NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Tuesday 10/11/22
Hockey is back! The NHL gets the season underway this week with plenty of action across the league.
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 and 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
Igor Shesterkin ($8,700): The NHL season officially starts tonight with the New York Rangers hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Rangers are very slight -118 home favorites compared to the Lightning at -102, so we're dealing with a near coinflip game.
Tampa comes in with a 2.72 implied goal total, which is the lowest of the four teams on the slate. The Rangers' netminder is coming off a Vezina Trophy -- the award for the best goalie in the league -- and looking to build on last year's success.
Last year in the regular season, Shesterkin faced Tampa three times, came away with three wins, and held them to 1.30 goals per game. This is not a surprise since the Rangers allowed the fourth-fewest (2.20) Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations last season.
The game is a near coin flip and should be lower scoring, putting Shesterkin in a spot to come away with the win.
High-Salaried Skaters
Nikita Kucherov ($9,500): Although the Lightning have a lower 2.72 implied goal total, we can still look to them for some fantasy potential. Nikita Kucherov will be up on the first line and the first power-play for Tampa -- a spot he has flourished in for several years.
Kucherov comes in with the second-best (+176) odds on the Lightning to score a goal tonight, a spot he will be around all season. Last year, Kucherov averaged 3.3 shots on goal per game along with 1.46 NHL points per game. He's an elite playmaker and has multi-point potential every night.
Kevin Fiala ($7,000): Fiala has a new home with the Los Angeles Kings this season and should be one of their best offensive players. Fiala will find himself on the first forward line and the first power-play for the Kings, putting him in a spot to contribute each and every night.
Last season was a career year for Fiala, averaging over 1.00 NHL points and 3.2 shots on goal per game while breaking the 30-goal mark for the first time. Those are realistic levels to reach again this year, and with the Kings carrying a slate-high 3.05 implied goal total, Fiala could get that going tonight.
Value Skaters
Reilly Smith ($4,400): For his role, Smith's salary is too low tonight. The Vegas Golden Knights are taking on the Kings with a 6.0 over/under, indicating we should see some scoring tonight. Smith is expected to play on the first forward line and the first power-play unit for Vegas. That is legitimately one of the best roles you can have in the NHL, and yet, Smith is under $5,000.
He may not bring hat-trick potential to your lineup, but an NHL point and a few shots on goal are certainly on the table for Smith tonight.
Alexis Lafreniere ($5,000): Who doesn't love a good narrative? We start the season with a good one. Lafreniere, the former number-one overall pick from 2020, celebrates his 21st birthday tonight.
Lafreniere is one of the young Rangers expected to take a step forward this season and will be playing on the third forward line and the second power-play unit. His role should generate some solid offensive chances while providing good point-per-dollar value for your lineups.
