NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Thursday 1/12/23
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
Pavel Francouz ($8,300): The Colorado Avalanche need to get back on track, and a favorable matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks will certainly help. I'm not saying the Avalanche are desperate, but it could be approaching that level as they are starting to slip in the standings. The Avs are -320 road favorites and should be able to come away with the win tonight.
Luckily for them, the Blackhawks have one of the worst offenses and defenses in the league, putting them in a bit of a "get right" spot tonight. Chicago comes in allowing 2.99 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the sixth-worst in the league. They are also only scoring 1.58 goals in the same situation, which is the worst mark in the league. This should make an easier path to the win for Francouz tonight.
High-Salaried Skaters
Andrei Svechnikov ($7,300): The Carolina Hurricanes have lost four games in a row and are due for a bounce back against the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight. This is why we see the Canes as -335 road favorites with a 4.07 implied goal total, which should make them a chalky option tonight.
The Blue Jackets are allowing 3.30 goals and a 64.23 Corsi Against (Total Shot Attempts Allowed) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which are both the second-worst in the league. It's fair to say they are one of the worst defenses in the league.
The Canes on the other side come in with a 67.7 Corsi For (Total Shot Attmpets Created ) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which tops the league. Still, they are underproducing scoring goals, posting only 2.56 per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations compared to their expected goals scored (xGF) of 3.11.
They are underproducing as a team overall, and Svechnikov is underproducing on his own. In his last five games, he has a juicy 27 shots on goal -- but no goals. The volume of shots is awesome, and with time on the second forward line and the second power-play unit, he will have plenty of chances to find the back of the net tonight.
Tim Stutzle ($8,300): Stutzle and the Ottawa Senators have a 3.56 implied goal total tonight against the Arizona Coyotes, which leads to plenty of upside. The Coyotes are in the bottom seven of the league in goals allowed (2.94) and Corsi Against (59.03), putting opposing teams in a great spot for fantasy production.
Speaking of fantasy production, Stutzle has been doing a whole lot of that recently with 12 NHL points, 32 shots on goal, and 9 blocked shots in his last 10 games. He's an ideal option in all formats tonight with his role on the first forward line and the first power-play unit.
Value Skaters
J.T. Compher ($5,100): Compher and the Avs have a 3.73 implied goal total tonight against the Blackhawks, making this a clear matchup to attack. Compher is doing a bit of everything for the Avalanche lately, filing up the stat sheet in multiple areas. Over his last 10 games, he has 8 NHL points, 28 shots on goal, and 11 blocked shots.
The Avs are still dealing with a few injuries, which means we see Compher on the second forward line and the second power-play unit, which is a role that has allowed him to produce plenty of fantasy points on a nightly basis.
Nino Niederreiter ($5,500): The Nashville Predators have a 3.50 implied goal total tonight against the Montreal Canadiens while offering plenty of value options. The Predators' offense has been all over the place this season but is skyrocketing right now. For the entire season, they are scoring 2.34 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is 25th in the league. That's nothing to write home about, but things have dramatically changed recently.
Over the past two weeks, the Predators are scoring 4.02 Goals in the same situations, which is the best in the NHL.
A slow start to the season has turned around quickly, and we can find fantasy options here with Niederreiter. He comes in with 7 NHL points and 31 shots on goal over the last 10 games, while seeing time on the third forward line and the second power-play unit.
