Squad Up Daily NHL Fantasy Dose: The Avalanche will be seeing Stars

April 8, 2017 James Bisson Leave a comment

Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.

Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for the 11-game main slate on Saturday, April 8 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):

Dynamic Duos

C Tyler Seguin (94K) and LW Jamie Benn (88K), Stars (vs. Avalanche): Yet another disappointing season draws to a close for the Stars, who will look to take out the frustration of missing the playoffs out on the visiting Avalanche. Seguin and Benn carry plenty of risk given their sky-high salaries, but Colorado is the worst team in the NHL by a considerable margin. Look for the Dallas duo to do significant damage.

C Sidney Crosby (73K) and LW Conor Sheary (42K), Penguins (at Maple Leafs): When you can get Crosby for less than 75K, you do it, no matter what. The franchise center has 54 points in 36 career points against the Maple Leafs, and is a near-cinch to add to that total with the Penguins' offense humming in the final week of the regular season. Sheary is significantly underpriced as Crosby's primary left winger.

LW Henrik Zetterberg (66K) and RW Gustav Nyqvist (63K), Red Wings (vs. Canadiens): With Montreal having clinched top spot in the Atlantic Division, the Canadiens are rolling with unheralded netminder Charlie Lindgren in their regular-season finale. The Red Wings are shuttering Joe Louis Arena after this weekend, and will look to give their fans a few extra positive memories. Zetterberg and Nyquist are pricey, but safe.

Goalie Breakdown

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

TARGET - Jaroslav Halak (106K), Islanders (at Devils): The Islanders remain alive in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, albeit by the slimmest of margins. Halak is coming off a 29-save shutout of the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, and has surrendered two or fewer goals in each of his past five games. Given the magnitude of the game, you should expect the best of Halak on Saturday.

BARGAIN - Connor Hellebyuck (91K), Jets (vs. Predators): This might not seem like much of a bargain, but with 15 goaltenders carrying higher salaries, Hellebuyck is actually reasonably priced Saturday. The 23-year-old has won four of his last five decisions and stopped 29 of 31 shots against Ottawa last time out. The Predators scored five goals on him in mid-March, but at the very least he's a solid candidate for 30+ saves.

FADE - Frederik Andersen (124K), Maple Leafs (vs. Penguins): If the Maple Leafs are to end their lengthy playoff drought with a victory over Pittsburgh, they'll likely have to score a bunch of goals to do it. Andersen has allowed four goals in two of his last three starts, and has faced 83 shots in two meetings with the Penguins this season. At this price, he's the easiest fade recommendation of the night.

CONTRARIAN - Charlie Lindgren (75K), Canadiens (at Red Wings): It's unlikely most daily fantasy players will anchor their lineups with a netminder who has played just one game this season. But Lindgren was sensational in his only NHL action, turning aside 32 of 33 shots in a win over Florida on Monday. Detroit has struggled to produce offense this season, which puts Lindgren in decent position to return value.

Bargain Plays

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

C Mikko Koivu (38K), Wild (at Coyotes): Koivu represents tremendous value here, but there's a caveat: The veteran center was given the night off Thursday, so make sure he is reinserted into the lineup before locking him in. If he does return, he has a plus matchup against a Coyotes team that has struggled to prevent goals all season. Koivu has a pair of assists in two meetings with Phoenix in 2016-17.

RW Brock Boeser (27K), Canucks (vs. Oilers): Boeser has made a nice early impression on Canucks fans, scoring three goals and adding an assist over his first seven NHL games. He has a plum spot on the second line alongside Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi, and also sees time on the first power-play unit. You won't find a player in a better position at this price, so roster him if you're looking to spend up at other spots.

D Jason Demers (25K), Panthers (vs. Sabres): Most daily fantasy players either spend up for a top blue-line option, or look for the biggest discount they can get. Demers fits the latter bill, as he sees first-pairing minutes alongside Keith Yandle and is also a part of the second power-play unit. He has a good matchup against visiting Buffalo, and the savings will allow you to roster some heavy hitters.

Top Fades

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

C Vincent Trocheck (66K), Panthers (vs. Sabres): There's no good reason to roster a struggling Trocheck, who comes into this one having recorded just four point over his last 12 games. His other stats haven't been that good, either; he's a minus-6 through three games this month and has just eight shots over that span. On a slate this large, you have plenty of superior options at center.

RW Jordan Eberle (59K), Oilers (at Canucks): A number of Oilers players are enjoying sensational seasons - but for some reason, Eberle isn't one of them. Eberle is headed for a career low in ice time per game, and his point total reflects Edmonton's reduced reliance on him. And while he's far more successful on the road than at home, at this salary, you simply can't trust him to produce.

D Tyson Barrie (43K), Avalanche (at Stars): Barrie's struggles reflect the Avalanche's season-long doldrums; he has just one goal and 17 assists with an astonishing minus-42 rating in 58 losses this season. With the Stars heavily favored in this one, Barrie is likely headed for yet another disappointing performance. His salary won't necessarily break your team, but you can do much better at his price point.

Contrarian Options