The last day of play-in games is upon us and it has been a truly wild ride. There have been major upsets with perennial Cup contenders the Pittsburgh Penguins losing to upstarts Montreal Canadiens. It was another year of missed expectations for an Edmonton Oilers team that had the chance to make a deep run. With the narrowed field though means more intense competition. We will keep you abreast of the juiciest matchups and make sure you know who to keep your eye on.
Today’s free sleeper pick comes from the Dallas Stars. Roope Hintz ($4,200) has quietly emerged as the Stars number one centerman. This is a guy who scores more goals than he does assists which is a rarity in this league. He is flanked by Tyler Seguin ($6,000) and Jamie Benn ($5,300) who are great goal scorers on their own and will be all be looking to dish it to each other as they try and peel apart the St. Louis Blues defense. We have a bunch more surprising picks for you today. Find out who they are behind our paywall ($14.95 per week is our entry level fee).
Goaltending DFS Picks For August 9, 2020
The Boston Bruins will have their hands full with elite goal scorer Alex Ovechkin but their system is designed to reduce his chances. Tuukka Rask ($7,800) enjoyed one of the lowest goals against average in the regular season earning him a nod for the Vezina Trophy. He is protected up front by big man Zdeno Chara and the young stallion Charley McAvoy. Boston really wants a win in the round robin after finishing the season as the best team in the NHL. Look for it to happen today.
We do like the top line of the Dallas Stars and see them having success tonight however it will probably not be enough to stop Jordan Binnington ($8,000) and the St. Louis Blues. This is a similar situation to the Bruins where one of the best teams has not seen the success they wanted as they get back into things. They are thirsty for a win and will not hold back.
Center DFS Picks For August 9, 2020
We went all in the other day on a couple of the Toronto Maple Leafs wingers and they came through big. Today look to the top of the pyramid and spend what you have on Auston Matthews ($8,300). He is the top ranked DFS center today because he is a prolific scorer. He is the cream of the crop in the Leafs high flying offense and they want to make a deep run this year.
If you are looking to save a little to pay for Auston then consider picking up Ryan O’Reilly. He is the Conn Smythe winner from last years Stanley Cup run and has the wingers he needs to succeed. We wish they scored faceoff wins as he is one of the top players in the faceoff circle but it still leads to increased opportunities when he wins those battles.
Winger DFS Picks For August 9, 2020
Our top winger today is David Pastrnak ($7,700) who tied for the most goals in the regular season with Alex Ovechkin ($8,200) save that $500 and invest it elsewhere. We already know it is going to be very difficult for Ovi to score and on the other end of the ice Braden Holtby does not look like the goalie he once was. The Bruins top line is going to come out shooting and those shots will likely come from Pastrnak.
We don’t know if Pierre-Luc DuBois can manage another hat trick today but we do know his right hand man Cam Atkinson ($5,400) is going to do everything he can to make it happen. The Blue Jackets sense a weak Toronto team and are hoping to bring playoff fever to Columbus fans. This is the line to watch today.
Defencemen DFS Picks For August 9, 2020
The Blues keep putting the puck on Colton Parayko’s ($5,500) stick. He has been their top point getting defenseman in the round robin series and we expect that to stay the case. We like captain Pietrangelo but at $6,200 we think there are savings and value to be had. Put that $700 to use elsewhere.
One of the defensemen of the future Seth Jones ($5,800) has his work cut out for him. The Blue Jackets will be missing Zach Werenski who went and got an MRI yesterday to determine the extent of an injury sustained earlier in the week. Their coach John Tortorella will be sending extra responsibility Jones’ way and we think he will rise to the occasion.
Avoid DFS Picks For August 9, 2020
The game with the least predictability today is going to have the tilt between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs staged a crazy comeback to score three goals in the third to help them get a round robin win. Stay away from Freddie Andersen their goalie as this one might be another high scoring affair. He may pull off a win but the question is at what cost?
Have fun out there and get yourself ready for the next round.
