NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Tuesday 12/7/21
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
Jack Campbell ($8,100): As -285 home favorites, the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to be a chalky option tonight. Campbell is confirmed as the starter tonight and comes in as one of the best goalies in the league, and he offers a high level of safety you can trust in cash games. He has 7 wins in his last 10 games and has allowed three goals or fewer in nine of those 10 games. He's also racked up 28 saves or more seven times in that span.
Toronto comes in with a strong defense this season. They allow the 10th-fewest (2.02) Goals Allowed per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, and the Leafs are around the league average (54.93) in Corsi Against (Total Shot Attempts Allowed) in the same situation.
High-Priced Skaters
Auston Matthews ($9,900): On top of the heavy moneyline (-285) the Maple Leafs are carrying tonight, they also have a slate-high 3.66 implied goal total. In addition to Campbell, we want to look to Matthews in all formats for his high floor and immense ceiling of fantasy points. Over his last 10 games, he has racked up 9 goals, 4 assists, 48 shots on goal, and 7 blocked shots. Some players don't even have nine goals on the entire season, and he has done that in his last 10 games.
Matthews skates on the first forward line and the first power-play -- a role that allows him to drive the Maple Leafs' offense. They have an amazing matchup tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are allowing the second-most (3.08) Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations and the fourth-worst (59.71) Corsi Against. We should see the Leafs' offense flying tonight with Matthews in the middle of it all.
Kirill Kaprizov ($8,300): The Minnesota Wild and Edmonton Oilers are in for a wild game tonight -- no pun intended. The over/under is set at 6.5 goals, and we see both teams in the top eight of the league for the most goals scored per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. This should put all players involved in a great spot to pile up the fantasy points, and Kaprizov has been among the best in the league at doing that recently.
He enters with a whopping 18 NHL points and 36 shots on goals in his last 10 games, and that slots him as the ideal option for all formats. He is finding his way onto the score sheet on a nightly basis, and with his role on the first power-play for Minnesota, he will always have access to a high ceiling.
Value Skaters
Jean-Gabriel Pageau ($4,400): To say the New York Islanders have been struggling on offense would be a massive understatement, but they have gotten a number of players back from the COVID protocols and are nearly at full strength. Their matchup against the lowly Ottawa Senators is the ideal spot to get the offense moving in the right direction. The Sens are allowing the fourth-most (2.96) Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations and are dead last in the league (62.83) when it comes to Corsi Against.
JGP comes in with only two NHL points in his last 10 games -- their offense has been struggling, as you can see -- but he is under $5,000, playing on the second forward line and the first power-play unit for a team with a 2.97 implied goal total. Take the value with the Islanders tonight.
Rickard Rakell ($5,200): Rakell has some sneaky production as of late with 7 NHL points, 32 shots on goal, and 7 blocked shots in his last 10 games. Given his role on the first forward line, the first power-play unit, and the matchup against the weak Buffalo Sabres' defense (3.02 Goals allowed per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations), he is one of my favorite value options on the entire slate.
