NHL

NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Tuesday 12/6/22

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 and 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 and take a look at today's slate and some players to consider for your lineups.

Goalie to Target

Vitek Vanecek ($8,100): The New Jersey Devils are huge -430 moneyline favorites at home against the lowly Chicago Blackhawks. The Devils are one of the best teams in the league, and with their powerful offense, they can essentially outscore anyone en route to a win, which makes their goalie a strong fantasy option.

The Devils' defense has also been strong overall, allowing just 1.78 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the second-best in the league. Vanecek has also been good in his own right, allowing three or fewer goals in nine of his last 10 starts, picking up the win in seven of those games.

High-Salaried Skaters

Sebastian Aho ($7,500): Aho has been slightly quiet on offense lately but has a great matchup today against the Anaheim Ducks to turn up the scoring. The Carolina Hurricanes have a solid 3.71 implied goal total, and with the Ducks allowing 3.29 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, it won't be a surprise to see them exceed that mark.

Aho comes in with 9 NHL points and 32 shots on goal across his last 10 games, which is good but could be better. In four of those 10 games, Aho was held without an NHL point, so those nine points came in just six games. This pushes him to be a bit more of a boom-or-bust option, rather than the consistency we've seen from him in recent seasons.

The Ducks also have a 63.28 Corsi Against (Total Shot Attempts Allowed) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the second-worst in the league. The matchup is amazing for Aho to reach for the ceiling that he has clearly shown in recent games.

Jake Guentzel ($7,600): With both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin missing practice yesterday, the Pittsburgh Penguins' offense could look a little different tonight. I have to preface this with the fact they both missed practice due to an illness, not an injury. This leaves plenty of speculation around their statuses for this game, but, even if they play, Guentzel is an excellent option.

The Penguins have a 3.96 implied total and have one of the best matchups you could imagine as they are at home to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets. This season, the Blue Jackets are allowing a league-worst 3.57 goals and 65.88 Corsi Against (Total Shot Attempts Allowed) -- both per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. They have the worst defense in the league, full stop.

Guentzel is on the first forward line and the first power-play unit. He's generated 11 NHL points and 27 shots on goal over his last 10 games. He's a great offensive player, boasts a great offensive role, and has an unbelievable matchup tonight. We can roster Guentzel with full confidence because of the matchup, but there's even more potential upside due to the uncertainty around Crosby and Malkin.

Value Skaters

Alexander Wennberg ($4,500): The Seattle Kraken are good, folks. The second-year team is off to a great start and is rocking a 3.91 implied total against the Montreal Canadiens. Wennberg finds himself on the first forward line and the second power-play unit, which has allowed him to rack up 4 NHL points, 14 shots on goal, and 10 blocked shots in his last 10 games. The matchup against the Canadiens is a good one since they are allowing the fifth-most (3.03) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations.

Oliver Wahlstrom ($5,100): The New York Islanders have a 3.32 implied total against the St. Louis Blues, who are on the second night of a back-to-back. This means we should see the Blues' backup goalie, Thomas Greiss, in net, and he hasn't been good. Greiss has allowed at least four goals in three of his last four games, putting the Islanders' offense in an excellent spot. Wahlstrom is on the first forward line and the second power-play unit for the Isles. He's got 4 NHL points and 25 shots on goal across his last 10 games.