NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Tuesday 3/8/22
NHL DFS is similar to MLB in terms of how you build lineups, how you view stacking, and how to value players.
Two main points to always focus on in NHL DFS are what lines the players are on and making sure the goalies you are rostering are confirmed as the starters. Two of the best resources for that are LeftWingLock.com or DailyFaceOff.com. That is where you can find updated forward and power-play lines for each team, along with which goalies are confirmed as the starters.
Let's jump in to take a look at today's slate and some players to consider for your lineups.
Goalie to Target
Alex Nedeljkovic ($7,300): Going to a Detroit Red Wings' goalie? In this economy? This is likely the first and potentially only time I'll be writing about a Red Wings goalie, and it's strictly for two reasons. First off, Nedeljkovic is very affordable tonight, and not having to pay up at goalie allows you a ton of flexibility in terms of roster construction when you are looking to pay for the top-tier stacks on an 11-game slate.
He's taking on the Arizona Coyotes, who are only scoring 2.25 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, this season, which is the 10th lowest in the league.
The Red Wings are solid -188 home favorites and in a spot to come away with a win against this weak Coyotes' offense. Nedeljkovic has also been pretty solid for the Red Wings, allowing three goals or fewer in six of his last 10 starts. This is a winnable matchup for Detroit; it's that simple.
High-Priced Skaters
Vladimir Tarasenko ($7,600): Tarasenko is one of two players on tonight's slate that's simply due for a goal. Tarasenko has consistently been one of the best goal scorers in the league in his career and now finds himself without a goal in five straight games. Tarasenko still holds a very strong offensive role on the second forward line and the first power-play unit, and he's posted 12 shots on goal in the last five games.
He has a soft matchup versus the Ottawa Senators, who are allowing 2.65 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations (12th-worst in the league). On top of that, we see the Senators allowing a 60.71 Corsi Against (Total Shot Attempts Allowed) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the second-worst in the league. That's a large part of why the St. Louis Blues carry a slate-high 4.00 implied goal total -- and Tarasenko can contribute his fair share towards it.
Mikko Rantanen ($8,600): Rantanen is the second player who is due for a goal tonight. He has 26 goals in 56 games this season but no goals in his last eight games. In fact, he only has 2 goals in his last 10 games. A total of 35 shots on goal in the last 10 games have pushed him into the top-10 of the league for the most shots on goal this season. He loves to shoot the puck, but he hasn't found the back of the net in his last eight outings.
A matchup versus the New Jersey Devils is a near special elixir for players in a scoring slump. The Devils are allowing 3.21 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the second-worst in the league. A role on the first forward line and the first power-play in one of the league's best offenses put him in a spot to break the drought tonight.
Values Skaters
Alexis Lafreniere ($4,400): The Minnesota Wild have forgotten how to play defense. The Wild are 2-8 in their last 10 games and have allowed a staggering 49 goals to their opponents in that span. 49 goals allowed in 10 games is horrific, and if that is the type of scoring we could potentially see, we want to look to the New York Rangers' offense tonight.
Lafreniere is on the first forward line and the second power-play unit, entering with 6 NHL points and 18 shots on goal in his last 10 games. Modest production in the grand scheme of things, but he is solid point-per-dollar value as a skater in a clear plus matchup.
Jared McCann ($5,400): The Seattle Kraken have signed McCann to a five-year extension, and it's time to take a stroll down narrative street. Their top-line center is locked up, and what better way to start a new contract than by posting a goal? With 3 goals and 32 shots on goal in the last 10 games, McCann is one of the drivers on offense for the Kraken, and Seattle has a great matchup tonight versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Leafs have taken a big step back on defense and are now allowing the 11th-most (2.71) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations this season. It's a great matchup for McCann -- regardless of the narrative.
