Matthew Tkachuk Daily Fantasy News, Rankings, Projections

The new Calgary Flames lines have been out there for a game or two now, but this one is definitely one worth looking at. Matthew Tkachuk is having an impressive season, but it is often overlooked because of how good Johnny Gaudreau has been and offseason acquisition Elias Lindholm has also had impressive numbers. Well, Tkachuk is second on the team in goals with 34 and sits fourth in points with 76. The Flames have been elite as of late, with a league-best 58.35 CF% and a 68.1 CF/60 which ranks second best in the NHL over the last month. Tkachuk will be playing with Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik again as "The 3 M's" are back together.

Matthew Tkachuk is having a fantastic season but it has often been overlooked by the fact that Johnny Gaudreau has been one of the best offensive players in the NHL. However, Tkachuk has 33 goals, 41 assists and 74 points in 73 games — all of which are career highs. His 9 goals in the last month are tied for second among all NHLers and he has done his damage away from the teams top players, as he has been situation on the second line — albeit the top power play unit — for the majority of the season. A home matchup against the Ottawa Senators who are on the tail-end of a back to back and have allowed 34 goals in their last 10 games seems like a great spot to continue his goal-scoring ways. Unfortunately, neither of his linemates — Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik — play on the power play with him, but he's still a great play and the line stack is in an elite matchup.

Matthew Tkachuk is having a great season with 25 goals and 60 points in 63 games, but this has been largely overshadowed due to the dominance of the top line in Calgary. The Flames are in New Jersey to take on the Devils who are depleted with injuries and have also struggled as of late. The Flames have a 64.4 CF/60 which is the third-best in the NHL over the last month as well as having a strong 53.76 CF% which ranks fifth in the NHL over the same time period. Tkachuk is playing on the Flames second line with Mikael Backlund and Sam Bennett and while Tkachuk plays on the top power play unit without either of his even strength linemates, this is still a line worth stacking.

Elias Lindholm was recently taken off the top line in favour of Matthew Tkachuk and this new line is expected to remain together tonight as the Calgary Flames host the lowly Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson — the one bright spot for the Ducks this season is on the IR so back-up goalie Ryan Miller is expected between the pipes. Now, Miller has been solid this season with a 2.39 GAA and .929 SV%, but the rest of the team is a dumpster fire. This line also plays on the top power play unit together and the Flames PP has been top 5 since January 1st, converting at a 25.4 percent rate.

Due to the success of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm as the Calgary Flames top line, Matthew Tkachuk's season has flown under the radar. However, he sits 14th in NHL scoring, tied with Lindholm with 57 points in 50 games. Now, his line isn't the best so this is a pure tournament play as a line stack with Mark Jankowski and Sam Bennett playing with him. The Flames generate a lot of offensive opportunities with an 8th-best 59.08 CF/60 and dominate possession with a 5th ranked 52.88 CF%. Tkachuk plays on the top power play unit so he's an interesting one-off play as well.

When it comes to the Calgary Flames we always think of the top line of Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan. I mean, why wouldn’t we as they combined for 49 points over the last 10 games going into last night’s contest against the Detroit Red Wings. Matthew Tkachuk makes for a decent one-off play here as he joins the top line when the Flames draw a penalty. Tkachuk’s numbers are right there with then top line as he has lit the lamp eight times to go along with six assists over the last 11 games.

Though the 3M line is without one M (Michael Frolik), they remain a dominant force as old standby Jaromir Jagr joins the group. Thus, there should not be too much of a drop from their lofty 5v5 numbers. Tkachuk does not have the eye-popping numbers of teammate Johnny Gaudreau, but Tkachuk will come cheaper and at lower ownership (if that is a concern for you). While a 5v5 draw against Jonathan Toews and the Chicago top line is not ideal, the Toews line is a high-event unit that can struggle with quality attempts allowed. Tkachuk gets some of his 5v5 on-ice risk mitigated by the fact he is now seeing time on the top power play unit and Chicago has been one of the most generous penalty killing units to opposing power plays (of which Calgary has been one of the better units). Also, someone named Jeff Glass will be between the pipes for Chicago, setting Tkachuk and the Flames up for a nice night on home ice.

Outside of the Washington Capitals there doesnt seem to be many obvious spots to attack, but I do like the Calgary Flames and their second line tonight. The Triple-M line is not only inexpensive to stack, they also possess multi-goal upside. The Montreal Canadiens have not been playing strong defensive hockey of late (ninth-most goals against per game this month), and Carey Price is really struggling, posting a 3.14 GAA and a .906 SV% in the month of December. Looking to this line for value in cash games certainly makes sense, and I would also suggest stacking them if you are a multi-entry GPP player.

If you're looking to differentiate your lineup without completely fading the Flames in a great spot at home, look to the second line of Calgary which features Mikael Backlund, Matthew Tkachuk, and Michael Frolik. Known more for their "shutdown" capabilities, this line has produced a combined 19 points over their last 10 games together. They draw a juicy matchup against the league's worst team in Arizona, who continue to struggle on the road this year. In a game Calgary should dominate from start to finish, there's no reason to assume this trio won't be able to pay off their very manageable prices tonight.

Tkachuk is not someone who really stands out, but he has had a nice week of hockey. On Tuesday, Tkachuk potted a goal on five shots. The following night in St. Louis, Tkachuk picked up two helpers. He was silent against the Stars last time out, but he did take four shots on goal. Tkachuk skates with Michael Frolik and Mikael Backlund, which is one of the better second lines, offensively and defensively, in the National Hockey League. Tkachuk is more than reasonable on all sites (FanDuel & DraftKings - $4,900, FantastDraft - $9,900). While there are better options in his price range for cash games like Sebastian Aho or Elias Lindholm, Matthew Tkachuk is an excellent tournament target against a Washington team whose legs could turn to jelly tonight at the Saddledome.