4 NHL FanDuel Values to Target on 4/1/21
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.
Thursday night strikes back with nine games. Let's look at some value picks.
Kirby Dach, Center, Chicago Blackhawks
FanDuel Salary: $3,400
Kirby Dach returned on Saturday against the Nashville Predators. He played back-to-back games at 20+ minutes each night. That may have tired him out a bit so he was given an easier load on Tuesday. The result was an assist, two shots on goal, two blocked shots, and three scoring chances. Dach will likely resume his middle-six role with possible power-play time. That could fluctuate which is why there's a bit of risk.
Dach will be kept away mostly from the Sebastian Aho line and Dougie Hamilton combination which is good news. Again, Dach provides a nice floor for a center. He can easily produce 2+ shots and blocked shots along with an elevated chance of chipping in a real-world point. At his salary, that would be more than enough to exceed value.
Another center at a reasonable salary would be Noel Acciari ($3,700) who is playing around 20 minutes a night for Florida.
Calle Jarnkrok, Wing, Nashville Predators
FanDuel Salary: $4,000
Calle Jarnkrok faces a Dallas Stars team that is just not what they were last year. Jarnkrok is a middle-six winger that excels with his speed and timing around the net. He has three real-world points in his previous two games while averaging three shots a night in the last four contests.
The Stars left the front of the net open many times on Tuesday and Jarnkrok was on the spot to score. Dallas' penalty kill has plummeted over the last ten games and ranks just 25th at 76% now. Also, they are giving up nearly three goals a game in that span.
Do not forget about Craig Smith ($3,800) from Boston Bruins who has four real-world points in his last three games and Oliver Wahlstrom ($3,600) from the New York Islanders.
Brandon Montour, Defenseman, Buffalo Sabres
FanDuel Salary: $3,700
The New York Rangers' defense can be a bit of an adventure and Brandon Montour has three goals in his last two games while riding a wave of confidence.
Montour and the Buffalo Sabres seem like risk and that is true defensively but their salaries are still very low. So, for DFS purposes, the Buffalo defenseman could get several scoring chances against a New York defense that will allow transitional opportunities.
Montour can be a threat in all phases -- even shorthanded. The blueliner scored twice on Wednesday night against the Philadelphia Flyers on the penalty kill.
Nicolas Hague ($3,600) is an intriguing option from Vegas on Thursday and Connor Murphy ($3,700) from the Chicago Blackhawks has blocked shot upside on Thursday.
Kevin Lankinen, Goalie, Chicago Blackhawks
FanDuel Salary: $7,200
Carolina shoots on net at a rate of 31.8 shots per game which is 5th in the NHL. Chicago allows 34 shots per game which is the most in the NHL. This sets things up for another high-output night for Kevin Lankinen.
The goalie is surging a bit after a stretch where he struggled mightily. Lankinen has yielded just six goals in his last four starts while winning three times. Two of those were against the Florida Panthers and one versus the Carolina Hurricanes. He has faced 32+ shots in each of those starts which included a 41-save shutout as well.
Also, his roster percentage will still be low enough because of the larger nine-game slate.
With the usual chaos surrounding goalie confirmations, the waiting game begins again. Does one try Igor Shesterkin ($7,500) versus the Buffalo Sabres? This may be an excellent option.
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.
