Welcome to The Fantasy Fix daily fantasy hockey strategy. Below you will find rankings and projections for tonight’s NHL action. Building a winning lineup isn’t easy, so we’ll do our best to guide you in the right direction and help you win some serious cash. With that, let’s take a look at some matchups you should be targeting tonight.

As always, make sure to check out LeftWingLock for goalie confirmations

All shot attempt numbers discussed are at even strength and score-adjusted unless otherwise noted.

Teams To Target

Dallas Stars @ Columbus Blue Jackets

This is a no brainer. The Blue Jackets are a mess of a hockey team and John Tortorella isn’t making it any better. The Jackets are a terrible puck possession team at home (26^th, 48.8%) and are allowing 2.85 GA/60. The Stars will be the chalk play of the night, but if you decide you want to fade them, you may find yourself on the outside of the money looking in.

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Let’s start with the obvious—Tyler Seguin ($8400), Jamie Benn ($8500) and Patrick Sharp ($6600). That line is mad expensive, but they are worth it. I wouldn’t suggest stacking the entire line, but a mini stack of Seguin-Benn is as good as it gets. If you decide you want to pivot off the top line, Jason Spezza ($5800) and Valeri Nichushkin ($3700) is another mini-stack to consider. Both players are much more affordable and will allow you to spend up on some other players in favourable matchups.

On the blue line, John Klingberg ($5900) is the obvious choice, but his price won’t be easy to swallow. Alex Goligoski ($4400) is a much better value play and is seeing time on the second power play unit. If I had to pick just one player to roster I would go with Klingberg, but don’t feel the need to force him in there.

In goal, Antti Niemi ($7000) is the safest play of the night. He may give up a goal or two, but he’s pretty much guaranteed to pick up a win. His price tag doesn’t provide you with any value, but he isn’t over priced either. Use him in cash games and don’t look back.

Detroit Red Wings @ Winnipeg Jets

This is a matchup some people may pass on, but I expect this game to hit the over mid way through the second period. The Red Wings are allowing 34.2 SA/60 on the road—the most in the NHL. There’s also a good chance that Jimmy Howard ($7300) gets the call tonight since Petr Mrazek started yesterday. Howard has a 4-1-3 record in his last 9 starts, but also has a 2.82 GAA and .903 SV% in that span. Couple that with Winnipeg being an above-average scoring team at home (8^th 2.82 GF/60) and you have yourself a great stack opportunity.

The Jets top line is where you should start to build your roster. Bryan Little ($5500), Blake Wheeler ($6900) and Drew Stafford ($4300) are a great top line stack if you decide to go that way. With Mark Scheifele out due to a concussion, the Jets top line will see a lot of action in this game. If you want to move off the top line, Mathieu Perreault ($4100) and Nikolaj Ehlers ($3600) is a mini-stack I would consider using. Since they don’t play together on the power play, I’m a little hesitant to use them, but their price tag and value is hard to beat. If you want to get some exposure to this game but can’t afford to pay up for the big boys, go with Perreault & Ehlers.

On the back end, Dustin Byfuglien ($6300) is always a good play. He’s expensive, but “Big Buff” is like having another forward in your lineup. If you can’t find a way to fit him in, Jacob Trouba ($3900) is a good second option to go with. He’s seeing some time on the second power play unit and has racked up 22 blocked shots in his last ten games.

Los Angeles Kings @ Edmonton Oilers

If you’re worried about playing the Kings on back-to-back nights, go back and watch how easy it was for them to beat the Vancouver Canucks. Los Angeles leads the Pacific Division with 46 points—nine ahead of the second place Arizona Coyotes—and should have no problem picking apart a weak Edmonton Oilers defense.

With the status of Jeff Carter still up in the air, the Kings new top line consists of Milan Lucic ($4600), Tyler Toffoli ($5700) and Anze Kopitar ($5300). If you can afford it, stack the entire line. Toffoli is coming off a hat trick, while Kopitar finished with four assists. Toffoli doesn’t play on the top power play unit with Lucic & Kopitar, but that’s a small price to pay for a player that has 17 goals so far this season.

On the back end, Drew Doughty ($5500), Jake Muzzin ($4400) and Alec Martinez ($4100) are all players that I like tonight. Doughty and Muzzin play together on the top power play unit, but Muzzin and Martinez play together five-on-five. If you have the budget, go with Doughty, but if you can’t find a way to get him in there, go with Muzzin.

In goal, Jhonas Enroth ($7100) is likely to get the start tonight since Jonathan Quick played yesterday. For those of you who think that’s a downgrade, Enroth has a 1.90 GAA and a .939 SV% in six starts this season. His last start against Toronto wasn’t very good, but I don’t see him giving up five goals to the Oilers like he did against the Leafs. From a value perspective, let’s hope Enroth gets the start.

Player Rankings

Rankings are price sensitive

Forwards

1. Sean Monahan—Calgary Flames–$5800
2. Anze Kopitar—Los Angeles Kings–$5300
3. Bryan Little—Winnipeg Jets–$5500
4. Jason Spezza—Dallas Stars–$5800
5. Patrice Bergeron—Boston Bruins–$7200
6. Tyler Seguin—Dallas Stars–$8400
7. Mathieu Perreault—Winnipeg Jets–$4100
8. John Tavares—New York Islanders–$7700

Wingers

1. Johnny Gaudreau—Calgary Flames–$7000 (must play)
2. Tyler Toffoli—Los Angeles Kings–$5700
3. Valeri Nichushkin—Dallas Stars–$3700
4. Patrick Kane—Chicago Blackhawks–$8600
5. Blake Wheeler—Winnipeg Jets–$6900
6. Jamie Benn—Dallas Sars–$8500
7. Mike Cammalleri—New Jersey Devils–$5500
8. Brad Marchand—Boston Bruins–$6400

 Defenseman

1. Jake Muzzin—Los Angeles Kings–$4400
2. Zdeno Chara—Boston Bruins–$5200
3. Duncan Keith—Chicago Blackhawks–$5500
4. Oliver Ekman-Larsson—Arizona Coyots–$5300
5. Dustin Byfuglien—Winnipeg Jets–$6300
6. Drew Doughty—Los Angeles Kings–$5500
7. Erik Karlsson—Ottawa Senators–$7600
8. John Klingberg—Dallas Stars–$5900

Goalie

1. Corey Schneider—New Jersey Devils–$7700
2. Antti Niemi—Dallas Stars–$7000
3. Jhonas Enroth—Los Angeles Kings–$7100
4. Jake Allen—St.Louis Blues–$7600
5. Jonathan Bernier—Toronto Maple Leafs–$6800

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