NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Wednesday 4/6/22
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
Connor Hellebuyck ($7,300): This isn't a matchup the Winnipeg Jets should be losing. They are at home, they are big -320 favorites, and they are taking on the Detroit Red Wings, who are on the second night of a back-to-back. The Jets are also expected to get their top scorer -- and one of the best goal-scorers in the league -- Kyle Connor back after missing the last few games.
This is a boost to their offense, which is in a great spot against the Red Wings' defense. Detroit allows 3.04 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the third-worst in the league.
Hellebuyck has looked good as of late, winning three of his last five starts and allowing three goals or fewer in four of these last five games. Given his salary and the favorable matchup, Hellebuyck should be the most popular goalie on the entire slate.
High-Salaried Skaters
Nikolaj Ehlers ($7,400): The Jets have a slate-high 4.03 implied goal total against the Red Wings, and they need their offense to show up. It's the final month of the season, and there are plenty of teams with varying degrees of motivation. The Jets are one team with plenty of motivation since they are a few points out of a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
Ehlers is on the first forward line and the second power-play unit, coming in with 10 NHL points and 39 shots on goal over his last 10 games. He's a consistent option to find the back of the net and has plenty of multi-point potential.
Matthew Tkachuk ($8,000): The Calgary Flames hold a strong 3.61 implied goal total, which is the second-highest on tonight's slate. This shouldn't be a surprise since they are one of the best offenses in the league, specifically, over the past three weeks. In that time, we've seen the Flames scoring 3.49 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations (fifth-best in the league). That is a slight bump up from their 2.94 goals per game rate from the entire season, so we want to capitalize on a team that's hot right now.
Tkachuk has 17 NHL points and 34 shots on goal over his last 10 games, but he hasn't found the back of the net in any of his last four games. With 16 shots on goal in this recent four-game stretch, Tkachuk is still looking to push the pace on offense and is due for a goal.
Value Skaters
Jared McCann ($5,500): The Seattle Kraken have been legitimately good on offense in recent weeks and offer plenty of value. McCann is only $5,500, and he is their highest-salaried player, so no matter where you look on the Seattle lineup, you are going to find some solid value options.
The Kraken are scoring 2.66 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations over the last three weeks, which is the 12th best in the league. That's a clear increase from their 2.24 rate for the entire season. McCann is on the second forward line, the first power-play unit, and comes in with 7 NHL points and 24 shots on goal in his last 10 games.
Anthony Cirelli ($5,000): A matchup of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals gives us two of the best offenses in the league and a clear spot for a game stack. While there are plenty of top-tier players to spend up for in this game, Cirelli offers solid point-per-dollar value. He possesses a modest offensive role on the second forward line, and no power-play time may cause him to go overlooked. However, 7 NHL points, 22 shots on goal, and 5 blocked shots in his last 10 games are solid production metrics worth getting into your lineups.
