The Shot Dude: NHL Player Predictions

A very wise person once told me that always having your desired goal in mind is the only way to achieve it.

Well, the daily goal for your favorite Shot Dude is to always beat the previous article's scorecard.

There are just four NHL games on today's schedule. Seems kinda light for a Friday, doesn't it?

You can get an in-depth look at the matchups by checking out the Bovada data tool on our Home page:

We'll make the most of it by doing things a bit differently today. For each recommended player, I'll give you my prediction for the score he will achieve tonight. Check back after the scorecard is updated tomorrow to see how acurate I was.

Our friends at FanDuel provide great fantasy contests no matter how many games are on the schedule, head over there next. Now, on to the predictions:

Forwards

Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim ($7200) ... has collected a goal and 10 assists in his last 10 games. Not only has Anaheim won five straight, but also 8 of their last 10. This winning trend seems to coincide with Getzlaf getting hot. Dude's now up to 34 points in 45 games. The Ducks welcome the Coyotes to town, and I think Getzlaf will tally 3.6 FanDuel points.

Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay ($6900) ... is even hotter than Getzlaf, with 7 goals and 6 assists in his last 10-game stretch. Dude's taken 121 shots in 50 games and is the team leader with 43 points. I like Kucherov's chances to score tonight at home against Pittsburgh and believe he'll end up with a fantasy score of 4.9.

Jiří Hudler, Calgary ($5300) ... has picked up 4 points in his last 4 games, including a goal and two assists in two games combined against Carolina. Hudler is up to 26 points in 42 games and will square off against Columbus, a team that's given up 33 more goals than it's scored. Put Hudler down for 2.4 points tonight.

Defensemen

Dustin Byfuglien, Winnipeg ($7100) ... has been on fire, scoring 6 goals and adding a helper in his last 7 games. Dude's up to 15 goals on a team-leading 158 shots in 50 games after a slow start to the season. The Jets skate home ice against Carolina, who not only have a losing road record but have surrendered 15 more goals that they've scored. I like Byfuglien to have 3.5 fantasy points when the night is through.

Kris Letang, Pittsburgh ($6500) ... picked up right where he left off before the All-Star break with a goal and assist against Ottawa three days ago. That now gives Letang 13 points in his last 10 games with no signs of slowing down. Even though the Penguins play in Tampa Bay, I think we'll see a healthy amount of scoring from both teams. A tally of 4.8 fantasy points is where I think Letang ends up.

Goaltender

Karri Rämö, Calgary ($7600) ... has a chance to make it two victories in a row against the Blue Jackets. Dude stopped 27 of the 29 shots he faced in Columbus back on Thu 21 Jan. Tonight, he looks for Victory No 18 in his home crease; he's got a great chance, having only allowed 2 goals or fewer in 7 of his last 9 games. I figure Rämö will let a puck or two past him, but he'll still record a respectable 4.5 fantasy points.

Your favorite Shot Dude predicts a fantasy score total of 23.7. Not my best, but with just four games on the docket, I'll take it. Please enjoy the games, and hopefully a winning night.

Even when things look bleak, always give it your best shot!

You can follow me on twitter@fsofia8.