NHL

NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Thursday 12/2/21

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

Braden Holtby/Jake Oettinger ($7,300): The Dallas Stars come in as -210 home favorites, and the salary of their goalies doesn't reflect that or their matchup. The Stars are the fourth-heaviest moneyline favorite on the slate, yet their goalie is the 14th-most expensive option. This is a clear difference between the two, and you should look to capitalize on that. The Stars haven't announced a starter yet, but it will be either Holtby -- coming off a big win -- or Oettinger in the crease tonight.

They will be going up against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are scoring 2.50 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is 13th in the league. They are a league-average offense and given the strong defense from the Stars -- the eighth-fewest (2.05) Goals allowed per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations -- either Holtby or Oettinger should be able to come away with the win.

High-Priced Skaters

Jonathan Huberdeau ($7,600): The Florida Panthers are massive -320 home favorites with a slate-high 3.74 implied goal total, and that makes them a clear option to target tonight. Huberdeau is on the top forward line and the top power-play unit for the Panthers, putting him in a spot to reach for a high ceiling of points versus a weak Buffalo Sabres' defense. This season, the Sabres are allowing the 8th-most (2.80) Goals Against, and the 11th-most (11.48) High Danger Scoring Chances against, both per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations.

Huberdeau comes in with 11 NHL points and 35 shots on goal in his last 10 games, and he has shown a strong level of consistency for cash games. Given the easy matchup and a nice ceiling to reach for, consider stacking him with Sam Bennett (who is also on the first forward line and the first power-play unit).

Andrei Svechnikov ($8,000): After a blazing hot start, the Carolina Hurricanes have lost four of their last five games, scoring two goals or fewer in those four losses. They are still scoring 3.07 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the fourth-best in the league, and that's what we should be seeing from them tonight. This is a 'get-right' spot for them against the Ottawa Senators, who are truly one of the worst defensive teams in the league. They come in the bottom two of the league in Goals Allowed and Corsi Against (Total Shot Attempts Allowed) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations.

Even with the Hurricanes' offense struggle as of late, Svechnikov still has 20 NHL points in 21 games this season and is averaging 3.0 shots on goal per game. The Hurricanes are going to be chalky tonight, and with their goal-scoring potential, Svechnikov should be firmly involved with that.

Value Skaters

Jonas Brodin ($4,200): With Jared Spurgeon out of the lineup for the Minnesota Wild, Brodin has taken his spot on the first power-play unit. This is a clear increase in his offensive role and his salary does not reflect that yet. He comes in with 10 shots on goal, 4 NHL points, and 10 blocked shots in his last five games. He is a solid low-end cash game play tonight.

Anders Lee ($4,900): Lee is set to return to the New York Islanders lineup tonight after missing several games in the COVID protocol. Simply put, he is one of their best players, he will be back on the first forward line and the first power-play unit. His salary, amazingly, is under $5,000. He's a "value" play but has an offensive role that doesn't match his salary.