Paul Bruno from RotoWire and Pete Jensen, host of “The Fantasy On Ice” podcast for NHL.com, join Emerson Lotzia and Jessie Coffield to discuss the February 22, 2022, NHL slate on DraftKings.
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Video Transcript
Emerson Lotzia: All right, back here to this Tuesday edition of The Sweat, I’m Emerson Lotzia alongside Jesse Coffield, back from her five-week vacation and now, everybody, we have a six-game NHL slate on the docket. Steve is not here to talk about it but we do have Paul Bruno from RotoWire and also Pete Jensen, host of “The Fantasy On Ice” podcast for NHL.com. I’m very excited about this segment of NHL “Opening Face-Off”.
Jessie Coffield: So am I. Paul’s guy, Auston Matthews ($9,300), is the highest-priced center on the slate tonight in a very favorable matchup against Columbus. However, he has been held off the score sheet in his last two games, so is Matthews a fade for you tonight at that price?
Paul Bruno: I fade him, but I’m going to use his linemates because he’s just too expensive tonight, that’s the only reason. There are four other mismatches on the board at center, Jessie, that I want to touch on real quick. Aleksander Barkov ($8,300) versus a reeling Preds team people may not know they’re on a four-game losing streak. He has 13 points and 30 seven shots on going his last 10, primed for another big offensive output to lead NHL’s highest-scoring team. Ryan Hartman ($6,800) of Minnesota is similarly profiled, a cheap price tag for him on their first line, 11.3 DraftKings points per game on the year centering a top power-play unit against an Ottawa club. Thomas Hertl ($5,500) is centering the hottest winger in the league, Timo Meier ($5,500) is his the price tag at Anaheim, he’s got nine points in his last ten games. Finally Ryan O’Reilly ($5,700) for a St. Louis club that should be all over Philadelphia tonight.
Jessie Coffield: All right, Pete, what do you think? Matthew’s a fade because he’s just too pricey here?
Pete Jensen: Yeah, it’s tough with Toronto it’s so fickle you know you love them one game you can’t stand them the next game when they lose to Montreal. So it’s really tough to gauge Toronto on a nightly basis. I’d much rather have Alexander Barkov for a thousand dollars cheaper in DraftKings price. A couple of other guys I like on the center position, definitely Joel Erikson Ek ($5,100). With what he’s doing on Minnesota’s first power-play I think is a really good value at the center position and still, a guy over five thousand dollars that you’ll have to spend a bit for. He’s got five points in his past four games and a bunch of those coming on the first power-play unit where he plays with Kirill Kaprizov ($8,700) and Mats Zuccarello ($6,500) and Matt Boldy ($5,300). So never a bad thing to get some Minnesota Wild action in your DFS lineup because they’re extremely deep and Erikson Ek is proof of that because he plays on their third line at even strength.
Emerson Lotzia: All right well some solid plays I’m looking here at the wing tonight above $7K, Kaprizov, you’ve got Marner, Meier. Paul has already mentioned Tarasenko, all going up against teams that like to give up goals too. So, who is your favorite high-priced option on the wing tonight, Paul?
Paul Bruno: if you want Toronto exposure like I said I want to go for Mitch Marner ($8,300), save a thousand dollars on the Matthews tag, and take Marner. I think the Leafs are going to be really ticked off and then they’re going to take it out on a Columbus team that’s going to be fielding their third-string goalie tonight. Timo Meier, he’s the play on the wing for me, with eight goals in his last 10 games along with 49 shots on goal in his last 10. That’s the most prolific shooter in the league right now among the wingers. Then, Zuccarello, Pete touched on Minnesota’s offense and Zuccarello has been a key part of that 16 points in his last 10 games played you get him for $6,500 tonight.
Emerson Lotzia: Pete, where you going here on the wing, man?
Pete Jensen: I’m going Patrik Laine ($6,000) on the other side of that Toronto matchup against Columbus. I mean nobody’s hotter than this guy. He’s got a nine-game point streak with 18 points in the span. Those are real points, not DraftKings points. It’s really impressive with what he’s been able to do in a bounce-back season ever since coming back from that injury. He’s been extremely motivated and he’s looking like the Laine of old. He’s playing with Boone Jenner ($6,700) and Jakub Voracek ($3,900), Jenner is having a breakout season and Voracek is a great distributor, which all affects Patrick Laine. When you look at Toronto giving up you know those goals over the weekend to the Blues and then you know bad outing against Montreal recently, the stage is set for Laine to continue what he’s been doing in a very positive light fantasy-wise.
Paul’s Picks:
Center: Aleksander Barkov ($8,300), Ryan Hartman ($6,800), Thomas Hertl ($5,500) Ryan O’Reilly ($5,700).
Wing: Mitch Marner ($8,300)
Pete’s Picks:
Center: Joel Erikson Ek ($5,100)
Wing: Patrik Laine ($6,000)
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