Phil Kessel Daily Fantasy News, Rankings, Projections

The Pittsburgh Penguins second line sees Evgeni Malkin centering Phil Kessel and Bryan Rust. Kessel has had a solid season with 20 goals and 53 points in 48 games with a lot of damage coming on the power play as indicated by his 23 power play points. Malkin and Kessel both play on the top power play unit, obviously, which makes for an interesting two-man mini-stack. However, the New Jersey Devils penalty kill has been elite this year, ranked second in the NHL with a 84.2 percent success rate. However, with Keith Kinkaid in net and the firepower of the Penguins power play, that is of little concern.

Evgeni Malkin has just 1 goal and 5 points over his last 10 games with a home matchup against the Anaheim Ducks tonight. The Ducks have been saved by John Gibson for most of the season and are coming to Pittsburgh with an 8-2-0 record over their last 10 games. However, the Pens are scoring 3.41 goals per game which is the seventh-highest in the NHL and their 59.2 CF/60 is 8th best on the season. Their high-powered offence will hopefully overcome Gibson's greatness in net considering the Ducks have just a 45.72 CF% which is the third-worst in the NHL and their 62.19 CA/60 is second-worst.

Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, and Zach Aston-Reese will look to stay hot tonight in Pittsburgh after producing a combined five points last night. Pittsburgh is second in the league so far in the month of December in HDCF/60 (14.07). Aston-Reese coming in around minimum salary across the industry helps bring down the overall cost of this stack. It also looks like star defenseman Kris Letang will miss tonight’s game after sustaining a lower body injury in last nights contest. This should give Olli Maata an increased role and increased ice time at a near minimum price tag as well.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are visiting the Chicago Blackhawks tonight in a fantastic matchup. Not only are the Chicago Blackhawks on the tail-end of a back to back, the Penguins have been playing great over the last three weeks. They've got a 61.8 CF/60 which ranks 4th and a 55.41 CF% which is 2nd over the same time frame. The line of Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel and Tanner Pearson is the line to target tonight as they are all a threat to score. Going with a mini-stack of Kessel and Malkin is also an option as they're on the top power play unit together.

This is probably the second hottest line after the top line in Tampa Bay, with the trio dominating over the last 10 games. Sidney Crosby has put up 7 goals and 15 points, Phil Kessel with a solid 3 goals and 10 points while Jake Guentzel has an equally impressible 6 goals and 13 points. While the Pittsburgh Penguins are on the road, they are taking on the New York Islanders in a matchup that should bode well for them. Over the Penguins last 10 games, they are averaging 3.6 goals per game while the Islanders are allowing 3.4 goals against per game over their last 10.

The Penguins have been on a roll of late as they have lit the lamp 25 times in the last six games. Now they get to go into Ottawa and play a Senators team that is not only decimated with injuries but have given up a league 119 goals to boot. If Phil Kessel wouldn’t be attractive enough in this situation imagine him sticking on the top line with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel as he was last game where he found the back of the net not once, but twice. Crosby has already stated the obvious in saying that he enjoyed having Kessel on his line which could be enough to keep him there this evening. Regardless of where he skates Kessel and his team leading 33 points is a decent play this evening against the ragged Senators.

Ottawa continues to be one of the top teams to pick on. They own a CA/60 of 68.59 and a 71.8% penalty kill. A case can be made for either of Pittsburgh’s top two lines, as a team they have scored a whopping 12 goals in the past two games. I will have exposure to both, however I will be keying in on Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel, and Jake Guentzel. This line gives you two pieces of the team’s top power-play unit. Kessel and Crosby were reunited last game and produced a multi-goal game. Adding power-play quarterback Kris Letang is ideal, especially with Ottawa’s poor penalty kill numbers. Watch for updates on Pittsburgh’s line combinations as well, Patric Hornqvist left the game in the first period last game as well, and this may cause the Penguins to shuffle their lines.

Evgeni Malkin has quietly put together a six game point streak, and I expect his line-mates, Phil Kessel, and Tanner Pearson to help him extend that tonight. Patric Hornqvist left last nights game with an injury after taking a hard hit and didn’t return. So I will be focusing on the line that provides two members of the teams top-power play unit, and a line that has been consistently producing goals. Columbus is expected to start goaltender Joonas Korpisalo tonight. While he hasn’t lost in regulation this year, he has looked far from good, posting a 3.38 GAA and a save percentage of .885%. Kris Letang is the blue liner you want to add to this stack, as he is the man on the top power-play unit.

With Sidney Crosby back in the lineup, Evgeni Malkin has settling back into his second line role with Phil Kessel and Tanner Pearson. This line is in a great spot tonight as the Pittsburgh Penguins visit the depleted Boston Bruins. The Bruins are missing the following players: Patrice Bergeron, Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo and John Moore. That is their #1 centre, #2 defenseman and two other top-6 defensemen. They are in a tough spot against a Pittsburgh team that despite the struggles in the wins department are starting to pick things up offensively as of late. With Pearson relegated to the second power play unit, a mini-stack of Malkin and Kessel is also in play.

Evgeni Malkin and line-mates Phil “The Thrill” Kessel, along with Carl Hagelin will host the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight. As we know both these teams play high event/fast paced hockey. When these teams met back on the 18th of October, Malkin went off for two goals and an assist. While both of Pittsburgh’s top lines are in play, along with the top six forwards on the Toronto side, I will be looking to get Malkin and company in my stacks first. The correlation between Kessel and Malkin on the top power play unit increases their ceiling. Hagelin is not a must play in this stack, however he comes at a significant discount, freeing up salary elsewhere. Fitting in power play defenseman Kris Letang is optimal if salary allows it.