NHL

NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Friday 5/21/21

NHL DFS is similar to MLB in terms of how you build lineups, view stacking, and 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

Alex Nedeljkovic ($8,400): The Carolina Hurricanes are -146 road favorites against the Nashville Predators and are looking to take a 3-0 series lead tonight. Nedeljkovic has started each of the first two games of this series and has been confirmed as the starter for tonight's game. To say he has looked good in the playoffs would be an understatement. He has faced 56 shots over the first two games, allowed 2 goals, and picked up a shutout in Game 2. That's an unbelievably high level of production from him that should continue yet again, as he sits behind the Canes' defense, who are allowing the eighth-fewest (49.8) total shot attempts allowed per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations.

High-Priced Skaters

Connor McDavid ($8,800): McDavid was bad in Game 1 against the Winnipeg Jets. There's no other way to put it. He was bad. McDavid had a total of two shots on goal, no goals, no assists. It's simply not the level of production we are accustomed to seeing from him after posting 105 NHL points in 56 games during the regular season. We know he can do more, and we know he can post 30-plus FanDuel on any night, so you should be looking right back to him tonight.

During the regular season, the Jets allowed a 54.86 Corsi Against (Total Shot Attempts Allowed) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which was the 11th worst in the league. This is truly a strong matchup for McDavid, and given the bad performance in Game 1, we now see his salary below $9,000, which is always nice. Trust the best player in the league tonight -- it's as simple as that.

Brad Marchand ($8,300): With nine shots on goal and two goals in the first three games against the Washington Capitals, Marchand is looking great right now. His role on the first forward line and the first power-play couldn't be more secure, giving him plenty of offensive upside. The back and forth nature of the first three games in this series has proven to be sold for fantasy production. Stacking the Boston Bruins' first line is also a viable option, but it can eat up a large portion of your lineup's salary.

Value Skaters

Josh Morrissey ($3,700): We are dealing with a small four-game slate, and you want to load up on the skaters who have the most upside, which means finding value on defense. Forwards score more than defenders in NHL DFS, so value on defense is better for your lineups. Morrissey is a player who fits that build because he is under $4,000 and can fill up the stat sheet. He averaged over two shots on goal per game, along with over one blocked shot per game. Add in the fact he is on the second power-play for the Jets, and Morrissey can bring the offensive upside on occasion.