NHL Thursday: DraftStreet $500 GPP Lineup and Picks

by landsharkhockey Last Updated 2011-10-13 07:36:43

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.

DraftStreet $500 NHL GPP Thursday Lineup

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About the Writer: ‘Chewy’ aka Gary Wilson, operates LandShark Hockey, and has been helping others dominate Fantasy Hockey Leagues for almost 20 years now. Landshark Hockey provides fantasy hockey fans with daily news, updates, and draft strategy including the LandShark Hockey War Room for Daily Fantasy Hockey Lineup Help.