4 NHL FanDuel Studs to Target on 12/27/19
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 and put up a total dud of a performance, and paying that much for him would be a huge mistake. Let’s make sure we are paying up in the right spots when building our lineups tonight.
After a brief hiatus for the holiday, the NHL is back with 11 games on Friday. With a slate this big, there are bound to be some stars available for us to roster on FanDuel, so let's take a look at the best ones.
Auston Matthews, Center, Toronto Maple Leafs
FanDuel Salary: $8,400
Auston Matthews is really heating up of late, with multiple points in four straight games. He's now tied for second in the league in goals with 24. Matthews has been shooting the puck a ton of late, with 32 shots on goal in his last 10 games. He leads the Toronto Maple Leafs in shot attempts per 60 minutes, according to Natural Stat Trick. Those shots could prove to be very valuable in his game tonight.
The Leafs head south to face the New Jersey Devils, a matchup that should be good for them. The Devils sit second to last in the Eastern Conference, despite a 7-1 win on Monday night. They have allowed the third-most goals in the league at 128. The Maple Leafs have the third-highest implied goal total on the night, at 3.42.
Matthews' new linemates for Toronto's last game were Mitchell Marner and Zach Hyman, and that trio combined for three goals and eight assists. They have the potential to do the same tonight, with Matthews being the standout piece of the line.
David Pastrnak, Wing, Boston Bruins
FanDuel Salary: $8,500
The NHL leader in goals scored has turned into more of a provider of late, with assists in four straight games but no goals. That's not to say David Pastrnak hasn't been trying to score for himself, as he has 24 shot attempts in those four games. Pastrnak carries our highest projection of any skater tonight and is projected for a full three points more than the next closest winger.
The Boston Bruins are traveling to face the Buffalo Sabres on Friday. The Sabres are about average in most defensive metrics this season, but where they have been struggling is on the penalty kill. Taking a look at our NHL daily fantasy heat map, their penalty kill is the third-worst of the 22 teams playing tonight.
That doesn't bode well for them against a Bruins power play that is second in the league. Pastrnak leads the league with 13 power play goals this season, and could take advantage of that matchup tonight.
Roman Josi, Defense, Nashville Predators
FanDuel Salary: $6,600
There might not be a goal scorer on as much of a tear as Roman Josi is on right now, and he is a defenseman. He has seven goals and nine points in his last five games. Josi has been firing the puck at will over the last 10 games, with 46 shots on goal. This is how he has played all season long, ranking second in shot attempt rate for defensemen.
The Nashville Predators are hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight. The Penguins have been solid defensively this season, but the Predators still have a reasonably high implied goal total of 3.19.
These two teams will also play each other on Saturday night, which could dictate how both teams will use their goalies. If Matt Murray is in the net for Pittsburgh, it would be a boost to Josi's outlook, as he has really struggled this season. Regardless, a defenseman who has produced as consistently as Josi has of late is someone to consider in all formats.
Frederik Andersen, Goalie, Toronto Maple Leafs
FanDuel Salary: $8,800
With the Leafs as big moneyline favorites at -195, Frederik Andersen makes for a good play in net tonight. He's picked up the win in his last four games and six of his last seven. The Devils have one of the lowest implied goal total on the slate at 2.58. They also have the second-worst power play of teams playing tonight, connecting on just 13% of their opportunities. Much of that includes when they had former league MVP Taylor Hall, who has since departed. The Devils shouldn't offer much of a threat, making Andersen a top choice at the goaltender position tonight.
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.
