Fantasy Hockey Week Preview: Key Players to Target
Why Suzuki is worth rostering Suzuki is wildly consistent — he’s currently putting up point-per-game pace, with multiple multi-point efforts this season (goals + assists + shots + even hits/blocks) for the Montreal Canadiens. He’s a top-line center who’s generating real offense, both 5-on-5 and on the power play, which boosts his floor and ceiling. His durability/trust from the coaching staff make him reliable — not a boom-or-bust flier, but a steady contributor. Why Caufield is a high-upside play Caufield remains one of the league’s elite goal-scorers at 5-on-5: few players are scoring more goals per 60 at even strength than him. He has the shot volume, scoring skill, and finishing ability — meaning if he gets chances, he converts. Because he and Suzuki often play together, there’s positive “duo synergy” — high-likelihood of shared success, assists, goals, and general offensive production. Why Werenski gives strong value (especially on D) Werenski is among the very best offensive defensemen in the league — coming off a career-high season and continuing to pile up shots, points, blocked shots, and ice time for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He’s doing more than just offense: his shot volume, blocked-shot totals, and overall all-around play make him a high-floor fantasy asset — which is great for DFS where value is key. As a top-pairing power-play defenseman getting heavy minutes, his upside for multi-point games or secondary contributions (shots, blocks, assists) gives a solid balance of risk/reward. Using the 4 game advantage Having Suzuki and Caufield both in a four-game week gives you a high-volume, high-upside forward stack — good for goals, assists, possibly PP points, and plenty of shots. Adding Werenski gives you a chance at multi-category contributions (goals, assists, power-play points, even peripheral stats like shots or blocks), which helps if your league scores those. The “four games each” schedule boosts their upside simply because of volume — more games = more opportunities for scoring or counting stats, which is especially relevant in DFS. Matchups For Montreal: On schedule this week is a game vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (on Dec 6). Historically, Toronto games tend to be high-scoring / competitive, offering chances for shots, power play time, goals/assists — good environment for Suzuki and Caufield. For Columbus (Werenski): One of their games is vs. Detroit Red Wings (on Dec 4). Detroit often gives up scoring chances and can be more open defensively — which could give Werenski opportunities for offensive production, PP work, shots/assists. Also Columbus plays away vs. Florida Panthers (on Dec 6), and then vs. Washington Capitals (on Dec 7) — potentially weaker defensive units (or at least no elite lockdown D consistently this season), giving Werenski some upside, especially on shots or PP exposure. For Montreal: over their recent stretch they’ve shown some offense — meaning if the schedule holds, Suzuki and Caufield could get value especially on a 4-game week.
Why Logan Cooley, Brandon Hagel, and Jakob Chychrun Are Elite DFS Targets This Week
When building winning DFS lineups, volume is king — and this week, Logan Cooley, Brandon Hagel, and Jakob Chychrun stand out as three of the most attractive multi-slate options thanks to their four-game schedules, strong recent form, and roles that translate directly into DFS production. While they differ in playstyle and volatility, they complement each other perfectly from a roster-construction perspective and offer one of the highest combined ceilings of any trio available on the slate. Logan Cooley — The High-Upside Breakout Play Few players in the league offer the same DFS upside per dollar this week as Logan Cooley. He has explosive production, something that can help you win single-handedly. Cooley’s value is amplified by several factors: 4 Games- High-volatility scorer becomes significantly more attractive when he has four opportunities to spike. Top-six usage with increasing trust from coaches. Even in games where he has limited minutes, he has shown he can create instant offense. Elite DFS scoring profile: heavy shot volume, power-play potential, and the talent to generate multi-point nights. Cooley is the definition of a slate-breaking piece whose week-long upside jumps dramatically on a four-game schedule. Brandon Hagel — The Perfect Consistency Anchor While Cooley provides volatility and ceiling, Brandon Hagel gives DFS players exactly what they need in multi-slate formats: consistency. Hagel has been a steady producer all season and recently posted a two-goal, one-assist game that highlights both his reliability and his underrated ceiling. Here’s why he’s nearly unavoidable in four-game weeks: Strong shot rate and stable ice time provide a reliable floor across all formats. Top-six role with power-play access gives him steady point-production chances, even in lower-event matchups. Playing with Kucherov- With Point Hurt he has been seeing steady minutes with Kucherov on his line that help increase his production. When your forwards play four times, you want players who rarely disappear from the scoresheet. Hagel fits that description perfectly and brings the kind of multipoint potential that quietly wins cash games and anchors GPP builds. Jakob Chychrun — The High-Floor, High-Ceiling Defensive Stud Few defensemen in the league blend fantasy safety and tournament-winning upside like Jakob Chychrun. His role and skill set make him one of the most valuable players on any DFS slate — and with four games this week, he becomes even more essential. Recent projection models have him delivering one of the highest expected DFS totals among all defenseman, That’s elite value for the position. Why he’s a lock for multi-game slates: Heavy minutes (top-pair usage) means consistent shots, blocks, and point opportunities. Power-play presence adds ceiling — defensemen who produce on the PP can outscore forwards at similar salaries. DFS-friendly style: he shoots often, he blocks shots, and he can put up multi-point nights when his team’s offense clicks. In four-game weeks, high-floor defensemen become incredibly powerful. They reduce lineup variance and offer steady accumulation that pairs perfectly with volatile forwards like Cooley. Why This Trio Works So Well Together in DFS Lineups When you combine the profiles of Cooley, Hagel, and Chychrun, you get the ideal DFS construction for a heavy-volume week: 1. Ceiling + Consistency + Defensive Stability Cooley = elite ceiling, breakout potential Hagel = consistent production across all scoring formats Chychrun = high-floor anchor with PP upside 2. Four Games Amplify Each Player’s DFS Strength Cooley gets four swings at a breakout. Hagel’s steady production compounds over repeated slates. Chychrun’s shot/block floor becomes even more valuable when multiplied by four. 3. All Three Are Underpriced Relative to Their Upside Recent projections show all three players outperforming their typical salary tiers, making them perfect value anchors for week-long play. Final Verdict With four games each, Logan Cooley, Brandon Hagel, and Jakob Chychrun form one of the most optimal DFS cores of the week. You get unparalleled ceiling from Cooley, a rock-solid floor from Hagel, and a perfect blend of both from Chychrun. Whether you’re building for cash or tournaments, this trio provides the multi-game value, consistency, and slate-breaking potential needed to build winning lineups.