DraftKings Daily Fantasy NHL Helper for 2/9/21
With the NFL season over, some people will need to fill the fantasy sports void and might turn to hockey. So let's see if we can get a leg up on the competition by doing some research and identifying two skaters with a high salary, two value skaters and a goalie that can help us with tonight.
High Salary Skaters
Connor McDavid ($9,000): McDavid has reached the point that many superstars in sports reach. They make a normal, good game for anyone else look like a disappointing performance. McDavid has to do something like score an amazing goal or tally five points like he did on January 31st. He has five points in three games since then and has a 10-game point streak overall. McDavid leads the league with 27 points in 14 games and will play the team that has allowed the most goals per game in the league in the Ottawa Senators. He's also third in the league in shots on goal, and this willingness to shoot more often is a welcome addition to his game. With the Edmonton Oilers having by far the highest implied team total on the slate, McDavid is a priority, even if he comes at a hefty $9,000 price tag.
Patrick Kane ($7,600): Because the Chicago Blackhawks are expected to have a down season, Kane has perhaps been ignored this year. That's been an oversight, as he's been his typical self to start the season. He's tied for fifth in the league in points with 17 and is fourth in the league in shots on goal with 48. He's also third in the league in ice time per game for wingers, as Chicago has to ride him to have any chance at success. The matchup against the Dallas Stars isn't easy, but Kane did have two assists and picked up the five-shot bonus in Sunday's matchup between the two teams. Kane is a good play tonight who could go overlooked because his team is an underdog.
Value Skaters
Kevin Labanc ($4,100): Labanc is a solid player in a good role for the San Jose Sharks. He's on the top line and top power-play unit, and his salary is just $4,100. He has been fairly average to start the season, totaling five points in 10 games. A good sign for his production being better going forward is his willingness to shoot the puck, as his 15.38 shot attempts per 60 minutes are more than linemates Logan Couture and Evander Kane. He gets a nice matchup tonight against the Los Angeles Kings, who have allowed the fourth most expected goals per 60 minutes this season. The talent and role don't match up with this low salary, making Labanc a nice value play tonight.
Tyler Johnson ($3,500): Johnson was the subject of trade rumors all offseason, but he remained with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has stuck on the second line and second power play, but his salary is just $3,500. He has just one goal and three assists this season but has just a 5.3% shooting percentage, well below his career number of 13.1%. If he can regress to close to his career mark, his salary will likely rise quickly. Tampa Bay's implied total is the fourth highest on the slate, and they face a Nashville Predators' penalty kill that has been the worst in the league thus far. There is certainly upside in Johnson at this salary.
Goalie to Target
Andrei Vasilevskiy ($8,000): Vasilevskiy has carried over his stellar goaltending from the playoffs last season into this year. He's 7-1-1 with a 1.88 goals against average and .931% save percentage, and he is second in goals saved above average. The matchup against Nashville is a good one, as they are in the bottom five in goals per game. The Predators also have the third lowest implied goal total on the slate. The matchup and overall talent make Vasilevskiy a much better play than someone like Mikko Koskinen, who has a salary of $8,200. It means that Vasilevskiy is actually a good value, even at this high salary.
Nicholas Vazquez is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Nicholas Vazquez also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username hbyanksman. 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.
