This series uses the FantasyLabs Tools to analyze three key NHL players in the day’s slate. The series does not provide play or fade recommendations. It provides analysis.
Patrice Bergeron: Center, Bruins
The Boston Bruins were a period away from stealing both games in Ottawa, but the Senators rallied for three unanswered goals to win Game 2 in overtime. Bergeron, whose shots over the past month are in the 98th percentile, will be a popular option tonight as the Bruins own the highest implied total in the slate. Typically, power play centers have double the ownership as favorites (vs. dogs), but they don’t offer much of an edge in DraftKings Plus/Minus. This season, however, Bergeron has a +0.51 as a favorite vs. a -0.45 as an underdog. When the Bruins have been at home, favored, and implied for 2.8 to 3.0 goals, Bergeron has smashed value (per our Trends tool):
Unsurprisingly, Bergeron and his linemates make some strong stacks. With our Lineup Builder, it’s easy to incorporate stacks into DFS rosters, and Bergeron is currently one of our highest-rated players. (Pro subscribers can review the rest of our ratings in the Player Models.)
Bergeron: DFS Scouting Report
Shea Theodore: Defenseman, Ducks
The last time the Anaheim Ducks hit the ice (April 15), sharp high-stakes tournament players used Theodore as their top punt option (per our DFS Ownership Dashboard):
His ownership makes a lot more sense than his price. Of the six DraftKings skaters in the 85th percentile in both shots and blocks over the past month, Theodore is the cheapest by $1,400. This season the Calgary Flames have surrendered 3.38 power plays per game — the second-highest mark in the league — and Theodore has taken Cam Fowler’s spot on the top PP unit for the Ducks. He’s thrived in an increased role, enjoying a major spike in peripheral stats at a discount. You could probably do worse than starting your cash lineup with Theodore, even though he’s on the road.
Corey Crawford: Goalie, Blackhawks
As a team, the Chicago Blackhawks have scored as many goals through two playoff games as FantasyLabs Editor-in-Chief Matthew Freedman. The last time they were shutout in back-to-back games was February 2015. There’s blood in the streets, as the No. 1 seed is down 0-2 to the Nashville Predators.
Crawford, is probably one of the best peripheral options tonight regardless of his .878 save percentage (dead last in the 2016-17 playoffs). Of the slate’s starting goaltenders, he is the only goalie both playing for a team top-10 in shots allowed and facing a team top-10 in shots on goal. The Blackhawks have also moved from a slight underdog to a slight favorite (per our Vegas Dashboard):
In a sample of 24 games, Crawford has a DraftKings Plus/Minus of +0.97 on the road vs. -0.54 at home when the Blackhawks have experienced comparable line movement. Given his Vegas situation and peripheral ceiling, Crawford could offer sharp value in guaranteed prize pools.
Good luck, and be sure to watch our FREE Eastern Conference and Western Conference editions of Inside the Lab on our Premium Content Portal!
