4 NHL FanDuel Values to Target on 3/15/21
Spending lower in any daily fantasy lineup is a way to incorporate some diversity into your roster. In NHL DFS, there is typically more value in this strategy but also a good deal more risk. This is especially true on tonight's slate, where there are lots of lower-salaried plays. Plugging in these options will afford you more chances to play some studs, as well.
The Monday night main slate has nine games, which will surprise many. Let's go searching for value!
Carl Soderberg, Center, Chicago Blackhawks
FanDuel Salary: $3,200
The Chicago Blackhawks center has seen a nice boost in ice time. He played 19 minutes on Saturday night against the Florida Panthers and generated a few scoring chances again. Also, Soderberg likes to block shots on occasion. It may not be frequent, but he does have three-plus blocks in two of his last five games.
He had double-digit FanDuel points twice in that span with a 9.6 on the third. It's not great production by any stretch, but for the salary, this is a low-budget play of low-budget plays. With Soderberg seeing power-play time, he gets to the front of the net, too. The front is usually where pucks bounce around and where the action is. Soderberg could be worth the risk.
If you want to try to get creative, Charlie Coyle ($4,000) may see some more top-six ice time for Boston against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday.
Andrew Copp, Wing, Winnipeg Jets
FanDuel Salary: $3,900
Some forget about Andrew Copp because his salary has stayed mostly stagnant. No matter what he does for the Winnipeg Jets, it seems the algorithm does not move the needle. Whatever the cause is, it is good to exploit what is given. Copp has four real-world points in his last three games and has averaged exactly a shot and blocked shot per contest.
The middle-six for Winnipeg has been quite good of late. More importantly, Winnipeg is a team that takes advantage of its opportunities. Copp is still playing 16-17 minutes a night because he sees ice time in all phases -- especially special teams. That is important when looking at a floor. At least, there is a chance for his risky floor to get a boost.
If Copp causes some uneasiness, Ryan Dzingel ($3,400) is another high-risk option going against an awful defense in the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night.
Nikita Zaitsev, Defenseman, Ottawa Senators
FanDuel Salary: $3,700
Value is extremely dangerous tonight, and Nikita Zaitsev is an illustration of that fact. The bottom lines are plenty here. He has 11 assists but no goals despite an above-average shot. Zaitsev does have three-plus blocks in four of his last five appearances. That floor is part of why we utilize him tonight against a Vancouver team that tries to shoot the puck a lot. Remember, the Ottawa Senators are on the back end of the back-to-back.
Defensive utilization helps Zaitsev here. He blocks more shots typically because he is out of position against speedy forwards on a frequent basis. The bottom line is more FanDuel point possibilities, and those numbers are always good.
Adam Larsson ($3,600) was a dud on Saturday night for the Edmonton Oilers but could thrive in the "Battle Of Alberta" tonight.
Thatcher Demko, Goalie, Vancouver Canucks
FanDuel Salary: $7,000
With Ottawa not rested, Thatcher Demko is at such a low salary that he may be utilized on Monday night for Vancouver. Demko has seen 30-plus shots faced in his last five starts -- winning four of them. He has seen double-digit high-danger opportunities during every game in this span. It means Demko can easily get into a rhythm. Sometimes more is better especially when it comes to goaltenders.
This features danger because of Vancouver's road record which is 4-9 but Demko has two of those wins. The risk is Demko has yielded nine goals in his last two road starts but faced 77 shots. Ottawa ranks 25th in scoring at just 2.61 goals per game.
The goaltending position is littered with dicey choices on Monday night, and there's a lot of waiting for confirmations again. That seems to be the usual lately. Look around this afternoon to see if any backups unexpectedly start. Can Carter Hart ($7,300) right the ship against the New York Rangers on Monday night?
Chris Wassel is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Chris Wassel also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username chriswassel. 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.
