DraftKings NHL Head-to-Head Picks : Thursday, December 1st
By maxeernst, Last Updated 12 minutes ago (DK Premium)

Every day when the NHL schedule features two or more games, you can find expert picks for tournaments on Draftkings below. These position-by-position picks come with insight and analysis to help you learn the reasoning behind the selections.
Goaltender

Braden Holtby – Washington Capitals – $8,500
The Washington Capitals host the New York Islanders tonight, who will be playing on the back-to-back. Washington is one of the best teams in the NHL and I expect them to dominate the lowly Islanders tonight. Braden Holtby is a very strong choice for your cash game goaltender as he is likely to emerge with the victory and plays behind a solid defense, particularly so on home ice. When playing 5v5 at home, Washington is eighth-best in the NHL in xGA/60 and seventh-best in SCA/60. The Capitals are also 8-3-0 on home ice this year. The Islanders aren’t an atrocious offensive club (like they are on the defensive side of the puck), but you have to like Washington’s chances of shutting them down given that New York is on the back-to-back. Washington is a massive Vegas favorite in this game, in case you needed the extra confidence boost.
Top Mid-Range Play: Jake Allen (STL)
Top Value Play: Ryan Miller (VAN)
Center

Anze Kopitar – Los Angeles Kings – $5,600
Despite the fact that they will be playing on the back-to-back and on the road tonight, the Los Angeles Kings get the luxury of facing the NHL’s worst defensive team tonight in the Arizona Coyotes. Arizona may have stifled the San Jose Sharks offense last time out, but don’t be alarmed—-they are still atrocious at preventing goals. Arizona remains last in the NHL in 5v5 score and venue adjusted xGA/60 and SCA/60 both by a significant margin. As @JayWilly noted earlier in the week, they are actually historically bad defensively. Anze Kopitar hasn’t been particularly impressive since his return from injury last week, but we have the opportunity to roster him at a significantly depressed salary. Despite a slow start this year, one shouldn’t forget that Kopitar is nearly a point-per-game player over his career. Marian Gaborik started to see some time on Kopitar’s wing late in the game last night and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this duo reunited in short order. Obviously Jeff Carter is also in play at center for the Kings, but I prefer Kopitar in a point-per-dollar sense tonight against the Coyotes.
Top Overall Play: Sidney Crosby (PIT)
Other Mid-Range Plays: Alexander Steen (STL); Jeff Carter (LAK); Nicklas Backstrom (WAS); Mark Scheifele (WPG); Nathan MacKinnon (COL); Evgeni Malkin (PIT)
Top Value Plays: Bo Horvat (VAN); Nick Bonino (PIT)
Wing

Blake Wheeler – Winnipeg Jets – $6,300
Blake Wheeler has points in back-to-back games and gets a strong match-up tonight on home ice against an Edmonton Oilers team that is fourth-worst in the NHL in 5v5 score and venue adjusted xGA/60 and fifth-worst in similarly adjusted SCA/60. Wheeler shoots the puck with frequency and is reasonably priced given his floor and upside in this match-up. The return of Bryan Little to the lineup makes the Jets considerably more dangerous offensively and Wheeler has demonstrated a ton of chemistry with Little in the past. He’s going to generate plenty of shot attempts and Wheeler has mutli-point upside tonight.
Mike Hoffman – Ottawa Senators – $5,900
I’m not exactly sure how Mike Hoffman is still priced under $6k. Hoffman has nine points in his last 5 games including a hat trick performance last time out against the Buffalo Sabres. On the season, he has 16 points in 21 games and is averaging over three shots on goal per game. Much of Hoffman’s recent scoring surge has come while on a line with Derick Brassard and Mark Stone—-a highly talented trio that is capable of producing in any match-up. Though the Philadelphia Flyers have gotten some better goaltending lately (as was expected), they remain the eighth-worst team in the NHL in 5v5 score and venue adjusted xGA/60 and sixth-worst in similarly adjusted SCA/60. It feels a bit like chasing points with Hoffman, but the truth is that he still presents solid value at his salary given his shot volume and the match-up is decent.
Top Overall Play: Alex Ovechkin (WSH)
Other Mid-Range Plays: Marcus Johansson (WSH); Tyler Toffoli (LAK); Matt Duchene (COL); Phil Kessel (PIT); Jeff Skinner (CAR); Rick Nash (NYR); Nikolaj Ehlers (WPG); Mark Stone (OTT)
Top Value Play: Anthony Mantha (DET)
Defense

Drew Doughty – Los Angeles Kings – $5,300
I want to note that Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson are both stellar high priced options on the blueline tonight. That being said, it is unlikely you are going to be able to fit those guys in unless you make significant sacrifices at forward positions. In turn, I’m going to recommend a strong mid-range play here in Drew Doughty. As noted above (and in every article I’ve written for weeks), the Arizona Coyotes are terrible defensively. Doughty isn’t a particularly flashy offensive player, but he has a strong floor and solid upside in this match-up. Last night the Kings played Doughty on the top power-play unit alongside Anze Kopitar on the point with the full Jeff Carter, Tyler Toffoli, Tanner Pearson line. Considering the number of even strength minutes Doughty chews, combined with this elite power-play time, you have to like his chances of hitting the scoresheet against the Coyotes. Doughty actually has five points in his last five games as well.
Top Overall Plays: Kris Letang (PIT); Erik Karlsson (OTT)
Other Mid-Range Plays: Jake Muzzin (LAK); Dustin Byfuglien (WPG); Tyson Barrie (COL); Alex Pietrangelo (STL)
Top Value Plays: Ryan Sproul (DET); Yohann Auvitu (NJD); Chris Wideman (OTT)