NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Friday 1/28/22
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 Samsonov/Vitek Vanecek ($8,000): The Washington Capitals are very slight +106 road underdogs versus the Dallas Stars, but they're in a spot to come away with the win. We don't know who will be in net for the Capitals tonight, but they are worth targeting due to their favorable matchup versus the Stars' offense.
Speaking of the Stars' offense, it isn't great! They come in scoring only 2.21 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the ninth-lowest in the league. We also see the Capitals' defense allowing the sixth-fewest (2.15) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. This puts the Capitals' netminder in a favorable matchup against a weak offense.
High-Priced Skaters
Jake Guentzel ($8,800): The Pittsburgh Penguins' offense didn't get it done last night, but we are going back to the well tonight versus the Detroit Red Wings. The Pens come in with a slate-high 3.93 implied goal total, and that means we want to look towards their top units for scoring upside. The Wings enter this game in the bottom 10 of the league in both goals allowed and Corsi Against (Total Shot Attempts Allowed), both per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations.
Guentzel has 7 NHL points and 30 shots on goal in his last 10 games, which is good but not great production. For his role on the top forward line and the top power-play unit with Sidney Crosby, Guentzel should be putting up a few more points. Given the easy matchup, Guentzel and Pens are due for a bounceback tonight versus the Wings.
Nazem Kadri ($9,900): With Nathan MacKinnon out for the Colorado Avalanche, Kadri will be taking his spot on the top forward line. MacKinnon was hurt one minute into their most recent game and we saw Kadri take his spot alongside Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog. The Avs' offense is one of the best in the league, scoring 3.23 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations (third-highest in the NHL).
The Avalanche are carrying a 3.69 implied goal total tonight, and that level -- if not higher -- is obtainable versus the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks' defense is in the bottom 13 of the league in goals allowed and Corsi Against, tipping this matchup heavily in favor of the Avalanche.
Value Skaters
Jacob Trouba ($5,500): Trouba could be a nice value play tonight for the New York Rangers if he keeps the spot as the defender on their top power-play unit. Normally, Adam Fox is the defender on the first power-play unit, but Fox left last night's game early with an injury, and his status for tonight's game is unclear. Trouba has a solid 6 NHL points, 39 shots on goal, and a whopping 27 blocked shots in his last 10 games. He brings a high floor of fantasy points with the potential for a new ceiling to reach for on the first power-play unit.
Jake DeBrusk ($4,600): DeBrusk is starting to get a bit of offense going for the Boston Bruins and can keep that going tonight versus the lowly Arizona Coyotes. DeBrusk has 5 NHL points and 22 shots on goal in his last 10 games, and he's posted two goals in his last four games. The Coyotes are allowing the second-most (3.07) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, putting their offense in a clear plus matchup tonight.
