NHL

NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Friday 4/16/21

Thomas Vecchio  —  @Tom_Vecchio1 Apr 16th, 2021
Max Pacioretty and the Golden Knights are in a fantastic spot tonight. Who else should you build around?

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

Devan Dubnyk ($8,600): The Colorado Avalanche have put Philipp Grubauer on the COVID list, which means we should see Dubnyk in net tonight. Dubnyk was recently traded to the Avalanche and has a chance to make an immediate impact right away. While I personally have my concerns about Dubnyk's skill, what can't be denied is the fact the Avs are allowing a 45.14 Corsi Against per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the best mark in the league. The Avs are -330 home favorites, giving Dubnyk plenty of win equity behind one of the league's best defenses.

High-Priced Skaters

Max Pacioretty ($7,800): Over his last 10 games, Pacioretty has piled up 7 NHL points, 30 shots on goal, and 7 blocked shots, bringing plenty of consistency to your lineups. His time on the first forward line and the first power-play unit continue to make him one of the best options in NHL DFS. The Vegas Golden Knights come in with a solid 3.28 implied goal total and are taking on the lowly Anaheim Ducks. This season, the Ducks are in the bottom 10 of the league in Corsi Against (55.04) and goals allowed (2.57), both per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. Vegas should be popular in all formats. Ideally, you will have the salary available for not only Pacioretty but also his linemates, Mark Stone ($7,000) and Chandler Stephenson ($4,000), since they are fully correlated on the first power-play unit together.

Kirill Kaprizov ($6,100): Kaprizov is the future winner of the Calder Trophy -- the rookie of the year in the NHL -- and continues to produce solid numbers for the Minnesota Wild. Kaprizov is skating on the first forward line and the first power play for the Wild. He comes in with 9 NHL points and 29 shots on goal over his last 10 games. The Wild carry a 3.15 implied goal total tonight as they are at home to take on the San Jose Sharks in what should prove to be a solid fantasy environment. The Sharks are in the bottom 10 of the league in Corsi Against (57.02), goals against (2.84), and high-danger scoring chances allowed (11.23).

Value Skaters

Carl Soderberg ($3,000): Soderberg is the minimum salary for a forward who is now seeing time on the second forward line for the Avalanche. Soderberg was recently traded to Colorado, and while he has just one game under his belt with the Avs, the team is trusting him on the second forward line and the second power-play unit. This makes him a clear value option tonight since the Avalanche come in with a slate-high 4.07 implied goal total against the Los Angeles Kings. You can use Soderberg as a punt play if you are using a high-salary stack. Or, you can pair Soderberg with his linemates, Nazem Kadri ($5,000) and Andre Burakovsky ($4,000), so you can capture some stacking upside from the Avs.