Teams are dropping like flies as the first round comes to a close. The Hurricanes, Blue Jackets, and Coyotes have been eliminated as the Canadiens barely held on to survive another day. Both games today have the potential to send a team packing and will be full of high intensity battles. Stay tuned for our top picks.
One of the big storylines to follow in the Stars and Flames saga is the absence of Matthew Tkachuk. He has had an undisclosed injury that has left him in the stands for the last three games. Watch this situation closely and capitalize on it if he sits another game. Tobias Rieder ($2,900 DK, $3,400 FD)has moved up to the second line with Backlund and Mangiapane. He scored a shorthanded goal two games ago and will look to capitalize on the extra minutes.
Goaltending DFS Picks For 8/20/20
As usual our two biggest tickets are goalies. With only four to choose from we have a tough task ahead of us. With Tkachuk likely still out and the Flames not finding their firepower check out Anton Khudobin ($8,100 DK, $8,600 FD). He has been steadfast in net while Ben Bishop has had to attend to injuries of his own. The Flames will give him everything they have but we believe he is up to the challenge.
Round two in the attempt to take down the Capitals begins tonight. Will Semyon Varlamov ($7,900 DK, $8,200 FD) be able to land a knockout blow? We think he can do it. Ovechkin did what Ovechkin does last game but he is not getting the support he needs from their other goal scorers. If the Islanders can figure out a way to reduce the danger of his shots they will see the light of the second round.
Center DFS Picks For 8/20/20
Mat Barzal ($6,800 DK, $6,500 FD) is all over the ice every time he jumps over the boards. The speedy youngster wants it more than anyone else out there. He is knocking on the door to superstardom and may kick it open tonight. Don’t blink or you might miss it.
For someone who is only a game removed from scoring a hat trick Joe Pavelski ($4,800 DK, $5,400 FD) is very modestly priced. The Stars wanted extra veteran presence in front of the net and they got it. Pavelski has a way of finding the back of the net that few others possess. His willingness to stand in the line of fire and then redirect that fire into the back of the net with a perfectly placed stick is a thing of beauty. He will be unwavering tonight.
Winger DFS Picks For 8/20/20
With only two games tonight there is extra cash to spend. There is no reason not to splurge on Alexander Ovechkin ($8,500 DK, $8,700 FD) who can put the entire team on his back if he so chooses. We still favor the Islanders over the course of the game but if the last one is any indication Ovechkin will be teeing up shot after shot and putting his body in front of whatever the Islanders send his way.
We do not tend towards stacks here too often but we do like Pavelski’s linemate Denis Gurianov ($3,800 DK, $4,100 FD) for the savings. He is a top prospect in the Stars organization and has two goals in this series. He is a bit of a sleeper pick but the kid is going places.
Defencemen DFS Picks For 8/20/20
One of the few Capitals to be consistent in scoring points is John Carlson ($6,700 DK, $6,600 FD). He has been involved in almost every point they scored in this series. He may not have scored any goals but as a premier defenseman he is still getting you extra points with blocked shots and shots on goal. He will be the quarterback on the power play and will likely be inflating his shot totals tonight. Washington is going to need all the offense it can get and will look to their blue line to find it.
Back to the coin flip that is the Dallas Stars defense. Right now the top pairing and top power play belong to John Klingberg ($5,400 DK, $5,800 FD) who scored the game winning goal in the last game against the Flames. After he missed a lot of time early in the season due to injury Klingberg has reasserted himself as the number one guy in Dallas.
Avoid DFS Picks For 8/20/20
Johnny Gaudreau seems snake bitten and frustrated out there right now. When he is on he is on but is one of the most streaky players in the NHL. Will he be on tonight? We have no idea. He may help out with some shots on goal but we are going to put him on the back burner today with some of the other big guns available.
There are only two games tonight so soak it up while you can. The schedule will be full again in a few days so stay focused, get those picks in, and have a blast.
