Hockey is back!
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 and take a look at today's slate and some players to consider for your lineups.
Goalie to Target
Jeremy Swayman/Linus Ullmark ($8,700): The Boston Bruins are rolling to start the season and come in as -225 home favorites against the Detroit Red Wings. The Bruins offense is scoring a blistering 3.57 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is good for the third-best in the league. This is another situation where their offense should be able to power Swayman or Ullmark to a win, making them a clear target tonight.
While both goalies have been fine to start the season -- Ullmark slightly better than Swayman -- the safety of the fantasy points via the win is what we are after. The Red Wings' offense is 14th in the league for goals scored per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, presenting a middle-of-the-road opponent tonight.
High-Salaried Skaters
Brady Tkachuk ($9,900): With 10 NHL points and 25 shots on goal through six games, Tkachuk has been elite for the Ottawa Senators in the early part of the season. He's playing on the top forward line and the first power-play unit, putting him in a spot to reach for his fantasy ceiling every single night.
The Senators were one of the notable teams in the offseason to make several strong moves, and that is being shown off right away this year. They are scoring 3.72 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, putting them as the second-best in the league. Tonight, they are going up against the Minnesota Wild, who are allowing the second-most (4.48) goals in the same situation.
This is why we see a high 6.5-total tonight, giving us one of the better games for fantasy potential. Tkachuk is viable in all formats, and look to stack him with Tim Stutzle and/or Drake Batherson.
Patrice Bergeron ($8,400): As mentioned above, the Bruins' offense is cruising right now with 3.57 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. You can essentially look to get exposure to them on any single slate -- tonight being no different. Bergeron is off to a strong start this season with 7 NHL points and 26 shots on goal in seven games.
What's great about Bergeron is that he gets you exposure to David Pastrnak ($10,400), who is off to a career-best season with 12 NHL points and 40 shots on goal in seven games. Bergeron is $2,000 lower in salary than Pastrnak, and they are skating on the first power-play unit together. While Bergeron doesn't have the same goal-scoring ceiling Pastrnak has, he's absolutely worth the roster spot tonight.
Value Skaters
Tage Thompson ($5,500): The Buffalo Sabres have a solid 3.57 implied goal total tonight against the Montreal Canadiens, where the total is set at 6.5. This is another game with plenty of scoring potential and plenty of fantasy options. Thompson is the center on the first forward line and the first power-play for the Sabres, but he's off to a bit of a slower start.
After 38 goals in 78 games last season, Thompson has just a single goal in six games this season. His role is the same, but he's just not finding the back of the net right now, which has caused his salary to drop a bit. I'm liking this buy-low spot in a game that should feature plenty of offense.
Andrei Kuzmenko ($5,000): The Vancouver Canucks have played seven games this season, and they have zero wins. That's not the start they were hoping for and that has led to them changing up their forward lines a bit. We now see Kuzmenko on the second forward line and the first power-play unit.
He's averaging three shots on goal per game but has only found the scoresheet one time this year. If the role and the shot volume stay the same, he will start to find the back of the net soon.