administered by the NHL and/or any of its affiliated entities. Prohibited and/or not available in AL, AZ, DE, GA, HI, IA, ID, LA, MT, NV, and WA. Offered in IL and TX pending litigation. See
terms
for additional eligibility rules.