Spending lower in any daily fantasy lineup is a way to incorporate some diversity into your roster. In NHL DFS, there is typically more value in this strategy but also a good deal more risk. This is especially true on tonight's larger slate, where there are lots of lower-salaried plays. Plugging in these options will afford you more chances to play some studs, as well.
Monday night has five games overall on the slate. Let's hunt for values!
Adam Lowry, Center, Winnipeg Jets
FanDuel Salary: $4,200
The value here is the low salary. Adam Lowry has a solid enough floor and is playing 16 minutes a night as a middle-six forward. The Winnipeg Jets' center has a six-game point streak, which is the longest of his career. Playing in the "North Division" has done wonders for many players when it comes to DFS but it is these values that should make one heavily encouraged.
Calgary can be inconsistent defensively and are only as good as Jacob Markstrom is in net. There will be plenty of opportunities, even for a player like Lowry on Monday night. Again, the North averages around 6.9 goals per game combined which is around a full goal higher than the league average. While this will correct itself some, it may not completely.
Nick Ritchie, Wing, Boston Bruins
FanDuel Salary: $3,700
The Boston Bruins forward will not see second line ice time forever but perhaps he will long enough to produce at a nice rate. Does anyone expect eight real-world points every nine games? No. On the other hand, Nick Ritchie has been much maligned and the result has been 4 goals on 18 shots while averaging nearly 16 minutes of ice time a night.
The Washington Capitals' defense and middle of the ice is vulnerable to a player who likes to have a major net-front presence. Add in the fact that Ritchie will be in the face of an inexperienced goaltender and that only heightens the chances for more scoring opportunities. Another higher-risk value option may be Phil Di Giuseppe ($3,500) on this night.
Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Defenseman, Pittsburgh Penguins
FanDuel Salary: $3,600
The defense never rests but injuries to the Pittsburgh Penguins have brought an interesting revelation. Joseph can fill some stat categories well and he did see 2:23 of power-play time against the New York Rangers in their last matchup. To say things are trending up for the young defenseman is an understatement.
With these lower salaries, it is important to mention that every slate has its values from the defense. What was encouraging was that Joseph played 25 minutes and did not suffer any fatigue whatsoever. Could the three-assist night be the harbinger of a decent run? It is possible. The only concern with him maybe the lack of blocks -- zero so far. However, the offensive upside against New York along with the deployment are major factors for his addition to your lineups.
Chris Wassel is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Chris Wassel also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username chriswassel. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.