With a packed Presidents Day schedule yesterday, we only have seven games to choose from tonight in the NHL. However, it’s a good set of games. We have the Maple Leafs heading to Pittsburgh looking to pick up some valuable points. The two current occupants of wild card spots in the East, Columbus and Philadelphia will square off. Then we have the first team out from each conference, Carolina and Nashville, battling for their respective playoff spots.
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Center
Nick Suzuki (MTL): $5,300 @ DET
I hate to keep isolating the Detroit Red Wings, but they’re giving up the most goals per game in the NHL by a considerable margin. Tonight, the Wings will welcome the Montreal Canadiens to town. Montreal won’t be making the playoffs, but they have a pool of young talent that they can be excited about. One of those players is Nick Suzuki. Suzuki is a 20-year-old former first round pick playing in his rookie season. He has put together a nice campaign with 12 goals, 26 assists, for 38 points in 61 games. He’s been particularly good as the season has gone on. He has 10 points in his last 10 games. Tonight he will likely skate between Jonathan Drouin and Joel Armia. I expect Suzuki will stay hot tonight in Detroit.
Wing
Brady Tkachuk (OTT): $6,300 vs BUF
I wouldn’t circle Ottawa and Buffalo as a must-watch game tonight, but we could potentially see a lot of goals. The sportsbooks have tabbed this game with a 6.5 over under goal total. Brady Tkachuk has been hot of late with seven points in his previous six games. What’s great about Brady Tkachuk too is that he shoots the puck a lot. This season, he has 218 shots on goal, good for seventh-most in the league. In his last six games, he has crossed the five-shot mark three times. Tonight, Brady will continue to skate on the top group alongside Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anthony Duclair. Take advantage of Brady in DFS now, because he could be losing his centerman in Pageau any day now.
Victor Olofsson (BUF): $6,600 @ OTT
Olofsson has been one of the most impressive young players in the league this season. He was not a household name before the season started, even amongst some of the biggest fans around the league. He has made his stamp this season. Olofsson has 18 goals, 20 assists, for 38 points in an injury-shortened 44 games. Since his return from a long injury absence, he has picked up right where he left off, with two goals and an assist in two games. Olofsson will continue skating on the first line with Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel, as well as the top power-play unit. Eichel was recently quoted on Spittin’ Chiclets saying Olofsson can score 40 goals in this league in his sleep. I believe him.
Defense
Neal Pionk (WPG): $4,800 vs LA
Speaking of great stories this season. Neal Pionk was treated as a “throw in” in the deal that brought Jacob Trouba to the New York Rangers. When Trouba made his return to Winnipeg last week, the Jets fans serenaded him with “Pionk’s better”. They could be on to something. The stars aligned for Pionk to slide into a massive role when Byfuglien, Myers, and Trouba all left town this off-season. Since then, all he has done is play upwards of 28 minutes a night, quarterback the first power-play unit, and post 6 goals, 32 assists, in 60 games. Every night he seems to pile up shots on goal and blocks as well. The Jets find themselves one point out of a playoff spot tonight and they are facing off against the last-place Kings. I expect a good effort here.
Goalie
Jordan Binnington (STL): $8,200 vs NJ
I seem to play Binnington a lot on the FanDuel platform. Again, I was surprised to see him listed as the sixth-ranked goalie for this evening. The Blues are massive home favorites tonight against the New Jersey Devils, paying -250. Binnington has not been his best this season, posting a .909 SV% and a 2.71 GAA. He is winless in his last four starts, but none of those were against teams like the Devils. I expect Binnington to get back on track tonight.
Check out today’s Breakaway NHL contest from FanDuel
Chris Genova is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Chris, check out his archive and follow him @FantasyOneTimer.