4 Nations Face-Off DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Thursday, February 20

A two-defenseman strategy might be a contrarian, but ultimately profitable, strategy for FanDuel 4 Nations Face-Off DFS contests tonight.
4 Nations Face-Off DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Thursday, February 20
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Canada suffered a 3-1 loss to Team USA on Saturday. Will tonight, with the 4 Nations Face-Off championship on the line, be any different for Canada? Or will Team USA come out on top? FanDuel has a slate ready for tonight's action should you want to build a lineup to root for while you're enjoying what should be a great game. Here are my lineup recommendations.

SLATE PREVIEW

Keep in mind that FanDuel's recommendations are somewhat different when it's a one-game slate. You have $55,000 to spend on five players, including a Captain worth 1.5 times the points. You're also required to take at least one player from each team, so you can't simply stack your lineup exclusively with Canadians or Americans, even if you're confident one team will best the other.

CAPTAIN

Connor McDavid, CAN at USA ($14,500): McDavid has done great in this tournament, scoring two goals and four points over three appearances. The Oilers captain has a knack for stepping up in high-stakes games, supplying 26 goals and 95 points across 53 playoff outings from 2022-24. If you want to skew more toward Team USA, Jack Eichel ($13,500) is a solid alternative. He has looked great in this tournament with four assists in three outings and is having a fantastic campaign with Vegas, contributing 19 goals and 69 points across 55 appearances. Auston Matthews ($14,000) and Matthew Tkachuk ($12,000) are other options, but Matthews has been quiet in the tournament with an assist across two appearances, while Tkachuk might be playing at less than 100 percent after missing time with a lower-body issue.

UTILITY

Sidney Crosby, CAN at USA ($12,500): Even at 37, Crosby still is an incredible player and seems to know how to step up when it matters most. Crosby is tied for the tournament scoring title with five points (one goal) through three appearances. He also has 17 goals and 58 points across 55 outings with Pittsburgh this campaign.

Jake Guentzel, USA vs. CAN ($9,500): Guentzel was a vital part of Team USA's previous win over Canada, providing two markers in that 3-1 victory. That gives him three goals and four points in three appearances during the 4 Nations Face-Off. The 30-year-old entered the tournament with 27 goals and 54 points in 54 outings with Tampa Bay in 2024-25.

Zach Werenski, USA vs. CAN ($9,000): Tied with Crosby for the tournament scoring lead, Werenski has five assists through three outings. The 27-year-old defenseman has found another level this campaign with 17 goals and 59 points in 55 appearances with Columbus – his previous career high in points was 57, set in 2023-24 across 70 regular-season outings.

Cale Makar, CAN at USA ($8,500): Makar missed the first game against Team USA due to an illness, but he was back for the tilt against Finland, logging 23:57 of ice time in Canada's 5-3 victory. Although it feels a bit weird to take two defensemen when there isn't an obligation to, Makar is competitively priced for a player with 22 goals and 63 points in 57 appearances with Colorado in 2024-25.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Ryan Dadoun plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: Terakai, DraftKings: BTerran, Yahoo: Ryan-SPJ9H.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ryan Dadoun is a veteran hockey analyst with roughly 15 years of experience in the field. He previously served as a writer and editor for the NHL Department of NBC Sports Edge.
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