NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Friday 12/10/21
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
Darcy Kuemper ($7,900): The Colorado Avalanche are massive -345 home favorites against the Detroit Red Wings, and you want plenty of exposure to them tonight. Any line more than -200 is a lot for the NHL, so when we see one past -300, we are looking at a spot where that team has extremely high win equity in their matchup. That is what we have with Kuemper, who is just the sixth highest-salaried goalie despite his standing as the biggest favorite.
The Red Wings come in scoring 2.23 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is 21st in the league, along with a 49.46 Corsi For (Total Shot Attempts Created), the third-lowest mark. The Red Wings are a below-average offensive team, and it puts Kuemper in a great spot for the win.
High-Priced Skaters
Aleksander Barkov ($8,600): With a 3.77 implied goal total, the Florida Panthers should be one of the top teams you are targeting in all formats. They have this high implied goal total because they are taking on the Arizona Coyotes, who not only have trouble paying their bills on time but also have trouble playing defense. This season, the Coyotes are allowing the sixth-most (2.86) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. We should be looking to attack the Coyotes on every single slate they're on, and tonight is no different.
Barkov skates on the top forward line and the first power-play for the Panthers, who are one of the league's best offenses. They score 3.32 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which ties them for the second-most in the league. This is one of the most lopsided matchups on the slate and is all about stacking the Panthers.
Artemi Panarin ($8,900): Panarin and the New York Rangers are -188 road favorites with a 3.38 implied total as they take on the Buffalo Sabres. This is a very straightforward spot for the Rangers, and looking to Panarin -- who skates on the second forward line and the first power-play unit -- is the classic don't-overthink-it play. Simply roster the guyyer who has 16 NHL points and 30 shots on goal in his last 10 games against the Sabres, a team that is allowing the fourth-most (2.99) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations.
Value Skaters
Logan O'Connor ($4,500): As noted above, the Avalanche are massive home favorites and come in with a 4.09 implied total. You should be looking to stack their offense every which way you can, and if getting up to their top-tier options is too much, consider O'Connor. He was skating on the first forward line in their most recent game, and if that holds true tonight, he will be one of the best values on the slate. He has a solid six NHL points, 21 shots on goal, and eight blocked shots in his last 10 games.
Reilly Smith ($5,300): The Vegas Golden Knights are another large home favorite (-260), and Smith is a solid mid-range cash-game option. You can also look to stack him with William Karlsson and Jon Marchessault since they are fully correlated from the second forward line to the second power-play unit. They are taking on the Philadelphia Flyers, who have the second-worst (61.31) Corsi Against (Total Shot Attempts Allowed) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, presenting the Golden Knights with a strong floor of points in this one.
