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Welcome back to hockey season, RotoBallers! If you do not know me, my name is Mark and I write mostly about MLB and NFL, but I am an avid NHL DFS player. The season is back and I am going to give you some recommendations to help you make the best decisions for your DFS lineups!
Today I'll be bringing you my NHL lineup picks, analysis, and advice for NHL DFS contests on DraftKings and FanDuel for Wednesday, October 14th, 2020 at 7:00 PM. Be sure to also check out our awesome NHL tools including our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, Projections, and DFS Cheat Sheets! I also recommend checking out DailyFaceOff.com about 30 minutes before the slate locks to get the latest news on lines and starting goalies, to make sure no one collects a zero in your lineup.
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NHL DFS Intro & Overview
If you are new to playing NHL DFS, I like the think of it as a combination between MLB and NBA DFS. It is like MLB in that it is an event-driven sport, we are looking for goals in the same way in MLB we are looking for home runs. It is like NBA in that you must be by a computer in the last 30 minutes before lock to be up on all the news. Some teams are more forthcoming about their plans for goalie and lines while others are not. DailyFaceOff is your friend last minute.
The other part that is similar is that you want to stack lines together. The reason for this is for each goal up to two assists are awarded. If you have exposure to the entire line and there is a goal with two assists, you get many points from just the one event that happened.
When you stack, there are several different routes one can go. The first is to just stack the first line of the team (Center - Wing - Wing). If a team you like has those same three players on the power play, that's great and situations like that always move up my list of teams I want to stack. The second is to stack the power play of the team. For many teams, the power play is a combination of players from the first and second line. When you stack the power play, you get some exposure to the regular lines and when a team goes on the power play you have full exposure.
A way to save salary and stack is to target secondary lines. Line 2 for most teams is a goal-scoring line with talented players that is not a huge drop-off from Line 1. On a small slate, you may want to target Line 3 for a team that is favored to win. Teams have 4 lines typically but I have never had to roster a Line 4. I would recommend avoid doing that.
When I am creating lines, especially for GPPs, the construction looks like this: primary stack (3 to 4 players), secondary stack (2 to 3 players), one or two defensemen, goalie. My primary and secondary stacks are intentional; I try to mix and match.
With all due respect to goalies, but the position has high variance in a given day. I would recommend either correlating the goalie with one of your two stacks or just fit whichever goalie you can afford. I also recommend using a different goalie in each lineup. For example, last night I stacked Washington Capitals Line 1, Chicago Blackhawks Line 2. Depending on salary, my advice on which goalie to select would be either Washington's, Chicago's, or to just find a goalie that fits in your salary you have open.
Hopefully, it makes some sense, and now we will go on to the picks I like!
NHL DFS Analysis and Picks for 10/14
Today we have a nine-game slate, the largest of the season thus far. Two games have totals of 6.5 goals set by the Vegas odds: Pittsburgh @ Florida and Toronto @ Ottawa. I would expect the favorites in those two games, Florida and Toronto, to be among the most popular players DFS players will want to stack.
You can see the odds below
Additionally, three teams are coming off a back-to-back: Toronto, Montreal, and the New York Rangers. Check out the news on Twitter and Daily Face-Off to ensure everyone you have in your lineup is healthy and expected to play that day, especially goalies.
NHL DFS Goalies
Andrei Vasilevsky - DK $8.4K || FD $8.9K
Opponent - Detroit Red Wings
Arguably the best goaltender in the league, he did not have a good performance opening night against Pittsburgh. Tampa Bay is the largest favorite on the slate, so Vasilevsky is in line for a win here. Detroit last year had one of the worst offenses in the NHL, averaging just 2.26 goals per game.
Phillip Grubauer - DK $7.4K || FD $7.2K
Opponent - Nashville Predators
If looking for a little bit of salary savings, Grubauer is a good goalie and has a chance to win tonight. He will see his fair share of shots on goal but if has a good day and allows one instead of three, he will win you some money most likely. I like Grubauer as a GPP option for tonight.
Others To Consider: Campbell (DK - $8.2K, FD - 8.5K), Lehner (DK - $8.1, FD - $8.3), Merzlikins (DK - $7.8K, FD - $7.3K).
NHL DFS Centers
Aleksander Barkov - DK $7.4K || FD $7.6K
Opponent - Pittsburgh Penguins
With a high total on the slate and a reasonable price tag, Barkov is the kind of player to build a lineup around. Last year, he scored 65 points in 56 games. Anytime a player scores 1 point or more per game, they are a solid play. He also averaged 3.5 shots on goal per game and that's what we want from a high-priced player: taking shots at goals and hoping something goes in.
Jared McCann - DK $5.5K || FD $4.0K
Opponent - Nashville Predators
Skating on the top line and the first power-play unit in a game Seattle can win, or at least put up goals in. He put up three shots on goal last game, and if he continues to fire, he will find the back of the net or assist on one.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP): Point (DK $6.9K || FD $7.9K), Suzuki (DK $6.2K || FD $6.1K), Aho (DK $7.0K || FD $7.8K), Mittelstadt (DK $4.9K || FD $3.6K)
NHL DFS Wings
Nikita Kucherov - DK $8.4K || FD $8.8K
Opponent - Detroit Red Wings
While expensive, Kucherov is the best player on Tampa Bay, the heaviest favored team on the slate. Last year in 23 games, Kucherov scored 32 points.
Patric Hornqvist- DK $5.4K || FD $5.8K
Opponent - Pittsburgh Penguins
I like the Panthers tonight and Hornqvist is a good player to have as he attempts many shots on goal. Last year he took 3.34 shots on goal per game. He is on the third line. If the first line seems to chalky but want exposure to the game, this is one way to go.
Others To Consider: Pacioretty (DK $7.8K || FD $8K), Panarin (DK $7.3K || FD $8.1K), Toffoli (DK $ 7.1K || FD $6.3K), Stone (DK $6.6K || FD $7.5K), Caufield (DK $6.3K || FD $5.6K), Pavelski (DK $6K || FD $6K), Marchessault (DK $5.2K || FD $6K), Dadonov (DK $2.7K || FD $4.2K), Jenner (DK $3.1K || FD $3.4K)
NHL DFS Defensemen
Adam Fox - DK $6.4K || FD $6.5K
Opponent - Dallas Stars
He is on the first power play and averaged 0.85 points per game last year. Also last year averaged 1.85 shots on goal per game. Dallas has some talent but their goaltending leaves a lot to be desired.
Zach Werenski - DK $5.4K || FD $4.9K
Opponent - Arizona Coyotes
Werenski is a player that is on the first power play and is facing a bad opponent. Last year, he averaged 2.25 shots on goal per game and is always a threat to be a point scorer in a given game.
Others To Consider: Josi (DK $6.3K || FD $6K), Hedman (DK $6.1K || FD $6.9K), Chychrun (DK $6.2K || FD $4.9K), Rielly (DK $4.9K || FD $6.1K), Giordano (DK $6.5K || FD $4.9K), Dahlin (DK $3.7K || FD $4.5K), Sandin (DK $4.1K || FD $3.5K)
NHL DFS Top Power Plays and Stacks
- Florida Panthers: Either Line 1, Line 2, or Power Play 1 are viable here.
- Toronto: I like the Power Play Unit here, but Line 1 is fine as well. Playing a back to back to triple-check lineups!
- Vegas: Power Play 1 gives exposure to both Line 1 and Line 3. Line 3 is very inexpensive and correlates to the power play.
- Montreal: Line 1 is correlated to the Power Play 1. They are also on a back to back so check the news.
- Seattle: Line 1 for a GPP option tonight. They are correlated to the power play and their offense looked better than expected against Vegas.
NHL Player News and Updates
More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis
