Fantasy Corner: Defensemen Picks for Daily Fantasy – 05/21/2022

Defensemen are hard to come by in the playoffs, even more so the deeper it gets. However, they can be valuable in getting categories like hits and blocks as well as adding points. Here are a few of the best options from the game on tap for tonight.

Cale Makar

Cale Makar may be one of the most expensive picks for your daily fantasy, but he is well worth it. He leads the Colorado Avalanche in points as a defenceman and has been held off the scoresheet in the two games of their second-round series. That shouldn’t sit well with him or continue to be a trend from what many perceive as the best defenceman in the NHL.

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Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

With three goals and 10 points coming in the first four games of the playoffs, his and the Avalanche’s production on the power play will surely help him get back on the scoresheet. He shoots enough and many times walks around any winger trying to cover him on the point. The Avalanche are the favourites in the series, even after the series shifts to St. Louis, and the Avalanche should be able to start figuring Jordan Binnington out.

Erik Johnson

Erik Johnson was the beneficiary of some assists in their Round 1 series, but he really turned on his game for the last three games. He had two assists and just one total shot in the first three games of playoffs but now has one assist and 10 shots while playing even less.

This is going to be a longer series than an easy sweep like the Avalanche had against the Nashville Predators where they were leading for the entire four games minus a few minutes in one of the games. Offence can come from anywhere, so Johnson may be on at the right time, plus the former first-overall pick has been trying to add to that. With eight goals and 25 points on the season, he didn’t go unnoticed. But his recent play is what has been standing out and the reason he’s very close to adding to the offence once again.

Nick Leddy

With Torey Krug still out, Nick Leddy‘s role is increased, both in ice time and opportunity. He was once an offensive force, so he is the perfect man for the job to cover what the St. Louis Blues would consider their most offensively gifted defenceman out of the lineup.

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Nick Leddy, St. Louis Blues (Photo by Joe Puetz/NHLI via Getty Images)

Leddy has only played five games in these playoffs and has one goal. I believe that the Blues have Darcy Kuemper and the Avalanche figured out to a certain extent and will get their chances and make this series a lot more competitive than the Avalanche are used to. That being said, the Blues had nine 20-goal scorers this season and Leddy recorded eight points in 20 games since joining the Blues. Both instill confidence that he will get back on the scoresheet very soon.

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