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Squad Up Daily Fantasy Dose: Couture's cheap wingers pay for themselves

Justin K. Aller / Getty Images Sport / Getty

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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Saturday, October 22:

Triple Threat

  • LW Mikkel Boedker (25K), C Logan Couture (44K), RW Joonas Donskoi (25K), Sharks (at Red Wings): Couture has been a steady producer, as he has recorded two goals and three assists. Boedker has a lone goal, while Donskoi has an assist. With Couture driving the line, the other two should start producing against a tired Red Wings team.
  • LW Jonathan Drouin (48K), C Steven Stamkos (75K), RW Nikita Kucherov (47K), Lightning (at Senators): A creative combination is needed for Tampa Bay, as first-liners Drouin and Ondrej Palat are listed at the same position, despite playing on opposite sides of Stamkos. Kucherov works on the second power-play unit with Drouin, offering more exposure.
  • LW Jeff Skinner (58K), C Victor Rask (49K), RW Lee Stempniak (48K), Hurricanes (at Flyers): The Hurricanes' top line has the fourth-highest Corsi For rating at 5v5 of any trio with at least 30 minutes played together. The Flyers lack a shutdown defense pairing, and they own a CF% of just 48.61 as a team. These three remain together on the power play.

Goalie Breakdown

  • TARGET - Roberto Luongo (98K), Panthers (vs. Avalanche): The Avalanche own the worst team CF% in the league at a paltry 44.30 percent. New head coach Jared Bednar has the team off to a 3-1-0 start through his first four games, but the possession issues remain. Luongo is coming off a Third Star of the Week performance to open the season.
  • BARGAIN - Martin Jones (75K), Sharks (at Red Wings): Jones is once again available at the minimum price for goaltenders. He has allowed just 11 goals through four games, despite surrendering five to the New York Rangers in his second-to-last game. The Red Wings played Friday and own the league's second worst CF%.
  • FADE - Braden Holtby (102K), Capitals (vs. Rangers): The Rangers have been driving possession so far this season, en route to a 54.09 CF%. Holtby hasn't allowed more than two goals in any of his three starts, but he faces a tougher test against a Rangers team scoring over three goals per game.

Bargain Plays

  • C Zack Smith (25K), Senators (vs. Lightning): Smith has scored in two of his past three games, tallying three shots on goal in each. He hasn't played under 15:30 in any of Ottawa's first four games, as he carries his offensive success over from 2015-16. Only two teams have scored more goals than Ottawa's 17.
  • LW Carl Hagelin (27K), Penguins (at Predators): Hagelin has been held without a shot in two of his past three games, but he hasn't logged less than 15:15 of ice time in any one game. The Predators are coming off a loss Friday and surprisingly own the league's third-worst CF% through their opening four games.
  • D Zach Werenski (25K), Blue Jackets (at Stars): Werenski is quickly becoming the most appealing target from the Blue Jackets on any given night. He has 14 shots on goal through three games, and he recorded his first multi-point game of the season Friday. He has played over 22 minutes in each of the past two games.

Top Fades

  • LW Johnny Gaudreau (62K), Flames (vs. Blues): Gaudreau had his best game of the season Thursday, firing five SOG and scoring his first goal of the season, despite playing a season-low 16:41. The Flames schedule has been extremely favorable thus far, but they'll face a stiffer challenge with the Blues and G Jake Allen in town Saturday.
  • C Jeff Carter (68K), Kings (vs. Canucks): Carter is more expensive than teammate C Anze Kopitar, as his salary has soared with back-to-back two-point games. His offense is doomed to be short lived, as he totaled just four SOG in those two games. The Canucks' strong defensive play and goaltending will regress before much longer, but Carter needs to be faded in the interim.
  • RW David Pastrnak (64K), Bruins (vs. Canadiens): Pastrnak has stuck beside LW Brad Marchand and C Patrice Bergeron, but his production has dipped since his strong two-game start. He has recorded a point in every game this season, but he has benefited from a staggering shooting percentage of 22.2. He hasn't yet faced Canadiens G Carey Price this season.

Contrarian Options

  • RW Phil Kessel (61K), Penguins (at Predators): Kessel opened the season by registering three SOG in each of his first four games, before tallying just one in his most recent outing. He did play a season-high 20:49, as the Penguins' second line continues to see an expanded role with C Sidney Crosby still sidelined. The Predators are likely to start backup G Marek Mazanec.
  • LW Brandon Saad (48K), Blue Jackets (at Stars): W Boone Jenner was the first Blue Jackets forward to be blamed for the team's offensive woes thus far, as he was dropped to the fourth line. Saad remains beside C Alexander Wennberg and W Nick Foligno. Saad tallied seven SOG in Columbus' win over the Chicago Blackhawks Friday night.
  • D Torey Krug (38K), Bruins (vs. Canadiens): Krug hasn't played less than 20 minutes in a single game this season, and he has played at least 21 minutes in each of his past three games. He launched a season-high six SOG in Thursday's win over the New Jersey Devils. He hasn't tallied a point yet this season, but he's on the top power play unit.

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