NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Tuesday 1/11/22
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
Adin Hill ($7,200): The San Jose Sharks are solid -140 home favorites against the Detroit Red Wings, and it's a spot where they can come away with the win. Ultimately, the Sharks are a very average team overall, but the matchup against the Red Wings is an easy one. And with Hill having a lower salary, it all adds up tonight.
The Red Wings come in with a 49.87 Corsi For (Total Shot Attempts Created) and averaging 2.34 goals -- both per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. Both of those are in the bottom half of the league, presenting an easier matchup for Hill.
High-Priced Skaters
Nikita Kucherov ($8,400): A few things a true: the Tampa Bay Lightning have a high 3.66 implied total, they have an easy matchup against the Buffalo Sabres, and Kucherov hasn't scored since returning to the lineup. Kucherov is one of the elite scorers in the league, and with two games under his belt since his return, it's time for him to find the back of the net. Totals of eight shots on goal and two assists in his first two games back are both very encouraging, but it's time for him to reach for his fantasy ceiling in a soft matchup against the Sabres.
This season, the Sabres are allowing 2.88 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the seventh-most in the league. Kucherov is on the first forward line and the first power-play, putting him in an elite spot to score.
Jake Guentzel ($9,700): They say all good things must come to an end, but nobody ever told that to Jake Guentzel. He is riding a 17-game point streak that looks like it's in a spot to continue tonight with the Pittsburgh Penguins holding the fourth-highest (3.06) implied total. The Penguins' offense has jumped into the top 10 in the league for the most goals scored (2.78) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations.
Guentzel has a total of 16 NHL points and 26 shots on goal over his last 10 games. All of that should continue tonight versus the Anaheim Ducks, who are around the league average in both Corsi Against and goals against, both per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations.
Value Skaters
Brandon Montour ($4,300): Whenever you see a team with an implied total sitting at 3.81, you want to get some exposure to them. That is where we find the Florida Panthers, who are -230 home favorites versus the Vancouver Canucks. While paying up for the top options on the Panthers is no doubt a great call, they also offer a bit of value in their lineup.
Montour is the defender on the second power-play unit for the Panthers and comes in with a solid 6 NHL points, 21 shots on goal, and 9 blocked shots over his last 10 games. You can expect a strong point-per-dollar level of production for a player under $5,000 on the league's best offense.
Gustav Nyquist ($4,000): Both the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Chicago Blackhawks are bad teams. There's really no other way to put it when both are in the bottom 10 of the league for the most goals allowed per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. Since they are going head-to-head, we could be in for a bit of a sloppy game, and it doesn't hurt to look for some offensive production.
Nyquist is under $5,000, on the first forward line, on the second power-play unit, and has six NHL points in his last 10 games. He checks every box we want when looking for value when attacking a weak defensive team such as Chicago.
