Hello folks and welcome to my NHL Positional Breakdown for Fanduel!
For those of you who are new to the DFS Army, new to NHL DFS, or just like to read different articles, my name is Matt Dell’Agnese and I’m an MLB and NHL coach and writer for the DFS Army. Hit me for a follow on twitter at mdellagnese14. If you are a DFS Army VIP member you will know that I’m fairly active in our NHL rooms and around to help coach for the amazing sport of Hockey. I was brought to the DFS Army in January and I wrote Painting the Black for baseball, analyzing pitching picks for the slates. If you’ve played MLB, NHL is very similar. The sports are both volatile and players can put up a 0 or low score at any time. Don’t get discouraged if you get cold, just keep with your process and the players will come around. For cash games, you want to correlate players who skate on the same line or same Power play line, in GPPs stack up the full lines. Thankfully, Chop has asked me to help out with our NHL content articles!
Check out Flynn’s article that describes how we start our process of creating lineups – Beginning NHL Strategy.
Check out our new and improved VIP Research Station tutorial here. When you sign up THIS WEEK ONLY to become a DFS Army Member, use code “NEWYEAR” to get yourself 20% off your first month! EXPIRES FRIDAY!!!
I will be breaking down each position with the players who I like with my reasonings for liking them on the slate! I am a Fanduel player, so these articles will include Fanduel pricing and scoring references! Remember to always check for confirmation of goalies and lines! Let’s dive into this big Wednesday Slate!
First, here are some of our recent big wins!
Yesterday’s Results
Goalies
Tukka Rask (BOS) (8.9k): There are a ton of goalies I like tonight, and it starts with Tukka. Normally, I’m not on Rask, but MIN just played last night and they have not been scoring much lately. Rask has averaged over 20 FD points in his last 10 starts allowing just 2.4 goals against per game. ALL FORMAT PLAY
Marc-Andre Fleury (VGK) (9k): Fleury is one of my top goalies tonight and the matchup is great. The Rangers have been struggling of late and Fleury has had 4 straight amazing games. He’s been as good as Rask in the last 10 games. I love Vegas’s offense tonight too. ALL FORMATS
Matt Murray (PIT) (8.8k): Matt Murray has been UNBELIEVABLE of late. He’s on some incredible run and the way PIT’s D is playing it’s hard not to use him tonight. Over his last 10 games, he’s averaging 22.6 FD points and PIT is allowing less than 2 goals/game. ALL FORMATS
Robin Lehner (NYI) (8.3k): Actually, Lehner is our highest projected goalie on the night. The Islanders have been playing great defense lately allowing less than two goals per game too. Carolina is a Corsi machine, but they don’t do much scoring. Lehner has allowed just 1.8 GA/G in his last 10 games averaging 21.8 FD points. ALL FORMATS
Phoenix Copley (WSH) (7.9k): More of a tournament play tonight, as I originally liked Holtby but Copley is going to start. Goaltending for the Caps has been very good of late and they get a plus matchup with PHI on the back end of a back to back and are not even scoring more than 2 goals per game. GPP
Keith Kinkaid (NJ) (7.4k): Large-field GPP play tonight. Kinkaid has been awful lately, but this matchup with BUF could be good. They are already without Eichel and Reinhart is a GTD. If they are both officially out, Kinkaid will have more upside in getting a win tonight. GPP ONLY
Jimmy Howard (DET) (7.5k): My man Howard is back for me! He still has not been good at all. He’s allowed 3 or more goals in his last 5 games, but MTL had some weather issues last night getting in late. Also, Weber got whacked in the face with a puck last night and Augostino was ejected quick. MTL could be tired in this game allowing for Howard to have a great game. GPP ONLY
Another to consider: Curtis McElhinney (GPP ONLY)
Centers
Tyler Seguin (DAL) (7.8k): Hard not to like Seguin tonight against the Blues. They are on a b2b and Seguin has 22 SOG in his last 4 games, he also has 4 goals in that span too.
Patrice Bergeron (BOS) (8.2k): The Bruins are in a wonderful spot against the Wild on a b2b. I love stacking up Boston wherever I can tonight.
Dylan Larkin (DET) (6.7k): Larkin is popping like crazy right now on the DS. This matchup with the Habs will be a good one as they could be tired from playing last night. Larkin has upside and normally a safe floor.
Mathew Barzal (NYI) (6.8k): Aside from his last game, Barzal has been rolling for NYI. The Canes are not allowing a ton of goals, but Barzal is averaging the 4th most FD points over his last 5 games on this slate.
Sidney Crosby (PIT) (8.9k): Always hard for me to use Crosby, but the matchup with Luongo and the Panthers is good. Luongo is not good and PIT should be able to score a few goals tonight.
Nico Hischier (NJ) (5.8k): I doubt many will use Nico tonight. He’s been picking up his game lately, having 11 SOGBS and 2 goals in his last 2 games. Buffalo is missing Eichel already and could be missing Reinhart too. I love the Value for Nico tonight.
Others to consider: Connor McDavid, Sebastian Aho, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Brayden Schenn
Wings
Nikita Kucherov (TB) (9.3k): Normally I’m not on Kuch being so expensive. I do think after last game people will be off him and the matchup with CBJ is not the best. Kuch has had 3 straight games against CBJ that have been amazing dating back to 2017. He has scored a goal and had an assist in 3 straight against them. More of a tournament play though.
David Pastrnak (BOS) (8.4k): I love Boston tonight against Stalock and the Wild. Pasta can be paired with Brad Marchand if you want, but I prefer Pasta who has been hotter of late. Pasta has 24 SOG in his last 5 games with 2 PP goals and 3 assists.
Alexander Radulov (DAL) (6.7k): Still amazing value for Rad here. Not sure why the coach decides to change up the lines when Rad, Seguin, and Benn are amazing together. Rad has been an assist monster of late racking up 5 in his last 3 games. He has the 2nd highest FD average on this slate in the last 5 games.
Brandon Pirri (VGK) (3.5k): CASH GAME LOCK. There, I said it. Pirri is a cash game lock for me tonight back on VGK2 in an exploitable matchup. He’s dirt cheap and should be a staple in your cash games! Pair him with Alex Tuch in tournaments and even in cash games too.
Patric Hornqvist (PIT) (5.5k): One of our highest values on the RS tonight is Hornqvist. I love the matchup for PIT against Florida tonight and Horn is just too cheap. We know the upside he brings and he should be able to exploit this matchup.
Jake DeBrusk (BOS) (5.2k): DeBrusk has been shooting a ton and getting a few goals here and there. He’s amazing value at just 5.2k and he’s averaging 21.2 FD points over his last 5 games.
Evander Kane (SJ) (6.6k): As long as he’s playing this well, he’s going to be on my radar for DFS. His shots have been going up and he has a point in 5 straight games. Talbot is starting for EDM which brings more upside for Kane. Pair him with Joonas Donskoi (4.8k) or Tomas Hertl (5.6k Center) in tournaments.
Kyle Palmieri (NJ) (6.6k): Palm normally isn’t on my radar unless I use Hall. Well, since Hall has been out Palmieri has stepped it up lately. In his last 3 games alone he has 16 shots with a goal and an assist. Buffalo is allowing 36 SOG in their last 10 games too. More a tournament play though.
Max Pacioretty (VGK) (6.1k): With Smith out, Max is going to be on the top line tonight. He has 12 SOG and 2 goals in his last two games and now will see 18+ minutes on the ice tonight in a wonderful matchup with NYR.
Leon Draisaitl (EDM) (7.2k): I’d rather use him than McDavid tonight because of the pricing. Over his last 5 games, he has 17 shots to go with 5 goals and 2 assists. The Sharks are playing on the back end of a b2b and could be a little tired.
Others to consider: Timo Meier, Dominik Simon (Value, GPP)
Defense
Kris Letang (PIT) (7.1k): Cannot argue his production lately. The 3rd highest scoring D-Man over the last 10 games. He’s blocking a ton of shots and scoring goals. This matchup with Luongo is a good one too.
Victor Hedman (TB) (6.5k): Has been an assist machine of late. A tougher matchup with the Blue Jackets, but he has 5 assists and 1 goal in his last 5 games.
Dougie Hamilton (CAR) (4.9k): Hamilton seems to not have liked being on the 3rd line defense for the Canes. His last three games he’s been over 16.8 Fanduel points. A decent value here.
Nick Leddy (NYI) (4.3k): Here is even better value tonight. Leddy has been playing great lately getting assists for the Islanders.
Tyson Barrie (COL) (5.6k): I don’t love much of COL tonight, but Barrie has scored at least 14 FD points in his last 4 games. He has 18 SOGBS in his last 5 games.
Others to consider: Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, Josh Morrissey, Seth Jones, Darnell Nurse