NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Monday 4/26/21
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
Calvin Petersen ($6,900): On top of having a very nice salary, Petersen and the Los Angeles Kings are -164 home favorites against the Anaheim Ducks. We don't often look towards the Kings' goalies in NHL DFS, but they are very affordable and have a winnable matchup tonight. The salary relief should also help you pay up for one of the top centers on tonight's slate, which appears to be the general path for roster construction. The Ducks come into this matchup scoring 2.08 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the fourth-lowest in the league. Petersen hasn't been the most consistent in net for Kings, but he has a soft matchup and in a spot to pick up the win points.
High-Priced Skaters
Connor McDavid ($9,200): This may come as a surprise, but this guy Connor McDavid is pretty good at hockey and you should roster him in DFS. Over his last 10 games, he has 17 NHL points and 24 shots on goal, continuing his fantasy dominance with exactly the type of production you want in your lineups. He will be taking on the Winnipeg Jets, who are allowing the eighth-most (55.34) Corsi Against (Total Shot Attempts Allowed) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations.
The Edmonton Oilers are slight -112 road favorites in a game that could feature plenty of back and forth scoring. Edmonton is allowing the 11th-most goals (2.52) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations and has the seventh-worst (55.50) Corsi Against. This should present a very fantasy-friendly game environment, putting McDavid in a spot to rack up plenty of fantasy points.
Brock Boeser ($7,200): Despite only having a 2.85 implied goal total, the Vancouver Canucks should be popular tonight due to their matchup against the Ottawa Senators. This season, the Senators are in the bottom three of the league in both Corsi Against and goals allowed per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. They are, for another year, one of the worst defenses in the league. Any time they are on the slate, you stack against them. It's that simple.
This means we are looking to the Canucks tonight, and mainly their top forward line, which is fully correlated with the first power-play unit. This is where Boeser and his 8 NHL points and 23 shots on goal over his last 10 games come into play. He is the most high-salaried skater on the Canucks but is worth it when you are getting this soft of a matchup.
Value Skaters
Andre Burakovsky ($4,400): If Burakovsky is going to stay on the first forward line and the first power-play for the Colorado Avalanche AND remain under $5,000, he is going to be a must-play every single night. With Mikko Rantanen out, Burakovsky has stepped into his role to produce four NHL points and five shots on goal in the two games with the new role. The Avs are scoring the second-most (2.99) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations this season, so any chance you can get cheaper exposure to their lineup, you simply take it.
Dustin Brown ($4,900): As noted above, the Kings are home favorites tonight, so we should be looking to them for some scoring options on top of their goalie. Brown has a very modest salary and comes in with 6 NHL points, 24 shots on goal, and 5 blocked shots in his last 10 games. He skates on the first forward line and the first power-play unit, which should put him in a good matchup versus the Ducks' weak defense.
