Today is a rare day. I have time! So, I give to you the largest, deepest DFS NHL game-by-game breakdown you’ve ever seen…..
As usual, follow me on Twitter and YouTube for the latest content drops and video uploads. I am a coach and contributor inside DFS Army, where our entire goal is teaching you the fundamentals that will make you a better, more competitive player as quickly as possible. Use code CHOP for a 10% discount, and get busy learning/winning today!! Scroll down for a DFS NHL video supplement…
NHL Advice – Matchups and Focal Points
CAR vs PIT – CAR1 gives up a ton of goals. Look to target PIT1 and PIT2, but mostly the PP1. Malkin/Kessel are my favorite plays right now and should matchup well with the soft CAR defense. Tristan Jarry is also in play at goalie.
NJD vs BOS – Boston still runs hot all over the place. Like your lubed up stripper, anywhere you touch them you are likely to feel very good about your decision. I’m calling not one, but TWO #StackSlams here because NJ is on the 2nd of a B2B, Hall is still not playing, and Cory Schneider has given up 4 goals in 5 of his last 6 starts. This is a dream matchup, and it will be chalky. Slam1 -Pastrnak/Bergeron/Marchand. Yes, expensive, but they are the real deal right now. Slam2 – Krejci/Backes/Spooner for the PP2 and a smidge of spread, just in case. Being cheaper, this is also a cash stack I’m comfortable with. Tukka Rask is in my top 3 goalies tonight.
PHI vs DET – Detroit comes off their own B2B tonight. PHI1 is great offensively, but they make great targets defensively, too. For that reason, #StackSlam #3 is DET1 of Athanasiou/Bertuzzi/Larkin, if Larkin is playable in DFS. It’s more of a GPPSlam than anything, but both these goalies have horrible game logs. Both are allowing 2-4 goals at will, and I can see tonight being a sneaky shootout. Game stackable on both sides. If looking at Philly, all your studs are in play. The PHI1 is running ok now with Konecny playing well. You could mix in Simmonds for some PP1 correlation if wanting to spread your focus a bit. You also should consider bringing in the defensive players of Gostisbehere and/or Provorov. If you have balls, you’ll run both for a completely unique lineup. So many options with those 6 players I can’t begin to run down all the combos for you. Play 2, play 4, they are all in good spots and something should come of it most nights in spots like these.
See NHL Advice…..Ladder Up – How to Properly Allocate Resources
COL vs MTL – Not a lot to like here in my humble opinion (IMHO for your old forum fiends). But, honestly calling myself humble really sounds a little dirty anyway. COL1 is studly, but road B2Bs don’t get me excited, especially when game logs show they don’t play well on the road. MTL isn’t leaky anywhere, either. I can fade this entire game off and sleep well tonight. There is some value in it down deep, but I don’t see the potential there for us today.
OTT vs STL – I was higher on this one at first glance, but digging into it made me lose my boner. You wanna lose yours? Think of gramma in her moo-moo and that ought to turtle you right up. Getting back on track, OTT is on their B2B, but has potential here. As value 1-offs, I like any of Duchene, DiDomenico, and/or Karlsson. I will say the OTT2 is leaky and putting STL in a good spot. Goalie Anderson has also allowed a ton of 4+ goal games lately, making the spot even better. My main issue is correlation with STL skaters. I don’t really have a 3rd to complete a stack. But, mini-stacks can be made of Tarasenko, Statsny, Steen, Pietrangelo, or Parayko. My other issue is the power play. STL sucks on the PP…..I mean really sucks hard. So hard they are jumbling the lines so frequently Rotogrinders lineups page and LeftWingLock can’t keep up with them. That’s how bad STL is searching for something….anything. While I think this game has big shootout potential, I don’t see a lot of ways to go inside it with complete stacks. Temper expectations.
TBL vs NSH – TB also changed up their lines. We might see chemistry develop, but right now they are in a swoon from hell. This once powerful juggernaut is really searching to find itself again. I have faith they will, but I’m waiting for momentum before jumping back on the train. The former top line was leaky, too, defensively. That should theoretically put NSH skaters in a good spot. But, who? When looking at the last 4 weeks, your top three NSH scorers are all defensemen themselves…..Yuck. But, that said, Subban, Ellis, or Josi make great 1-offs. Again, if you have balls made of stone, you could run mini-stacks with them of Subban/Ellis or something and be completely unique in GPPs tonight. Pekker Rinne (see what I did there?) is also a top 3 goalie of mine tonight. I know TBL is dangerous, but with the way they’ve played lately, I see NSH holding up fine in this one, especially considering that road B2B Tampa is on.
See DFS NBA Strategy – Sneak Peek at Domination Station Lineup Optimizer
FLA vs DAL – If I had to take just one player from this game, it would hands down be John Klingberg. He is sitting on a 13/15 streak of double digit fantasy points, and his two misses? Both games were 8s. Only Brent Burns is more consistent. Yes, you could pair him with Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, or the hotter than hot Alexander Radulov. By the way, Radulov has 10+ fantasy points in his last 7, too. In that stretch, he has 12 real life points and 4 of those are goals. I should also include the #DeepValue play of Mattias Janmark for cheap tonight. I expect this game to shootout somewhat tonight, so while not touching goalies, I’m interested in some of the FLA side, too. The DAL weakness is its own defensive pairings and giving up odd-man rushes and counterattacks. Your hot Panthers are Barkov, Huberdeau, and Dadanov. All of whom can be used as 1-offs or perhaps paired, but I definitely prefer picking one and moving onto other games. As of now, this is the only game coming out of Vegas where the “over” is favored. Vegas sees it shooting out, too.
BUF vs EDM – Damn this is a great spot for the Oilers, but damn if they don’t suck harder than the STL power play right now. I can’t find a single player I’d put on my own head-to-head opponent’s team. I’d feel too sorry for him. I mean they all suck…..bad. It’s not like the Sabres are any better, either. I love the spot for EDM, but after searching, I really can’t recommend a single player for you.
CBJ vs VGK – Another potential shootout tonight. The Golden Knights are shocking the world as an expansion team. They have assembled a high-powered offense that turns their noses up at the concept of defense Jay Cutler style with the full DGAF (Don’t Give A Fuck). You should be targeting their skaters of #StackSlam candidates Marchessault/Smith/Karlsson with fervor. But, like Boston, you can also run the VGK2 of Perron/Neal/Haula. My suggestion, though, for the VGK2 is to include Colin Miller for added value and a very sneaky #StackSlam of its own. However, since VGK2 and that top defensive pairing are the leaky spots, you should also run it back with some Blue Jackets. Your targets there aren’t many, but Seth Jones and Artemi Panarin should be enough. I wanted another #StackSlam from this one, but just couldn’t find it for you. Stick with those two and play it a bit safer.
Also See… NHL DFS Beginner’s Strategy, Advice, and Tips Series
NYR vs ANA – I’m not a huge Rangers or Ducks fan. I usually do like playing Gibson at home, but not tonight facing another competent goalie in Lundqvist. This should be lower scoring being the Rangers only have Rick Nash to offer up as on a heater. The Ducks, however, do have Rakell and Getzlaf running hot as balls. You could feasibly stack them with Lindholm, but I don’t think this is the night. It’s definitely contrarian, but it borders on simply a bad play in my book. Do what you will, though. I know some of you just love swimming upstream. Have at it because at least this one makes some sense. Oops….forgot to mention a #DeepValue play of Brady Skjei. A pretty hard floor of 9 points lately for cheap with his increased role. No ceiling though because none of his teammates are helping.
LAK vs VAN – Trevor Lewis of the Kings is another #DeepValue play tonight, and best used as another 1-off. On the Vancouver side, Alex Edler is just as crazy consistent as Klingberg and/or Burns. 9 of 10 in double digits, 5 in a row at 19+ fantasy points. I’m waiting for some of the other Canucks to come around, but it’s beginning to feel like catfishing in the Mississippi where even turkey buzzards start attacking shit because they are sick of waiting around. Jonathan Quick is usually a solid goalie, but honestly LAK is so good at shot suppression (and VAN plays right into their hands tonight) that I don’t see this being much of a chance to rack up easy partial points. So, I can pass him up turkey buzzard style and wait a little longer for a better spot to use him.
WPG vs SJS – Our final game does contain some decent stuff. We know WPG can score. We should know by now that SJS1 and their Vlasic pairing are their weak spots to attack. Being on the road, this should put WPG2 in the best spot. But, there isn’t a lot there to really stack up. Perrault is a 1-off candidate. Armia is very solid #DeepValue, but there isn’t a lot else I like not on the top line. So, for that reason, I’m calling my #HammerStack as WPG with a defenseman…….Wheeler/Laine/Trouba. Solid in all formats, it gives you another of maybe 6 great choices tonight with which to run. On the Sharks side, I’m looking squarely at Brent Burns, but don’t think there’s any way I spend up for him…..making him a phenomenal GPP play. He’s literally the Gronk of NHL. 16 of his last 20 games have gone for 10+ fantasy points. 6 of those have gone for over 30. You don’t find that in forwards and centers. Like Gronk, he’s so cheap because of his position. By cheap, I mean compared to forwards. The analogy with Gronk is by cheap we mean compared to Antonio Browns and Julio Jones, with whom he can compete when it comes to production. Defensemen don’t garner high prices, so you won’t likely see him hit the true stratosphere, allowing him the nightly chance to bring value by just doing what he do. I would add Vlasic as a GPP candidate because even though he’s cheap you don’t know what you are getting nightly. Could get 9, could get 30. And, I’ll close by giving you one last #DeepValue play of Timo Meier, who has been playing very well of late.
NHL Strategy – Overtime
There you have it. The deepest write-up I’ve done yet this year. I hope you liked it, and I hope I narrowed down some of your options tonight. I’m exhausted, so there won’t be a video supplement to this piece. I think it pretty much stands alone. So…
Remember to use that code CHOP for your 10% discount on becoming a VIP. We run through much more detail inside our Slack Channels with our members. We also bring the other sports to the table, tools, optimizers (NHL in long range plans), and coaching access across all those sports.
As always, your best compliment is retweeting and/or sharing this information across social media. Thank you!