If you follow the NHL, you already know all of the top players. Obviously, when playing DFS, these players will come at a high cost. In this article, we are looking to find the cheaper value plays to help you afford the superstars.
Dylan Strome, Center, Chicago Blackhawks
FanDuel Price: $5,000
Dylan Strome seems to finally be getting his career on track after being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks last season. After putting up just 16 real-life points in 48 games for the Arizona Coyotes, Strome went on to put up an incredible 51 points in 58 games in Chicago.
Strome centers the second line with Alex DeBrincat and Andrew Shaw on his wings. In addition to that, he plays on the team's top power-play unit with Debrincat, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. The unit has plenty of firepower, which can help Strome pick up some offensive totals, and he's a cheap inclusion to a Chicago stack.
Strome is the top point-per-dollar center value on the slate, per our projections.
Tyler Ennis, Winger, Ottawa Senators
FanDuel Price: $3,200
While we all know the Ottawa Senators are going to be terrible this season, somebody has to put up points for them, and Tyler Ennis will have plenty of opportunities to do so. He's playing on the Sens' top even-strength line with Colin White and Brady Tkachuk. The top power-play unit is also comprised of this line in its entirety, giving Ennis a good ceiling.
His price is egregiously low considering his role, regardless of how bad the team is. He comes in with our top point-per-dollar value among wingers.
This is not an easy matchup against the defending Stanley Cup Champion St. Louis Blues, but the Sens are on home ice and can hopefully put some goals on the board.
Kevin Labanc, Winger, San Jose Sharks
FanDuel Price: $4,600
Patrick Marleau practiced on the top line in place of Kevin Labanc yesterday, so that is a bit of a concern. However, if Labanc remains on the third line, he'll still play with Joe Thornton, who, even in his old age, is a solid center to have on your line. Labanc will also surely spend some time on one of the power-play units, as well.
A road matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks is not ideal, but Labanc signed just a one-year, $1 million extension in the summer with every reason to bet on himself in 2019-20. He will be looking to put up big totals this season to hit a home run contract in summer 2020.
Matt Dumba, Defense, Minnesota Wild
FanDuel Price: $5,000
Having two players priced at $5,000 in this piece is not what I was looking for as that is my maximum limit for value plays, but Mathew Dumba is severely underpriced here. This is a defenseman who has back-to-back 50-point seasons (if you prorate his injury-shortened season last year). Dumba plays on the top even-strength line as well as the top power-play unit, so he's on the ice in favorable situations.
He'll take on the Winnipeg Jets this evening -- a team that is riddled with injuries, especially on the back-end. The Jets are allowing 35.5 shots against per game, the sixth-most in the NHL this season.
Not only is Dumba the top point-per-dollar value among defensemen, he has the third-highest FanDuel points projection among all defenseman on the slate.
Mackenzie Blackwood, Goaltender, New Jersey Devils
FanDuel Price: $7,000
This is not necessarily a great matchup for Mackenzie Blackwood, who takes on the Edmonton Oilers on the tail-end of a back-to-back for the New Jersey Devils. The Oilers have been scoring in bunches this season, but I cannot see James Neal continuing this torrid pace, which should slow them down a bit.
Blackwood has been shaky in obviously minimal appearances this season, but last season, he had a solid .918 save percentage and 2.61 goals against average. Neither are blowing you away, but they are acceptable for one of the cheapest goalies on the slate.
Ryan Sheppard is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Ryan Sheppard also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username donkshow_. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.