NHL

4 NHL FanDuel Studs to Target on 11/5/19

Auston Matthews and the Leafs look set to roll on Tuesday night. Who else is setup nicely on this 11 game slate?

Spending up in any daily fantasy lineup is how to get the superstars and the highest upside players in your lineup. In NHL DFS, it’s different than paying up in sports like NBA or NFL. Someone can be one of the highest-priced players at his position a put up a total dud of a performance, and paying that much for him would be a huge mistake. Let’s make sure when we are spending up in our lineups, we are doing it the right places.

Tuesday's slate is a large one with 11 games, including some interesting spots for us to target. So where should we look?

Auston Matthews, Center, Toronto Maple Leafs

FanDuel Price: ($8,600)

Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs get the benefit of hosting the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night. The Kings have allowed nearly four goals game this season, mostly due to poor goaltending. Both Jonathan Quick and Jack Campbell have save percentages below .900%, so whoever is in the net is likely to give up some goals.

Matthews is the player who could capitalize on that, leading the Leafs with 11 goals in 15 games. He also shoots the most, with an individual shot attempt rate of 19.31, per Natural Stat Trick. In the past, head coach Mike Babcock has somewhat limited Matthews' ice time compared to other star centers in the league, but that hasn't been the case lately as he has played 22 minutes in each of the last two games.

Toronto is a huge favorite, according to , and has an implied goal total of a whopping 3.82. Matthews can be considered a staple for cash games and likely will be popular in tournaments, as well. The spot certainly says dictates that he is a great play in any format.

Brad Marchand, Wing, Boston Bruins

FanDuel Price: $8,700

By now, most NHL fans know that Brad Marchand is a really good player, not just someone who's out to drive opponents crazy. However, Marchand might be even better this season, with a point in every game since a zero on opening night. Marchand has gotten even hotter as the season has progressed, with multiple-point games in four of his last six, including a pair of five-point outings in which he exploded for more than 50 FanDuel points.

This game against the Montreal Canadiens on a back-to-back is certainly not the best matchup the Bruins will see this season. They do have an implied goal total of just under three, however, and the top line would likely contribute to that. At this point, the line has been so good that they have to prove they can't do it, rather than prove they can. Marchand and his linemates make for great tournament plays tonight.

Evander Kane, Wing, San Jose Sharks

FanDuel Price: $7,400

After returning from a three-game suspension, Evander Kane has been one of the few San Jose Sharks who has been living up to expectations this season. He leads the team in points per 60 minutes and shot attempts per 60 minutes. He also has eight goals across the 12 games he has played this season, including six on the power play. Targeting players who play often and produce on the power play is fairly obvious because of the opportunity but also because power-play points receive a bonus on FanDuel.

Tonight, Kane faces off against a struggling Chicago Blackhawks team. Chicago is allowing the fourth most shot attempts per 60 minutes in the league this year. If Corey Crawford is in net, it's also an advantage to the Sharks as Crawford has really struggled coming back from injuries, with a save percentage of .892%.

With the Sharks implied goal total at the third highest on an 11-game slate, Kane could be the piece you get from this team if trying to get exposure for cash games. His high shooting rate has always made him a good daily fantasy play with the floor he provides.

John Gibson, Goalie, Anaheim Ducks

FanDuel Price: $8,100

John Gibson was arguably the best goalie in the league last season, despite not getting the love in the Vezina Trophy voting. He hasn't missed a beat this season, with a .926% save percentage that is better than his career average of .922%. He is fourth in the league in goals saved above average, as well.

Tonight, his Anaheim Ducks face off against the lowly Minnesota Wild, who have scored the second fewest goals in the league. The Ducks are -135 favorites at home, so Gibson could easily be in line for a win. A good goalie who's favored against a low-scoring team checks a lot of boxes when it comes to someone who we want to look toward in cash-game lineups. He makes for a good tournament play, too, but will likely be popular given the situation he is in.



Nicholas Vazquez is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Nicholas Vazquez also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username hbyanksman. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.