NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Monday 3/7/22
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
Linus Ullmark ($8,100): The Boston Bruins are solid -200 home favorites tonight, and we can look to Ullmark in net for the win. The Bruins have one of the better defenses in the league, only allowing 2.52 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the 10th best. He'll be up against the Los Angeles Kings, who are scoring a modest 2.40 goals per 60 minutes in the same situations, which is 18th in the league. This game also features a 5.5 over/under that's the lowest of all the games on tonight's slate.
Ullmark has been a bit up and down as of late, with only two wins in his last five starts while allowing three goals or more three times in this span. Hopefully, a softer matchup versus a mediocre offense can get him on the winning track tonight.
High-Priced Skaters
Johnny Gaudreau ($8,400): The Battle of Alberta adds another chapter tonight with the Calgary Flames hosting the Edmonton Oilers, and the total is sitting at 6.5. A classic NHL rivalry offers plenty of fantasy upside tonight, and we turn to the Flames with their 3.74 implied goal total, which is the third-highest on the slate. Gaudreau has been hot lately with 15 NHL points and 23 shots on goal in his last 10 games. This shouldn't be a surprise since the Flames are scoring the sixth-most (2.90) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, along with a 63.51 Corsi For (total shot attempts created), which is the second-best in the league.
The Oilers are allowing the 14th most goals (2.60) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations and have allowed a total of three goals or more in five of their last seven games. With Gaudreau on the first forward line and the first power-play unit, he is consistently in a spot to contribute on offense and reach for his fantasy ceiling.
Patrik Laine ($7,400): With 14 NHL points and 33 shots on goal in his last 10 games, Laine is one of the hotter players in the league. The Columbus Blue Jackets might not be the best team overall, but their offense has really picked up over the past month, and we now see them in the top 10 for the most goals scored per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. He's always been a pure goal-scorer, and he's going up against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight, where the over/under is sitting at 7.0, putting us in a great spot for some scoring.
The Leafs' defense has taken a sharp downturn over their last stretch of games and has now fallen into the bottom 10 of the league (2.73) in goals allowed per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. There is some serious back and forth scoring potential in this game, and with how hot Laine has been, he's sure to be involved.
Value Skaters
Carter Verhaeghe ($5,300): The Florida Panthers have a 4.04 implied goal total and a soft defensive matchup versus the Buffalo Sabres tonight. Surprise, surprise. The league's best offense has a high implied goal total, and we want to stack them every which way we can tonight. Verhaeghe skates on the first forward line for the Panthers, coming in with a modest 5 NHL points and 21 shots on goal in his last 10 games. The Sabres are a clear plus matchup, and given Verhaeghe's strong offensive role, he can fall into some easy fantasy points tonight.
Ilya Mikheyev ($5,000): The Leafs have a slate-high 4.11 implied goal total tonight and are in a great fantasy game versus the Blue Jackets. As noted above, we are dealing with a 7.0 over/under and the fantasy production in this game is palpable. While paying up for the top options on the Leafs is always a great option, Mikheyev offers some nice point-per-dollar value. He's on the third forward line and the second power-play unit, which should put him in a great spot to rack up points tonight versus the league's worst (3.27) defense in terms of goals allowed per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations.
