NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Tuesday 1/25/22
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
Ilya Sorokin ($8,400): The New York Islanders are strong -220 home favorites tonight and have a very favorable matchup versus the Philadelphia Flyers. This should make Sorokin a popular option tonight against the Flyers, who are on the second night of a back-to-back and also own one of the league's worst offenses. The Flyers come in scoring only 2.08 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the fifth-lowest in the league. A lackluster offense should put Sorokin in a spot to have an easy night in the crease and most importantly, pick up the win points tonight.
High-Priced Skaters
Sidney Crosby ($8,000): The Pittsburgh Penguins are staggering -465 home favorites and come in with a slate-high 3.88 implied goal total. To say the Penguins are going to be the chalky option on the slate would be a bit of an understatement; they are taking on the lowly Arizona Coyotes, who are allowing the fourth-most (3.03) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. The Penguins are hot right now and have won five games in a row, scoring three goals or more in four of those games.
Crosby, not surprisingly, has been a large part of this recent production with 7 NHL points and 19 shots on goal over the past five games. His role on the first forward line and the first power-play is as secure as Fort Knox, giving him massive upside in any matchup -- and especially this one.
Kyle Connor ($9,500): If you are looking for a game with tons of scoring upside, it's the Winnipeg Jets hosting the Florida Panthers tonight with a 6.5 over/under. The Jets' offense is due for a bit of positive regression since they are only scoring 2.33 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations right now, which is 18th in the league. If we look to their Expected Goals Scored (xGF), it's sitting up at 2.65 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which would put them as the eighth-best team in the league. Their offense is going to start scoring more goals soon, and this game could be the turning point.
If the Jets are going to be scoring more, Connor is likely going to be involved. He's an elite shooter averaging 4.4 shots on goal per net, along with over 1.0 NHL points per game this season. He will continue to carry a high fantasy ceiling due to his shot volume, and when the goals start flowing, there will be several of them.
Value Skaters
Nils Hoglander ($3,700): The Vancouver Canucks are home underdogs (+116), which is wrong. They are going up against the Edmonton Oilers, who picked up their first win the other day against the Calgary Flames, after a six-game losing streak. The Oilers are giving up 2.92 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the fifth-worst in the league. The Canucks are giving up 1.82 Goals against in the same situations, which is the best in the league. Again, the Canucks shouldn't be underdogs tonight.
Since the Oilers' defense is so bad, we turn to the Canucks' top line with Hoglander, who is extremely affordable tonight and comes in with 3 NHL points and 31 shots on goal in his last 10 games. While the three NHL points are rather low, the high volume of shots is wonderful to see for a player with a soft defensive matchup on tap.
Martin Necas ($4,600): The Carolina Hurricanes are one of the elite offenses in the league, and anytime you can expose yourself to them on the cheap is a great choice. Necas has a solid role on the second forward line and the second power-play unit, which has led him to post 8 NHL points and 16 shots on goal in his last 10 games. The Canes carry a 3.40 implied goal total tonight and will be up against the Vegas Golden Knights, who are on the second night of a back-to-back and should have their third-string goalie in net.
