NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Thursday 1/14/21
Hockey is officially back! The NHL season returns tonight with a 10-game slate to kick things off. 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 or 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 to take a look at today's slate and some players to consider for your lineups.
Goalie to Target
Robin Lehner ($8,600): The Vegas Golden Knights come in as massive -210 home favorites, which is the largest on the slate. This should make Lehner a very popular option in cash games. Lehner was an absolute star for the Golden Knights during the playoffs last year, posting a .917 save percentage and allowing only 1.99 goals per game while picking up 4 shutouts. That is the level of production we should be getting from Lehner tonight since he is up against the Anaheim Ducks, who are one of the worst teams in the league. Last season, the Ducks finished with a 54.82 Corsi For (shot attempts created) per 60 minutes in 5-on-5 situations, which was the 12th-worst in the league. They shouldn't pose too much of a threat to Lehner, allowing him to come away with the win.
High-Priced Skaters
Sebastian Aho ($7,600): Aho and the Carolina Hurricanes should be a chalky option tonight since they are taking on a very weak Red Wings' lineup. Last season, the Red Wings allowed 2.97 goal against per 60 minutes in 5-on-5 situations, which was the worst in the league. We should be expecting much of the same from the Red Wings this season, and you want to be attacking them at every opportunity. Aho is the center on the first forward line and the first power-play for the Hurricanes, giving him plenty of equity in their offense. Aho is an elite center who held a 64.72 Corsi For per 60 minutes in 5-on-5 situations last year, which was the fourth-highest on the team. That led to him averaging over three shots on goal per game, which gives him a solid floor of points.
Brad Marchand ($8,300): As usual, we see Marchand on the top forward line and the top power-play for the Boston Bruins, who hold a 3.07 implied goal tonight against the New Jersey Devils. The Bruins will be without their top winger, David Pastrnak, until February, which means Marchand has a chance to contribute a bit more on offense. Marchand averaged 1.2 points per game last season along with 2.6 shots on goal. It wouldn't be a surprise to see that level of production be the floor for Marchand this season, and he can do even more in a soft matchup versus the Devils.
Value Skaters
Jakub Vrana ($4,200): It's great to pay up for all of the top stars, but in order to do so, you'll need to find some value. That is where Vrana comes into play, and he should be decently popular tonight since the Washington Capitals are holding a 3.45 implied goal total. Vrana skates on the second forward line and the second power-play for the Caps, who are in a game with a 6.5 over/under against the Buffalo Sabres. I like the savings Vrana brings, and I also like this matchup for a game stack in tournaments.
Adam Fox ($4,100): If you are looking for some value on defense tonight, consider Adam Fox from the New York Rangers. The second-year player is skating on the first defensive pairing and the top power-play unit for the Rangers and is only $4,100. He averaged slightly more than one shot and one blocked shot per game last season, giving him a solid floor for his salary.
