NHL Building Blocks – February 29
Leap Day! Let’s dive in!
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 – February 29
The Goalie: Pyotr Kochetkov ($8200 DK / $8200 FD)
Solid play overall here against a Blue Jackets team that just played last night and that has had trouble scoring for most of the season. Columbus averages under three goals per game, while Carolina is one of the best defensive teams in the league (sixth in GAA and third in penalty killing). Kochetkov seems to be making a case for the #1 spot in net and has been playing very well lately, winning five of his last seven starts with two shutouts, both against high-upside offenses in Florida and New Jersey.
The Center: Nathan Mackinnon ($10300 DK/ $10900 FD)
Three goals (38 shots!) and six assists in his last five games and is at 98 points on the season in just 60 games. Chicago won’t have an answer for him at all tonight.
The Wing: Matthew Tkachuk ($7500 DK/ $9000 FD)
Love the spot for him against a team that just bleeds shots on goal. Three goals and five assists in his last five and is averaging just under four shots per game.
The Defenseman: Shea Theodore ($6200 DK / $7000 FD)
Eight assists in 22 minutes of ice time per game in the four games back from injury and looks like the best defenseman on the team; will be needed against a tough Bruins squad.
The Value: Todd Bertuzzi ($3800 DK / $4400 FD)
L2/PP1 and in a good spot; four goals in his L5.
The Stack: COL1 (Mackinnon-Rantanen-Lehkonen-Makar)
Has some of the highest upside on this slate facing the lowly Blackhawks. Colorado averages 3.65 goals per game, second best in the league, and there shouldn’t be any reason why they can’t match that against one of the league’s worst defenses (and a team that’s lost 12 of its past 13 games).
The Builder: COL/FLA 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
