NHL DFS Tournament Picks and Strategy | Snipes & Grinders, Projections for Fanduel and Draftkings 1/21/23

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 and Grinders!”

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)

DFS NHL Slate Overview:

NHL season is here! Check out all of our industry-leading content on dfsarmy.com, and if interested feel free to DM me personally and I’ll get your journey started. Remember, our mission is a process, we grow and learn every day; figure out what our competitors are doing, identify the correct plays, and calculate the correct ways to attack each slate. Every slate is different and can be attacked in different ways. We also have great tools to work with like the domination station (optimizer), the research station, chalk boards, as well as tons of coaches readily available in our discord.

Now – onto hockey

Big boy slate tonight with some jarring high priced options in quality spots, as well as a few cheap darts to use to be able to afford those top guys that we want. The Oilers with McDavid, Draisaitl, and Kane leading the charge is the obvious super chalk spot, and in cash game situations, I highly suggest not fading. The Oilers are getting the Canucks in the second game of a back to back, in addition to all of the drama the Canucks are dealing with. There are a few other spots that are juicy, including the Dallas Stars up against the Coyotes, as well as the Jets up against the Senators. I cannot stress enough how much our tools can help out during crunch time and making last minute decisions; with that being said, let’s roll out my 2 favorite stacks of the slate.

Correlated Snipe #1

Auston Matthews – William Nylander – Morgan Rielly

This is my favorite stack that isn’t the Oilers, which can make them a cheaper pivot with similar upside. Auston Matthews has been heating up in terms of his goal scoring, and William Nylander is having a career year as well. I am correlating Morgan Rielly with them and not Bunting, because of the powerplay correlation, as well as cost efficiency. If Bunting scores twice, I lose; but that is the risk I am willing to take with the law of averages here. The winger or utility positions are too valuable to use on someone with a capped ceiling. The Leafs are up against the Canadiens which is a good matchup for them, and I do not trust Montreal’s goaltending. Montembeault overperformed for a long time and is dipping back down into reality.

Apr 26, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) celebrates after scoring his 60th goal of the season during the third period against the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Correlated Snipe #2

Tomas Hertl – Timo Meier – Erik Karlsson

The Blue Jackets are in last place in the entire NHL, and they earned that spot. They are an utter shambolic disaster. Once again I am correlating their powerplay catalyst defensemen with their top 2 forwards that correlate at even strength and on the powerplay. Hertl is a cost efficient top center that has a nice ceiling given his salary. Timo Meier is a volume shooter that is having a terrific year in a contract year as a pending RFA. But most importantly Erik Karlsson is in the Norris conversation and is leading all defensemen in points with 62. Karlsson is hot both on the ice and off the ice (what a man rocket), and the Blue Jackets have failed to stop offensive-minded defensemen all year. The Sharks are simply in a good spot and may not be super high owned given the other studs on the slate. Elvis Merzlikins is having another atrocious year in net, and Korpisalo hasn’t played in a little while; and those are the Jackets’ 2 options in net after sending Tarasov down.

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

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

Michael Eyssimont – Another Shark. Top line with Hertl and Meier, but on the second powerplay unit, not the first.

Grinder #2

Lucas Raymond – Too cheap for his top line, top powerplay role

Grinder #3

Josh Norris – 2 games back and both against Pittsburgh is tough. He has been active though, and is super important for the Senators. An $8M salary is not supposed to be this cheap in DFS.

Grinder #4

Adam Boqvist – Top pair, top powerplay role for Boqvist. Boqvist is a Swedish defenseman, which means that he will want to impress Erik Karlsson who is also a hall of fame Swedish defenseman. Playing against someone you grew up watching is probably a narrative.

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

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