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 slate, where there are lots of lower-salaried plays. Plugging in these options will afford you more chances to play some studs, as well.
Tuesday night features eight games on the main slate. Let's take a look at what values we can find.
Jordan Staal, Center, Carolina Hurricanes
FanDuel Salary: $3,900
Value is a bit easier to find on Tuesday night, but the Carolina Hurricanes' middle-six center plays more like top-line minutes (averaging 17-18 a night) and sees time on the power play, too. Staal has shown a knack for getting open in the two previous games. Results have been double-digit FanDuel points in each contest, which means he has more than exceeded value.
Playing against the Chicago Blackhawks should only increase his chances. Chicago is in the bottom third in minors taken, and while they play better at home, they still yield 33.5 shots per game (fourth-worst in the NHL).
This medium-sized slate does feature offers a myriad of other options to choose from. Nick Schmaltz ($4,400) of the Arizona Coyotes has value even against the St. Louis Blues. Philipp Kurashev is listed as a center on FanDuel for Chicago and plays on the top line, especially at even strength.
Andrew Mangiapane, Wing, Calgary Flames
FanDuel Salary: $3,800
There was this fear that Andrew Mangiapane had forgotten how to play offense. Last night, he played 17 minutes, scored, had two shots on goal, and created several scoring chances for his linemates. He looked every bit like the player most had gotten used to last season. This still carries high-risk. The forward is averaging fewer than two shots a game, is blocking fewer shots and seems to be a little aloof on the ice sometimes.
That being said, there were enough glimpses against the Winnipeg Jets, which was encouraging. Maybe Mangiapane was indeed battling some sort of injury in the early going. No one will ever know, but his dropoff was noticeable. Was it confidence even? One thing is for sure: the winger had some confidence last night.
Tyler Motte ($3,600) is a low-risk choice from the Vancouver Canucks. He hits a lot, averages 2.2 shots per game, and sometimes garners more ice time.
Jakob Chychrun, Defenseman, Arizona Coyotes
FanDuel Salary: $4,000
With value plays being less abundant, Jakob Chychrun sticks out first and foremost from the Arizona Coyotes. Without Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the lineup, Chychrun provides a floor that few defensemen his salary can. He is shooting the puck a bit more, with nine shots and five scoring chances in his last three outings. That is more of the defenseman one needs to see if he is going to make that next step.
His salary is still plenty attractive because it has not gone up. Arizona players being under-salaried has been a theme in the early going of the season. Some will debate as to how much, but the Coyotes' best defenseman should be salaried at a higher level.
Josh Morrissey ($4,000) is a dangerous choice from Winnipeg, but he is still playing on the top pairing and getting primary power-play time for now.
Kevin Lankinen, Goalie, Chicago Blackhawks
FanDuel Salary: $7,200
This has been a bit of a feel-good story, but Kevin Lankinen has been very good under fire for Chicago in his starts. Lankinen has faced 27 or more shots in every one of his starts. The goalie is 3-1-2 in those games and has yielded one or two goals in his last five outings.
Chicago gives up a ton of chances and shots. Most everyone knows that, but Lankinen's positioning and fundamentals have been a huge boost for the Blackhawks. For goalies who have made more than five appearances, Lankinen leads the league in goals saved above average (6.19). No one expected that from any Blackhawks goalie this season or even a year or two from now.
John Gibson ($6,800) versus the Los Angeles Kings may prove to be an intriguing option. The Anaheim Ducks goalie at the least should see quite a few shots his way tonight.
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.