NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Thursday 1/20/22
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
Tristan Jarry ($8,100): As -310 home favorites, the Pittsburgh Penguins are primed to be a chalky option on tonight's nine-game slate. Looking to Jarry as a goalie option is as straightforward of an option as you can imagine when it comes to NHL DFS. Heavy moneyline favorites? Check. Strong defense? Check. Weak opponent? Check.
The Penguins are one of the better defensive teams in the league, allowing only 2.17 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the eighth-lowest in the league. Jarry is a large part of that in a resurgent year for him and comes into this game in great form, allowing two goals or fewer in seven of his last 10 starts. Considering the Ottawa Senators are scoring 2.33 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations -- which is 14th in the league -- they aren't an offense you need to be worried about against a strong Pittsburgh defense.
High-Priced Skaters
Jonathan Huberdeau ($9,400): The Florida Panthers fell a bit flat in their most recent game, but their offense is too strong to stay this quiet. At 3.57 Goals scored per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, the Panthers are atop the league and set for plenty of scoring versus the Edmonton Oilers tonight. This game features a large 7.0-goal over/under, which is the highest on the slate. Long story short, we're going to see some scoring in this game on both sides.
To say Huberdeau has been hot as of late would be an understatement. He has 20 NHL points and 31 shots on goal in the last 10 games. A staggering 2 NHL points per game over the last 10 has propelled him to 53 total NHL points this season, which is tied for the third-most in the entire league. That level of scoring production is a possibility tonight since the Oilers enter allowing the fifth-most (2.91) Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. I'm looking to Huberdeau and several other options in this game as a potential game stack to capture the offensive upside.
Sidney Crosby ($7,700): As noted above, the Penguins are very large (-310) home favorites, and that gives them a slate-high 4.04 implied goal total. This should make the Penguins a top option in all formats tonight and that starts with top line center, Sidney Crosby. The Senators come in allowing the sixth-most (2.88) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations and a league-worst 62.28 Corsi Against (Total Shot Attempts Allowed) in the same situations.
A total of 9 NHL points and 23 shots on goal in his last 10 games brings a strong level of consistency to all of your lineups. His role on the first power-play unit in this soft matchup gives him a high fantasy ceiling to reach for tonight.
Value Skaters
William Karlsson ($4,500): The Vegas Golden Knights are another heavy home favorite (-375) that we can turn to in all formats. When it comes to Karlsson, it's pretty simple -- his salary is too cheap considering the offensive role he has on the team. Karlsson skates on the top forward line and the top power-play unit for Vegas. The matchup against the Montreal Canadiens is a solid one. Montreal in the bottom 10 of the league (2.76) for the most goals allowed per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations.
Joel Farabee ($5,200): A matchup of two bad teams going up against each other may not be the ideal viewing experience, but there could be plenty of goals. Both the Philadelphia Flyers (2.66) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (3.20) are in the bottom 10 of the league for the most Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. A bit of a sloppy, back-and-forth game could be on tap. With Farabee playing on the first forward line and the first power-play unit for Philly, he will have ample ice time to reach fantasy value.
