Thursday's main NHL slate on DraftKings carries 11 games, from VAN @ WPG to NSH @ COL, with a $50,000 salary cap. Lock is 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT), so there is a full afternoon to settle on a build.
Our model's ranking leans heavily on EDM. Connor McDavid is $9,500 with a 38.2 ceiling, the highest on the board. Leon Draisaitl is $8,500 with a 35.5 ceiling, and Evan Bouchard is $7,500 with a 34.4 ceiling, the best number among the defensemen. Kyle Connor of WPG sits just behind Bouchard at $7,300 and a 34.2 ceiling, a cheaper way into the top tier of forwards. In goal, Matt Tomkins of EDM is $8,000 with a 30.5 ceiling and a 21.4 DraftKings average, while Michael DiPietro of BOS is $7,800 with a 30.2 ceiling.
The value plays start with Roman Josi of NSH at $6,000, who carries a 29.6 ceiling. That is a ceiling close to goalie territory at a defenseman price well below the stars. Brandon Hagel of TBL is $7,600 with a 31.4 ceiling, which makes him a mid-priced option on a slate where salary is tight at the top.
The fact sheet gives no ownership figures for this slate, so we will not guess where the crowd lands. One thing worth knowing: several goalies carry DraftKings status tags, including Devon Levi and Frederik Andersen of EDM, Joonas Korpisalo and Igor Shesterkin of NYR, Sam Montembeault of MTL and Thatcher Demko of VAN, all tagged IR, and John Gibson of DET tagged OUT. Dylan Larkin of DET is also tagged IR.
Our model's top lineup uses the full $50,000. It starts with C Mason McTavish at $4,900 and C Roope Hintz at $4,800, then W Kyle Connor at $7,300, W Artturi Lehkonen at $5,700 and W Arseny Gritsyuk at $4,700. On defense it pairs Evan Bouchard at $7,500 with Nils Lundkvist at $2,500, and it rolls with Matt Tomkins at $8,000 in goal. Charlie Coyle at $4,600 fills the UTIL spot.
Lineups lock Thursday at 7:00 p.m. ET.
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