NHL DFS Tournament Picks and Strategy | Snipes, Grinders, and Hard Passes Projections for Fanduel and Draftkings 2/17/22

DFS NHL is a volatile sport centering around correlation, stacking and game theory.  Learning how to win cash games and tournaments requires nailing those great upside plays/stacks, grabbing obvious value, and making the proper fades that sink everyone else’s ships.  Let’s look through today’s slate and identify those winning picks in “Snipes, Grinders, and Hard Passes!”

All of my plays make sense for the entire DFS industry; however, if there is an egregious discrepancy in player salary between sites, I will mention it in my briefing.

Snipe = Good Play
Grinder = Value Plays (Grinders are Valuable)
Hard-Pass = I’m fading in tournaments

DFS NHL Slate Overview:

Big slate tonight with a lot of different ways to go; let’s navigate through large field GPP’s together by choosing the correct expensive stacks (I don’t deem the $9,000 superstars too viable tonight), and where a little bit of value might end up. In cash games, which I don’t care about, you will be playing Ville Husso in net, and it’s probably game theory optimal to fade him in tournaments., since Montreal probably won’t even record 25 shots on goal in that game.

Snipes and Hard Passes for Tonight

Correlated Snipe #1

Mark Schiefele – Blake Wheeler – Paul Stastny

This is one that is pretty easy to grasp, because the Jets are finally scoring some goals, and they are at home against the Kraken who haven’t stopped a puck all year. Schiefele has 7 goals in his last 4 games, and Wheeler has 9 points in his last 3 games, so the Jets top veterans are en fuego and playing a bad NHL team tonight at home. Wheeler had an absolute nightmare start to begin the season, and has picked it up so much, that he is nearly a point per game now. Good players find their way eventually, and Wheeler/Scheifele have certainly been hitting their stride. Stastny is an old hockey man now that doesn’t excite me the most, so you certainly can run a 2 man stack here; however, most winning GPP lineups have 2 lines of 3, and it isn’t like Stastny is just a bum on skates all of the sudden, he can still play a little bit.

Correlated Snipe #2

Patrik Laine – Oliver Bjorkstrand – Boone Jenner

The battle of Columbus’ first round picks plays tonight in Chicago. The Blackhawks are playing a goalie that I’m assuming is either a rookie or at the very least a goalie prospect named Arvid Soderblom; I say that, because I genuinely have no idea who that is. He only has 2 games of NHL experience and has a woeful 88% save percentage. The NHL is an absolutely different league when it comes to hockey. It isn’t like soccer/futbol where the Premiere League and other leagues like La Liga and Bundesliga are similar pace and skill sets. The NHL is the absolute top of the top, and young goalies typically have to take their lumps. That, gathered with Chicago not being the best defensive team; And, the Blue Jackets finally scoring a little bit (specifically Patrik Laine), I’m just going to gamble on the Blue Jackets top line in this one. Side note, the Blue Jackets 3 best offensive players are finally playing on their top line, and it has yielded production; Jenner is on pace for 30ish goals, Bjorkstrand has been quiet this year, but is very talented, and Laine is the type of goal scorer that is built different, and can fetch 3 on any given night.

If you want to freshen up your 2021-22 cash and tourney strategy skills, read “How to Win DFS NHL in 2022.”

Hard Pass #1

The Leafs/Penguins game

Holy balls is this ballsy given all of the high priced superstar talent in this game. This game scares me, because the Penguins play solid defense typically, and Mike Sullivan probably has some ideas on how to ugly this game up. Even though the Penguins are very skilled, nobody’s gameplan should be to try to out skate/skill the Leafs; and the Penguins have the greasy veterans to yuck/muck it up in the corners and in the neutral zone. With how expensive these players are; I would rather put my eggs in the similarly priced Jets and Capitals baskets and just live with the results. I could be wrong and this could be like a 7-6 game; but, I am simply fading and praying here. It should be a fantastic hockey game if you have the time and means to watch it.

Save research time with our easy-to-read NHL Cheatsheets! Core plays, tourney leverage, correlated stacks, and extreme goalie plays set up your night differently than your competition.

NHL Grinder Value Plays

Grinder #1

Alexis Lafreniere – The top pick has 2 goals in his last 3 games, typically plays in the Rangers top 6, and has a favorable matchup against the Red Wings. Risky, but if you only have $3,000 with one spot to fill; bang.

Grinder#2

Brandon Hagel -Kid gets to skate with Strome and Kane on the top line, and I believe that this CBJ/CHI game could yield a high goal total; so, I wouldn’t be shocked if Hagel fins the score sheet in some way in this one.

Good luck, I hope you all come in 2nd.  😉

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