NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Tuesday 5/17/22
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
Sergei Bobrovsky ($7,600): Bobrovsky has the cheapest salary of the starting goalies on tonight's two-game slate, making him a clear target. Both games tonight have over/unders sitting at 7.0, which means we are in for some scoring tonight, and that essentially devalues the goalie position. If every game will see goals, and these games are becoming more and more of a coin flip in the playoffs, why not take the value goalie? The salary relief will allow you to load up on any of the top-tier skaters who carry higher fantasy upside.
High-Salaried Skaters
Cale Makar ($7,900): Makar was undeniably the best defenseman in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. In the Colorado Avalanche's four-game sweep of the Nashville Predators, he finished with 10 NHL points, 20 shots on goal, and 9 blocked shots. This led him to post 31.2 FanDuel points or more in all four games versus the Predators. The Avalanche are carrying a slate-high 4.07 implied goal total tonight, and it puts Makar in a great spot to have another multi-point night.
He continues to skate on the first defensive pairing and the first power-play unit, giving him plenty of ice time to secure his floor of points, but he can also reach for another 30-point performance.
Steven Stamkos ($8,000): With Brayden Point listed as doubtful for Game 1, the Tampa Bay Lightning are going to need a bit more production from everyone. Losing Point is a big blow for the Lightning, and that is going to change their first forward line and their first power-play unit. Stamkos finished the first round with a relatively modest 4 NHL points and 18 shots on goal in their seven-game series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Producing under one NHL point per game is simply not good enough for Stamkos if Tampa Bay wants to beat the Florida Panthers and push for their third straight Stanley Cup.
Value Skaters
Nick Paul ($3,900): Paul is expected to play an expanded role for the Lightning with Brayden Point doubtful tonight. Paul should be on the second forward line and the second power-play unit, which is an insanely strong role for a player who is under $4,000. Paul had 4 NHL points and 14 shots on goal in the first round, putting him nearly side-by-side with Stamkos, who is $4,100 more in salary. The playoffs always see role players elevate their game, and Paul is doing that for the Lightning this season.
Scott Perunovich ($3,700): With St. Louis Blues' top defender, Torey Krug, set to miss a few games, Perunovich could be in the lineup. Over the last three games of the Blues' first-round series against the Minnesota Wild, Perunovich stepped into the defender role on the first power-play unit with Krug out. Perunovich picked up an assist in each of those three games, giving him solid value at nearly the minimum salary. If he's in the lineup and you need salary relief, a first power-play role for a skater at $3,700 is too good to pass up.
