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
Tristan Jarry ($8,800): The Pittsburgh Penguins are very solid -188 road favorites tonight against the Vancouver Canucks. It's a spot to target Jarry. The Canucks picked up their first win of the season last night after starting the year winless in their first seven games. However, they face a tough Pittsburgh lineup tonight,vand it puts Jarry in a spot to come away with the win.
The Penguins have the best of both worlds right now with their defense allowing only 2.17 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the seventh-best in the league. When it comes to their offense, they lead the league with a whopping 3.80 goals scored in the same situations.
This means we can either see their offense put up the goals and power Jarry to the win, or their defense continues to be solid, and they'll win via an overall team effort.
High-Salaried Skaters
David Pastrnak ($10,400): Pasta continues to be amazing this season, coming in with 15 NHL points and 44 shots on goal through just eight games. His multi-point potential is a threat every night, and he has a high floor of shots, making him viable in all formats. The Boston Bruins have a 3.49 implied goal total tonight, and if they are going to reach or exceed that, you should assume that Pasta is going to be involved.
They are going up against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are struggling on defense this year to the tune of 3.97 goals allowed per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the third-worst in the league. This is a great spot for a potential game stack and should offer plenty of back-and-forth scoring.
Mikko Rantanen ($9,200): Rantanen is due for a goal. That's the main point I'll be driving home here, and tonight's matchup against the New Jersey Devils puts him in a spot to find the back of the net. Rantanen has consistently been one of the best offensive players in the last few seasons, holding 9 NHL points and 23 shots on goal in seven games this year.
Over his last three games, Rantanen doesn't have a single NHL point but does have 13 shots on goal. His role on the first forward line and the first power-play unit is too strong for him to go this long without producing NHL points. The Devils are allowing the 10th-most goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations (2.91), making this a solid defensive matchup to attack.
Value Skaters
Erik Haula ($4,600): While the Devils are giving up a ton of goals, they are also scoring a ton, which creates amazing fantasy environments for scoring. This is why we see an over/under sitting at 7.0 (the highest on tonight's slate). Haula is off to a very quiet start this season with no goals and a single assist, but he does have an encouraging 24 shots on goal in seven games.
He's skating on the second forward line and the second power-play unit, which are solid offensive roles for a player under $5,000. We also see the Devils coming in with a 73.91 Corsi For (Total Shot Attempts Created), which is the second-best in the league. They are constantly pushing the pace on offense, but he hasn't found his way onto the scoresheet often. I'm buying low on Haula in a great game environment.
Jack Roslovic ($4,100): The Blue Jackets have changed up their forward lines, and we now see Jack Roslovic on the first forward line and the first power-play unit. This gives him a full ice-time correlation with Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine. That's an amazing role to have.
Roslovic may not stay here the entire season, but with the Blue Jackets scoring the fifth-most (3.36) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations right now, their offense is hot, and getting low-salaried exposure to their top line is unmatched.