If you're going to win in daily fantasy hockey on Draftstreet, you need to look for any advantage you can grab when setting your lineup.  One aspect that tends to be overlooked is targeting teams.  This works in both directions:  rostering players on hot teams and players who are facing a weak opposition.  This week, I'll break down the latest trends on both sides of the equation, and highlight a handful of players to keep an eye on there.

Hot Teams

Dallas Stars

Easily the most shocking stat of the year to this point has the Dallas Stars sitting on top of the NHL standings.  I personally picked Dallas to miss the playoffs this season.  The team is on a roll, and more importantly to daily fantasy players, the Stars are racking up the goals.  They've potted 5 or more in the past 3 games.  In fact, you have to go back to Oct. 22nd to find a game where they registered less than 3 goals.  The loss of Brad Richards hasn't hindered this offense one bit, as they're getting plenty of punch of front from their top line of Benn, Erikkson and Ryder.  Add in the triumphant return of Souray, and you've got a team worth looking at (at least for now).

Jamie Benn (LW) - $15k

Benn's value has steadily risen to the point where he may be too expensive to consider; however, he has earned every bit of it so far.  I expect him to keep up this pace all year long.  No fluke here.

Loui Eriksson (RW) - $13.4k

I was high on Eriksson all last season, when he was generally undervalued on Draftstreet.  8 goals in 14 games has him on the radar this time around.  Still, he's providing decent return for his salary at this point.  Look for the goals to keep rolling in.

Michael Ryder (RW) - $10k

Ryder is red hot right now, enjoying his time with Benn and Eriksson.  He's gone through hot stretches in the past with some of his former squads.  He's also shown long periods of indifference.  For the time being, you can cash in on his low cap hit, but keep an eye on his playing time and who he's playing with.  If he gets shifted back to the 2nd line, he's not worth a look.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Despite going with 1/3 of their star centers on any given night, the Pens have registered 3 or more goals in the last 8 games.  It seems we're on the verge of a Crosby return, which should have ripple effects throughout the Penguin lineup.  Tyler Kennedy may also be back in uniform soon.   With Staal also on the mend, we could be seeing the big 3 suited up together for the first time in years.  While that may mean less production from Staal, it's good news for the wingers in Pittsburgh.

James Neal (LW) - $11.9k

Despite racking up 9 goals in 15 games playing with a mismatch of centers thus far, Neal remains dramatically undervalued on Draftstreet.  With a steady helping of Malkin and/or Crosby in the middle, don't expect this deal to last long.  He'll be pushing $14k by Thanksgiving.

Tyler Kennedy

Assuming Kennedy is back to full health, he's another who stands to benefit greatly from a full Penguins lineup.  He's the most trigger happy guy in Pittsburgh and is capable of putting those shots behind the goalie on a regular basis.

Sidney Crosby (C ) - ???

No telling where his cap hit will land when he shows up for selection on Draftstreet.  Whatever it is, he'll be worth the price.

Washington Capitals

No huge surprise that the Caps are near the top of the league in goal scoring this season.  It seems that some of the stars who seemed to fall asleep last season have woken up, and it goes far beyond the obvious Ovechkin.  There is the notable exception of Alex Semin, who has emerged as the most enigmatic player in the league.  (Don't expect him to finish the season in D.C.). 

Nicklas Backstrom (C )

Backstrom is back in the form that saw him top 100 points just 2 season ago.  He has 9 points in his last 5 games and is challenging for the league lead in scoring.  Use him whenever possible at this point.

Mike Green (D) - $11.1k

Green's health is certainly a concern, so keep a close eye on those injury reports.  And his cap hit is a bit much for a defenseman, but if you find yourself with some wiggle room on defense, he seems to be back to giving full value.  In his prime, Green provides offense like a forward.  He has almost a point a game so far, and is back on pace for double digits in goals this time around.

John Carlson (D)

If you're looking for a more reasonably priced alternative to Mike Green on defense, give strong consideration to Carlson.  He started the season out slowly, but has found his form with points in 3 straight games.

Opponents to Target

Prey on the weak.  It's a solid strategy if you plan to win on Draftstreet.  There are certain teams that consistently provide a feeding ground for fantasy forwards.  Here are a few to target against.  Watch who they're playing and full your lineup with the opposition.  For Thursday's action, I will highlight a name or two to consider for the feast.

Columbus Bluejackets

53 goals against.  Only Ottawa has allowed more goals this season.  There's no end in sight to the misery on display in central Ohio and you should take full advantage.  The Hawks get their chance to pick at the carnage tonight, and coming off a frustrating blanking in St. Louis, you can bet they'll be motivated to run it up.  Any of the big four are worth targeting this evening (Kane, Sharp, Hossa, Toews).   The Jackets are equally pathetic on offense, so Corey Crawford is also worth a look in net for tonight.

Tampa Bay Lightning

You can bet that if the Lightning are in the building, the goal judge (if such a thing still exists) will be busy on both ends of the rink.  They have plenty of weapons to score, but they do so at the expense of defense.  Goaltending in Tampa is among the worst in the league, regardless of what you may remember from last spring's playoff run.   The Lightning aren't active tonight, so you'll have to wait for Saturday to feed on this mess.   They'll face the Blues, who will be motivated to impress new coach Hitchcock.  Target Chris Stewart in that game.

Carolina Hurricanes

Despite having one of the most talented goalies in the game, the Canes just aren't getting the job done on defense this season.  Instead of solidifying the back end this summer, they went out and added the aging power play specialist Tomas Kaberle to replace Corvo.  The results have been predictably unimpressive, with Kaberle producing just 3 assists to go with a -5 rating (which actually looks stellar when compared to the -16 that captain Eric Staal is currently plagued with).   Carolina is also off this evening, but look ahead to Saturday when they host the Penguins in what should be an ugly result on the scoresheet.

Winnepeg Jets

Hey, at least they have a team, right?  Things have actually started to turn around a bit on defense, after a horrific start to the season.  Since the 9-8 "victory" over the Flyers a couple weeks back, they've flirted with being mediocre on defense.  However, this is still a team you can hope to profit against on a nightly basis.  They host the Panthers tonight, who have been surging recently.  Look to add Tomas Fleischmann and possibly Stephen Weiss or Kris Versteeg to your lineup this evening.

Toronto Mapleleafs

Since Reimer went down to injury, the numbers have taken a turn for the ugly in Toronto.  Gustavsson just isn't getting the job done.  The Leafs have surrendered 12 goals over the last two games.  They face St. Louis tonight.  Again, I'm looking at Chris Stewart, who just snapped a goal-less draught, to have a big game.

Tonight's Lineup on Draftstreet

I'm taking my own advice on a handful of these picks.  Goalie selection is between Halak, Backstrom, and Crawford.  The first two are coming off shutouts on Tuesday night.  Crawford gets to face a weak Columbus offense.  All three should get a win this evening.  Halak is by far the cheapest option.

For more insight into daily fantasy sports, check out more of my posts on http://www.Rotogrinders.com.

Also, if you want to try daily fantasy hockey on Draftstreet, use the promo code "LANDSHARK" for a bonus on your deposit.

http://www.draftstreet.com/register.aspx?r=LANDSHARK

Saturday means a full slate of contests for the NHL.  11 games to be exact.  Which means plenty of large contests to choose from on Fanduel.  To get you ready for the action, here is your Fantasy Hockey Planner.

Who's Hot

Teemu Selanne (ANA)

Selanne continues to defy father time.  At age 41, he remain one of the most lethal threats in the league.  He's on another hot streak right now, having registered 11 points in the last 6 games for the Ducks.  He'll cost you at $8,300, but at the moment, he's giving you your money's worth.

Scott Hartnell (PHI)

Since replacing JVR on the top line with Giroux and Jagr, Scott Hartnell is playing like a new man.  He has 2 goals and 4 assists in 3 games.  Honestly, there are 8 guys on the Flyers lineup who would produce at this level on a line with those two guys.  As long as Hartnell holds the sweet spot, he's worth a look.  If he loses that spot, forget about him.

Clarke MacArthur (TOR)

MacArthur qualifies as a value pick at the bargain price of $6k.  He's on a roll with 4 goals and 1 assist in the past 3 games.

Tomas Fleischmann (FLA)

Fleischmann just continues to overachieve.  Or maybe we're just setting the bar too low.  Over the past year, he's paced near a point a game for 3 different NHL teams, yet he continues to get very little press or respect in the fantasy world.  He's earning top line minutes with the Panthers now, and is red hot.  He's a deal at $6,600.

Radim Vrbata (PHO)

2 goals and 3 assists in the past two games, makes him worth a look in the short term.  Another value pick under $7k at the moment.  Vrbata has shown flashes of brilliance in the past, so don't write him off as a fluke on the hot list.

Jason Garrison (D-FLA)

Garrison entered the season as an unknown quantity on the Florida defense not known for putting up points.  He has goals in 3 straight games, giving him 5 already on the season.  He's valued at just $4,800 for now.

Carey Price (G-MON)

Price is 3-0 in his past 3 games with a 1.33 GAA and a .950 save percentage.  This is a major turn around from how he started the season. 

Who's Cold

Johan Franzen (DET)

One of the streakiest guys in hockey.  Following points in 4 straight, he's gone 5 now without a single point on the board.  That may just mean he's due for a 4-goal game any day now.

Gabriel Landeskog (COL)

Just one assists in his last 3 games.  Don't be surprised to see this kind of up and down behavior from the rookie throughout the year.

Jonathan Toews (CHI)

When you're paying top dollar for a forward, you expect more production than this.  He has just 1 assist in the last 4 games.

Lubomir Visnovsky (D-ANA)

Five games.  Zero points. 

Henrik Lundqvist (G-NYR)

It's been 6 games since the Rangers have gotten a win out Lundqvist.  He's sat twice in the span and has allowed 4 goals in each of his last two games.

Who's Hurt

Duncan Keith (D-CHI)

Keith is questionable at this point with an upper body injury.

Mike Fisher (NAS)

Fisher missed the early part of the season, then came out on fire, then was hurt again.  He's day to day with an upper body injury.

Evgeni Nabokov (NYI)

The injury woes never seem to leave the Islanders crease.  After a hot start, Nabokov fell with a lower body injury.  He's on the shelf for now.

Andrei Markov (D-MON)

Word is, Markov started skating again.  Stay tuned for info on his return.

Danny Briere (PHI)

Briere was operating at a point-a-game pace before going down with an upper body injury.  He remain day-to-day.

Jordan Staal (PIT)

Malkin is back, which means another star center in Pittsburgh needs to take an injury time out.  No word on a return date for Staal at this point.

Value Picks of the Week

Here are some guys currently undervalued on Fanduel that you should cash in on in the short term:

Joffrey Lupul (TOR)

Lupul is playing at a point-a-game pace and remains a great deal at $6k. He just potted his first hat trick of the season. The hockey world has waited for the breakout of Lupul for several years now.  We may finally be seeing that.

Taylor Hall (EDM)

It's got to be a matter of time before he gets respect on the salary front.  Until then, take full advantage.  He's lingering at a mere $6,100.

Milan Michalek (OTT)

$6,200 is a good price to pay for a winger with 8 goals and 13 points in 13 games.

For more on daily fantasy hockey, check out my articles on the Fanduel Insider at http://www.fanduel.com/insider

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I've had a few weeks now to get settled in to hockey life on Daily Joust.  I've found that putting together a quality lineup can be quite a challenge on a nightly basis, as the salaries closely line up with true value.  You really have to dig deep and  dissect the options to come up with some value picks.  I've done just that.  Here are some of the best players to target in terms of maximum return on your dollar. 

CENTER (45k to 204k range)

Evgeni Malkin (PIT) - 121k

Of course, it's critical to monitor his injury status from game to game, but if you know he's in the lineup, you can't beat the price.  Malkin will delivery a point-per-game all season long and will pad your fantasy stats with plenty of shots on goal.

Ryan Kesler (VAN) - 130k

Kesler offers the complete package when it comes to fantasy value.   He sputtered a little, following his initial return from injury, but it looks like he's starting to find his form lately.  His salary will only go up from here.

Steven Stamkos (TB) - 167k

Yes, he's approaching the higher end of the salary structure, but I still view him as being undervalued at this point.  He hasn't given us everything he has to offer yet.  Once he gets clicking, this youngster can rack up the points.  Buy low.

Bargain Bin:

• Cody Hodgson (VAN) - 58k -- future star for the Canucks can provide enough for a bargain price
• Anthony Stewart (CAR) - 46k -- if you're really struggling to make cap, Stewart at least has a chance to score

LEFT WING (45k to 202k)

Henrik Zetterberg (DET) - 79k

It's been a tough start for the superstar in Detroit, but make no mistake, he will recover.  There's nobody even near his talent level under 80k.  I'm taking him until his stock price rebounds.

Alex Burrows (VAN) - 87k

Burrows is the classic underrated winger.  While things haven't gone to plan thus far in Vancouver, you can bet it's just a matter of time before they get turned around.  Include Burrows in that narrative.  He'll get close to 30 goals this season.  I like the price at 87k.

James Neal (PIT)  - 128k

Challenging for the league lead in goal scoring through the first month hasn't been enough to see his salary reach the elite.  Take him.  Your opponent will, I guarantee.

Bargain Bin:

• David Booth (VAN) - 45k -- Booth just arrived on the scene, so give him some grace time to start clicking.  He's a former 30 goal scorer, and can be again.  No better option at the entry level price.

RIGHT WING (45k to 183k)

Tomas Fleischmann (FLA) - 96k

Fleischmann just continues to overachieve.  Or maybe we're just setting the bar too low.  Over the past year, he's paced near a point a game for 3 different NHL teams, yet he continues to get very little press or respect in the fantasy world.  He's earning top line minutes with the Panthers now, and is red hot.  Don't expect him to linger under 100k for long.

Claude Giroux (PHI) - 127k

You could price this guy at 180 and I'd still say buy.  127k is silly for the man who just may win the scoring title this season.  Think I'm nuts?  Watch him play.

Jeff Skinner (CAR) - 110k

Skinner has surpassed Staal as the weapon of choice in Carolina.  Few can match his speed and skill up front.  He's still flying under the radar, based his geography, but it's just a matter of time before he gets noticed.  110 is a deal.

No via bargain bin players on the right wing that I'd consider playing now.

DEFENSE

Joe Corvo (BOS) - 60k

Corvo's best days are probably behind him, but at 60k, it's hard to find better value. 

Kevin Bieksa (VAN) - 88k

Bieksa got off to a nasty start, but has started to right the ship on the Vancouver blue line.  He registered two points against the Caps over the weekend and has shots in all but 1 game so far this year.  Just a matter of time before that cannon finds the cage.

James Wisniewski (COB) - 75k

I guess the suspension reigned in his IPO on daily joust.  Don't forget, he was  top 10 last season among defensemen.  Despite the missing games, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him land there again this season. 

Ryan Suter (NAS) - 75k

Suter will be better than the 6 game pointless streak would leave you to believe.  He has 3 assists in his last 2 games and should keep that rolling.  He plays nearly half the game for the Preds each night.

Bargain Bin:

• Jakub Kindl (DET) - 45k -- if you're desperate...
• Anton Babchuk (CGY) - 47k -- inconsistent, but capable of scoring goals in bunches

For more insight into fantasy hockey on Daily Joust - check out mine and other articles on the Daily Joust Blog (http://blog.dailyjoust.com/).

When you sign up for Daily Joust, use my refer code:  landsharkhockey

Dailyjoust.com recently kicked off their fantasy hockey offering.  By the looks of things, it's bound to be a success.  Between the live scoring features, original take on the goalie position, and a top notch user interface, many daily players should be flocking to the site this season.  Daily Joust also has a unique point scoring system that you need to get a grasp on in order to build the optimal roster.  So for those new to the site / sport, here's your 101 strategy on building a winning roster for Daily Joust hockey.

You have 9 roster spots to fill and $1 million in cap to spend.  That averages out to about $110k a player to spread out across your goalie, defense, and three forward positions.  But all positions are not created equally. 

GOALIE

Always start by selecting your goalie squad.  Daily Joust is unique in that you need not concern yourself with who is getting the start in net, as you're selecting a team, not a player.  Obviously there is a difference in quality between most starters and their respective backups, so you'll still want to stay somewhat informed before making your pick.  However, you won't get completely burned when Miller gets his off-night of rest.  In terms of scoring, the goalie position is potentially the most lucrative, and therefore, the most expensive.  Breaking it down by what you can expect based on performance:

• Great win (shutout): 50 pts
• Good win: 30 pts
• Avg loss: 1 pt
• Bad game: -8 pts

As you'll see in a moment, you can't reasonably expect a forward to earn you 30 to 50 points the way a solid goalie effort will, but you'll pay for that privilege.  Goalie salaries range from about $110k to $265k, with the decent options starting around $220k.  As you can see, you have no choice but to spend some money at this position.  The prices are based on the rankings of the goalies and don't really take into consideration the weakness of the opponent.  This is where you can cash in.  Focus on the opponent here.  Anyone playing the likes of Winnepeg, Ottawa, Columbus or Calgary should catch your attention in the early going. 

DEFENSE

Once your crease is settled, hold your nose and fill up the necessary spots with defense.  While I'm a huge fan of the position in the real game of hockey, there's just no love to be had in the fantasy world.  Forwards and defensemen are rewarded with equal weight for their stats, and as a rule, defensemen score at half the pace of forwards.  Best bet here is to scrape together a couple of value players with some chance of registering points, while saving as much cap as possible for your offense.  The one thing to note for this position is the hits and blocked shots.  You can sometimes find consistent producers in these categories, even if the goals and assists are sporadic.   Here's what you can expect most nights:

• Great game: 25 pts
• Avg game: 15 pts
• Poor game: -3 pts

Defensemen salaries start at $45k and go all the way up to $177.  If you're spending the money at the upper end of that spectrum, you're not winning.   Players at the $45 tend to be inactive, so pay attention if you're scraping the very bottom of the barrel.  The reasonable options start around $70k.  You can find some solid options lingering around $100k.  You'll rarely find me topping $110k at this position.

OFFENSE

Assuming you've followed my advice, you've probably invested under $300k to this point, leaving you to spend about $115k per forward.  Here's what you can expect from these guys:

• Great Game: 40+ pts

• Avg Game: 20 pts
• Poor game: 5 pts

As with the defense, your options technically start at $45k, but you won't find much worth exploring until you get to the $60k territory.  At that point, try and snag one or two sleepers lingering between $60-$70k.  Right now, youngsters like Alex Burmistrov and Cody Hodgson can be had for this price.  Doing this will allow you to splurge on a superstar or two.  There are a handful of players who produced on an almost nightly basis last season (Stamkos, Daniel Sedin, Perry…).  Despite the crazy cap hit, it's worth grabbing one for the near-guarantee in points.  This season, I'll be playing Claude Giroux and/or Stamkos every chance I get.  If/when Crosby returns, you can add him into that category as well.

BEST VALUES

Now that you've got the basic strategy in hand, here are a few guys that stand out as good value picks given the current cap hits:

• James van Riemsdyk (PHI) - JVR is on the verge of a major breakout season.  He's lingering the moderate price range for now ($123k).  Expect that to climb as his stats do the same.
• Evgeni Malkin (PIT) - Yes, he's hurt, which is the only thing to explain his $130k cap hit.  The moment he returns, use him in your lineup until the inevitable price correction.
• Ryan Kesler (VAN) - Perhaps the injury factor explains this one, too.  Kesler is a fantasy stud, delivering goals, assists, hits, +/-, and every else that counts.  He just played his first game of the season and sits at $123k.
• Derek Stepan (NYR) - Yes, it's true, he hasn't registered a point yet.  Be patient.  At $71k, this sophomore is due for a huge game and can't come much cheaper.
• Clarke MacArthur (TOR) - MacArthur has just 1 point, having missed a couple of games with a suspension.  He's certainly worth more than his $74k salary would lead you to believe.
• Kyle Okposo (NYI) - Expect Okposo to starting putting up some numbers at some point this season.  $74k is low.
• Alexander Burmistrov (WIN) - $58k is silly for this budding star

NOTE: Tonight, Daily Joust is running a free contest worth $500.  Sign up and use refer code "LANDSHARKHOCKEY".

We're a week into the NHL season and we've gotten the first glimpse at who is off to a great start.  The question to ponder is whether we should trust this as a sign of a great season to come, or in some cases, is this just a fluke?   As we look into the early studs, you'll need to consider whether to run with them in the next few weeks as you set your rosters on Draftstreet.

OFFENSE

David Legwand (NAS) - Legwand racked up 2 goals and 3 assists in the first two games of the season.  He's shown this kind of promise since he was drafted 2nd overall in 1998.  He's never been able to put keep up the scoring with any kind of consistency, so it's unlikely that he'll finally find that gear at age 31.  He's already overpriced at $11k.

Phil Kessel (TOR) - Kessel stands tied for first in goals with 3.  He also has 2 assists in his two games played.  He's the most skilled player on the Toronto squad and is capable of keeping this up.  Look for a slight slowdown, but he's worth running with in the short term.

Jeff Skinner (CAR) - Skinner opened the season with 5 points in 3 games.  No surprise at all.  He's poised for a big season for the Canes.

Thomas Vanek (BUF) - Vanek also is in the 5-point club, with 2 goals and 3 assists.  The fact that he has more assists than goals is noteworthy for Vanek, as he customarily doesn't contribute in the assists column.  Vanek is notoriously streaky, and seems to be on the good side of a streak.  Can he keep it up once he returns to this continent?  I say play him until he slows down.

Matt Cooke (PIT) - Cooke pounded home 2 goals in the Pens first game.  He added another last night to give him 3 goals in four games.  Let's be clear, while he's obviously capable of contributing with the odd goal, this is not his role.  He's still realistically priced at $7.5k.  If that goes up, look for value elsewhere.

Anze Kopitar (LA) - Another 3 goal-man.  Kopitar also has an assist to give him 4 points in 2 games.  Kopitar has a knack for starting the season strong.  He comes at a pricey $15k on Draftstreet, but he's worth the roster hit.

DEFENSE

Kris Letang (PIT) - leads all defensemen, and even all forwards, in scoring thus far, with 6 points in 4 games.  He played at a similar pace through the first half of last season as well, so no reason to see this as a fluke.  However, at $11.4k, I can't justify paying that price for any defenseman.

Erik Karlsson (OTT) - Karlsson has a massive 5 assists in the opening 3 games of the season.  Don't be surprised to see him keep this up all year long.  He too is a bit costly for me at over $10k.

Sheldon Souray (DAL) - Souray made an impressive return to NHL action with 3 assists in 3 games for the Stars.  Souray's problem as always been health.  If you know he's in uniform, he's a solid play, especially with a low cost of $6.4k.  He's more known for goals than assists, so don't be surprised to see him pot a few in the next couple of weeks.  Play him now.

GOALIES

Marc-Andre Fleury (PIT) - Fleury is 3-0 to start the year, though his GAA is a bit unimpressive so far.  The wins come as no surprise, as he promises to be among the league leaders in that category all year long.  His other numbers should improve as well, making him a money pick on Draftstreet.

James Reimer (TOR) - Reimer pitched a shutout on opening night, and followed that up with a less-impressive win, surrendering 5 goals late in the game.   If you remember, the Leafs opened last season 4-0 before tanking in November.  Don't be shocked if that happens again.  Reimer is a decent option for the time being, but don't bank on him over the long haul.

Ilya Bryzgalov (PHI) - No surprise whatsoever that Philly's new stopper has a GAA of .5 after two games in the Orange sweater.  Expect this kind of behavior on a regular basis.  He will likely be the most expensive player on Draftstreet by seasons end, so play him while you can somewhat afford him now.  He's already topped $23k in cost.

For more insight into daily fantasy sports, check out more of my posts on http://www.Rotogrinders.com.

Also, if you want to try daily fantasy hockey on Draftstreet, use the promo code "LANDSHARK" for a bonus on your deposit.