RotoBallers, welcome back to our daily fantasy hockey (NHL DFS) lineup picks for FanDuel, DraftKings and FantasyAces. Below you will find our NHL cheat sheet - DFS lineup picks, sleepers and stacks for Thursday, February 2 of the 2016/2017 NHL season.
After a small slate on Wednesday, we are treated with a much bigger eight-game slate tonight. With no team on a back to back and most players fresh off a four da break, we can expect another high scoring night of hockey. Let's take a look at some of the top value plays.
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NHL Daily League Lineup Picks for Thursday, February 2
For those that are new to this, each day we'll be providing you with a few of our top DFS lineup picks for daily league cash games on FanDuel, DraftKings, and FantasyAces. We will also provide you with one of our favorite teams to stack for GPPs. You can grab the rest of our Premium DFS lineup picks and stacks through the NHL Cheat Sheet and DFS Premium Pass below.
Jason Spezza (C, DAL)
DraftKings - $5,200, FanDuel - $6,500
He has been playing with Tyler Seguin since mid-January and contributing for fantasy. He has recorded six points(three on the powerplay) in his last 10 games and although he isn't playing the same ice time as in the past still provides a near elite shot volume(16.11 shot att/60). The Stars get a great matchup tonight as the Jets come to town having given up three or more goals in 10 straight games.
Nikolaj Ehlers (W, WPG)
DraftKings - $5,800, FanDuel - $6,700
In the same game, I will go back to te well with Ehlers who has impressed with his consistency in his sophomore season. He stayed hot out of the All-Star break with a goal vs. the Blues and now gets a matchup vs. the Stars and their 28th ranked defense. He is safe in all formats with a high floor, averaging just over three shots on goal per game over his last 10 games.
Nikita Zaitsev (D, TOR)
DraftKings - $4,300, FanDuel - $4,500
The Russian rookie has been playing a key role for the Leafs as they try to get back to the playoffs. With six points in his last 10 games, Zaitsev now has 21 for the season but that isn't why he is listed in the article. He comes at a very affordable mid $4K price tag and offers a balanced attack of shots and blocks for safety in cash games.
Stacking Option
Dallas Stars PP- Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Jason Spezza
Before looking at the Vegas odds for this game Wednesday night, I would put money on this being the highest projected scoring game of the night. Both teams rank in the bottom five in defense and inside the Top 15 in offense. I love the Stars top powerplay unit who has scored a goal in four straight and six of their last eight games going up against a Jets team that sits 12th in penalty minutes per game.
NHL & DFS Premium Subscription
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Lineup Optimizer/Generator & Sleepers Tool
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Premium NHL DFS Lineup Picks & Cheat Sheet
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Bonus: General NHL DFS Strategy Notes
For cash games, look at players who can contribute to your score even when they are not providing offense. Some examples are guys who take a ton of shots and defensemen who block a lot of shots. Also, look for guys who get power play time. You can find value in players who join a new line due to an injury, or just get a promotion and more ice time. It is also recommended to spread out your exposure to three or four different lines, and not put all your eggs in one basket.
For large field tournaments (GPPs), find payers who have multi-point upside and can grab double-digit fantasy points. If you want to stack the most upside in your forwards, a common strategy is to punt the defense position. This doesn't mean just grab anyone - try and look for a defenseman who will get power play time, or a playing time boost due to an injury. For a contrarian approach, paying up at the defense position can be a great strategy - but it also comes with more risk. GPPs bring a great opportunity for goaltenders in the value price range - you can look for backups on good teams.