RADIO
Welcome, RotoBallers! If you do not know me, my name is Brandon and I write both The First-Serve and The Kick-Off for tennis and soccer, respectively. If you have not checked those out, make sure you do! It is the return of the NHL season, which means it's time to sharpen our skills and partake in NHL DFS! As always, I'll give you the best tools to succeed and the info you need to build the best lineups possible for your GPP and cash game NHL contests on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Today, I'll be bringing you my NHL lineup picks, analysis, and advice for NHL DFS contests on DraftKings and FanDuel on Saturday, June 10, 2023, at 8:00 PM EST. Be sure to also check out our awesome NHL tools, including our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, Projections, and DFS Cheat Sheets!
If you have any questions on today's slate, bankroll management, GPP strategy, cash game strategy, or anything else, don’t hesitate to email me at [email protected], via Twitter @df_solutions, or in our premium Slack chat. Good luck, RotoBallers!
NHL DFS Analysis and Picks for 6/10/23
The National Hockey League playoffs have yet to disappoint this season – depending on who your team is – as it flaunts its competitive parity with multiple upsets in the first round, notably Presidents’ Trophy winner Boston Bruins and reigning champions Colorado Avalanche.
During the playoffs, it is much more common to find low-scoring and heavy-hitting games. Keep in mind that teams who showcase a high aptitude to score goals will play much tighter and be a bit pickier with their shots. Tonight is a pivotal night with Florida having a chance to even the series and Vegas having the chance to apply insurmountable amounts of pressure on Florida heading to Vegas for Game 5. I will do my best to guide you through this showdown slate on DraftKings and FanDuel starting at 8:00 p.m. EST.
DISCLOSURE: Make sure to monitor the news feed and play at your own risk.
Playoff Series Standings
Florida Panthers 1 vs Vegas Golden Knights 2
NHL DFS Core Plays- Showdown Edition For 6/10/2023
Captain
Sam Bennett - DK $12.3K || FD $11K
Many will say that Tkachuk is the heartbeat of the Panthers and at times it can be very obvious. However, what many don’t see is the amount of work that Bennett does to put Tkachuk in a good spot. That was highlighted in Game 3 when Tkachuk went to the locker room after a clean hit at center ice sent him to the bench. Bennett took full control of the second line and had a few good chances. He also produced 1 assist, 4 shots, and 1 blocked shot in the game.
Jonathan Marchessault - DK $14.1K || FD $14.5K
Marchessault is a surefire candidate to remain in the captain section for the rest of the playoffs. The winger is carrying the Golden Knights offensively at this point and without him, they would not be playing in the Finals. In Game 3, he managed 1 goal, 1 assist, and 2 shots. In 20 games in the playoffs, this was the seventh multi-point game for Marchessault, cementing himself as the top producer for the Golden Knights. As long as he is on the ice, he will always prove a threat.
Carter Verhaeghe - DK $12K || FD $13K
Verhaeghe is the Marchessault of Florida and after Game 3, he is looking more confident in the Finals and could be a pivotal player throughout the remainder of the series. In Game 3, he had 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 shots, and 1 blocked shot and in the Finals overall, he has 1 goal, 1 assist, 9 shots, and 2 blocked shots. Surprisingly, the line of Verhaeghe-Barkov-Duclair has not been the most productive line in the playoffs with just a 45.4 Percent Expected Goals Percentage in all offensive lines with at least 14 TOI this postseason. As mentioned multiple times though, Verhaeghe sees a drastic uptick when playing with Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk. The Panthers still have a long way to go before they can prove their worth for a Stanley Cup, however, Verhaeghe gaining momentum is a big leap.
Value Plays
Shea Theodore - DK $7.2K || FD $8.5K
After being highlighted in Game 3 as a captain candidate, Theodore did not disappoint with 1 assist, 1 shot, and 3 blocked shots. He now has 1 goal, 2 assists, 4 shots, and 5 blocked shots in the Finals. The defenseman is priced just below where he should be despite the consistent production and role for the Golden Knights. As mentioned when he was highlighted, Florida needs wins at home to keep themselves alive and without the narrative, they are already one of the top offenses in the league. This leaves a high floor and ceiling for Theodore game in and game out and a similar peripheral stat line from Game 3 is expected for Game 4.
Brandon Montour - DK $8.4K || FD $11.5K
If Game 3 was a telltale sign, Montour could be in for a big night in Game 4. All of the defensemen for Florida were the most active they have been all series in the 3-2 overtime win, however, Montour was the consistent player being mentioned on the ice. He had 1 goal and 3 shots and in the Finals he has 1 goal, 11 shots, and 2 blocked shots. Montour is not a big two-way player and offers more offensive capability than defensive which in return limits his blocked shots. However, averaging 3 shots per game is very good for a defender, especially if they are going to increase their presence at the opponent’s end of the ice.
Mark Stone - DK $7.8K || FD $12K
Many would expect Stone to be highlighted in the captain section, however, there are too many options that are worthy of consideration over the winger, thus landing him in the value section. To be completely fair, Stone is a value play at this point and especially if he will continue to see time with Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault. In Game 3 he got multiple looks with the top-line duo and he ultimately scored a goal in that time. He also had 1 assist, 3 shots, and 1 blocked shot in the game. With little offensive production outside of Eichel and Marchessault, Stone is the next and possibly only other player to rely on and they will need another big game from him if they want to apply any pressure on the Panthers heading back to Vegas for Game 5.
Brandon's Stacks
- FLA PP1: Verhaeghe-Bennett-Tkachuk
- VGK1: Barbashev-Eichel-Marchessault
