NHL Building Blocks – December 31
Last day of 2023. Watch some hockey before celebrating the new year (and be safe!).
The premise of each article in this series is to feature starting spots (building blocks) for your lines. These are plays that are cash-viable as well as GPP-worthy and can be considered in all contest formats.
Starting Lineup – DECEMBER 31
The Goalie: Scott Wedgewood ($8500 DK / $8600 FD)
Another great spot tonight as the Stars face the hapless Blackhawks who, aside from Connor Bedard, really have nothing going for them; they’ve lost seven of their last nine overall and are scoring the third-lowest goals per game in the league to go along with an abysmal 12.8% power play. Wedgewood (10-2-2 / 3.06 / .902) has been more than capable as he fills in for Oettinger during the latter’s injury absence, and he’s been buoyed by a solid defense led by a top-three penalty kill, so if the Stars can limit their mistakes, he could be in line for a strong showing.
The Center: Nathan Mackinnon ($9900 DK / $10400 FD)
Outside of Matthews, possibly the hottest scorer in hockey at the moment with points in 19 of his last 20 games (19 in a row until last time out) and has moved up to second in the league in scoring. Gets the lowly Sharks tonight and should have ample opportunity to add to his points total.
The Wing: Jason Robertson ($7000 DK / $8200 FD)
Great price for his upside in a very good spot against a bad Chicago defense (second half of a home-and-home); feels like the offensive breakout is here (10 points in his past eight games, including five games in a row); two assists last game versus the Blackhawks.
The Defenseman: Rasmus Dahlin ($6600 DK / $8100 FD)
One of the best and most consistent floors in the league as he does it all (29 points in 36 games; also 70 blocks and 104 shots in 25 minutes of ice time); good spot tonight.
The Value: Jonathan Drouin ($3300 DK / $4600 FD)
L2 but centering PP1 with the big boys, and in this matchup, he’s definitely worth a look. 16 points in 34 seeing mostly second-line work in his first season in Colorado. Stack or one-off.
The Stack: COL1
Perhaps the best matchup on paper for the Avs tonight as they get the lowly Sharks who are close to if not at the bottom of most major defensive categories. Colorado is scoring the second most goals per game in the league (3.61) while San Jose allows over four per game, dead last in the league. Mackinnon had his 19-game point streak snapped last game, and this offense is deadly with him, Rantanen, and Makar leading the way. Mix and match these three and Nichushkin; Drouin is a nice one-off or secondary piece.
The Builder: COL/EDM ML parlay
Nathan MacKinnon, No. 29, and his Colorado Avalanche teammates celebrate his goal in the second period of Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Tampa, Fla., on Sunday.Julio Aguilar / Getty Images
