This article is part of our FantasyScore NHL series.
Daily hockey players looking for a new battleground can turn USA Today's FantasyScore, which is powered by RealTime Fantasy Sports. It is a clean and aesthetically pleasing site with a user-friendly interface and multiple variations of games available, including salary-cap contests and two variations of snake drafts.
Without doubt, the two-goalie format is the top draw of FantasyScore's daily hockey contests. It is a setting unique to FantasyScore, and it assigns additional importance to the most vital position in fantasy hockey - both seasonal and daily. The setting adds another layer of strategy and is a welcomed addition to the daily hockey community.
Colleague Jerry Donabedian highlighted his favorite FantasyScore features in a previous daily basketball article. And to piggyback on his initial impressions, the late-lineup swaps, global-replace feature and downloadable player salaries are extremely helpful tools for FantasyScore players.
Scoring Settings and Roster Format
Lineups require:
2 Goalies
2 Centers
3 Wingers
2 Defensemen
1 Flex (Participant Choice: Center, Winger, Defenseman)
$50,000 Salary Cap
$5,000 Average Salary
Scoring:
Goaltenders:
3 pts per Win
2 bonus pts per Shutout
0.20 pts per Save
-1 pt per Goal Allowed
Skaters:
3 pts per Goal
1 bonus pt per Short-Handed Goal
0.5 bonus pts per Power-Play Goal
2 pts per Assist
1 bonus pt per Short-Handed Assist
0.5 bonus pts per Power-Play Assist
0.5 pts per Blocked Shot
+/-1 pt per +/- Point
0.25 pts per Penalty Minute
0.20 pts per Shot On Goal
Player Salaries
FantasyScore's minimum salary is $2,000 for skaters and $4,000 for goaltenders, which is the softest cap hit across the industry. The salaries then rise to Carey Price's $7,800, which is the highest of any player. The soft pricing places the emphasis on selecting the right players each night more so than manipulating the salary cap. However, lineup strategies aren't compromised, but potentially expanded due to the viability of more player combinations.
Recommended Plays
Here are multiple players at each position and from various price tiers for you to utilize in Tuesday's FantasyScore contests.
Centers
John Tavares, New York vs. Arizona, $7,100, 14.2 percent of cap - After being held off the score sheet in his last outing, expect Tavares to rebound against a porous Coyotes defense. Arizona has allowed 18 goals over their past four games, and before his last outing, Tavares scored five goals and added six helpers through five games.
Jason Spezza, Dallas at Winnipeg, $5,000, 10.0 percent of cap - Tyler Seguin's knee injury opened the door for Spezza to center Jamie Benn. In the five games since the duo reunited on the No. 1 line, Spezza has three goals and four assists. Winnipeg has allowed 17 goals over their last four games, too. Look for Spezza to continue his strong offensive surge Tuesday.
Mikko Koivu, Minnesota vs. Edmonton, $4,600, 9.2 percent of cap - With 17 points over his last 17 games, Koivu is leading the way offensively, and the Wild are rolling at a 14-2-1 clip. Edmonton's 3.30 goals against per game ranks second last in the league, too.
Artem Anisimov, Columbus vs. Buffalo, $2,300, 4.6 percent of cap - Injuries have limited Anisimov to just 28 games this season, but the pivot has three points over his last two games. Buffalo is a favorable draw, too, as they allow a league-worst 3.32 goals per game.
Wingers
Patrick Kane, Chicago vs. Florida, $7,200, 14.4 percent of cap - The Blackhawks were embarrassed on home ice 6-2 by Boston on Sunday. Expect a rebound game from the entire team, with Kane leading the way offensively, just like he has done all season.
Wayne Simmonds, Philadelphia at Carolina, $5,200, 10.4 percent of cap - Since relocating to Claude Giroux's flank, Simmonds has a goal in back-to-back games. The upgrade at center is favorable for Simmonds going forward. He also has six goals and four assists through his last eight games, so his current form lands him in underpriced territory.
Brad Marchand, Boston vs. Vancouver, $4,400, 8.8 percent of cap - Currently riding a four-game point streak, Marchand is a nice upside play at his cost. He also has eight penalty minutes and 13 shots on net during the stretch.
Carl Hagelin, New York vs. Calgary, $3,100, 6.2 percent of cap - The speedy winger is playing his best hockey of the season with four goals and three assists over his last eight games. He is currently riding a three-game point streak and carries a discounted price reflective of his prior offensive struggles.
Defensemen
Ryan McDonagh, New York vs. Calgary, $5,000, 10.0 percent of cap - There are no holes in McDonagh's game, and the minute eater doesn't need to score to post a nice fantasy line. Still, offensive production has been frequent lately, as he has three goals and two assists over his last six games, with an average of 4.37 FantasyScore points per game.
Dougie Hamilton, Boston vs. Vancouver, $4,800, 9.6 percent of cap - The passing of the torch has begun in Boston, as Hamilton is evolving into the team's best defenseman. He has two goals and five helpers over the past seven games and receives top power-play billing.
Tyler Myers, Winnipeg vs. Dallas, $4,000, 8.0 percent of cap - Flourishing in his new digs, Myers is currently rolling along a four-game point streak with a goal and four helpers. The budding star we saw during Myers' first two seasons appears to be blossoming again, and the previously mentioned Stars are surrendering goals in bunches.
Jonas Brodin, Minnesota vs. Edmonton, $2,700, 5.4 percent of cap - It has been a nice run for Brodin, as the defenseman is a plus-7 over his last five games, and he has an assist in each of his last four outings. The streak may not continue, but the rearguard doesn't need to do a lot to live up to his cap-friendly price.
Goalies
Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota vs. Edmonton, $6,800, 13.6 percent of cap - All Dubnyk has done since joining the Wild is rattle off a 13-2-1 record, .936 save percentage, 1.64 goals-against average and post five shutouts. He loves playing his former team, too, going 5-0 with a .970 save percentage, 0.79 goals-against average and a shutout.
Jaroslav Halak, New York vs. Arizona, $6,800, 13.6 percent of cap - Although a tad inconsistent of late, Halak draws a cushy matchup against the lottery-draft-bound Coyotes. Arizona will be on the wrong end of consecutive road games, and the Islanders will be receiving significant chalk. The three-point win bonus is highly probable.
Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles vs. Detroit, $6,600, 13.2 percent of cap - Quick has won seven consecutive starts and averaged 6.43 FantasyScore points per game during the streak. Detroit will be playing their second road game in consecutive nights and potentially without star Henrik Zetterberg, who's dealing with an upper-body injury.
Scott Darling, Chicago vs. Florida, $5,000, 10 percent of cap - As mentioned, Chicago was embarrassed in their last game, so banking on a win Tuesday is advised. Darling has been exceptional when called upon this season, going 5-2 with a .937 save percentage and 1.97 goals-against average over his seven starts.
