With a nine-game slate tonight, there are a lot of priced up players we need to get exposure to. In order to force the studs into our lineup, let’s take a look at some viable value options which can help us cash in tonight.
Check out today’s Breakaway NHL contest from FanDuel 
Center
Jordan Staal (CAR): $5,200 vs. FLA
This Carolina team is in a downward spiral at the moment going 0-2-2 in their last four games. Although fully capable of scoring goals and winning games, the Hurricanes have been their own worst enemy of late. Enter the Florida Panthers. The Panthers are young, exciting, fast, and absolutely atrocious on defense. Currently ranked 31st in both goals allowed and shots on goal allowed, opposing teams are firing at will on this team and picking them apart. Granted, Roberto Luongo is finally healthy and back between the pipes. But he was still lit up on Saturday night for five goals while facing 44 shots against. It is rare to find a number one center who also plays on the top power-play unit for under $6,000. Tonight, Staal is in a great spot (at home I may add) with tremendous upside.
Wing
Clayton Keller (ARI): $6,500 @ PIT
OK, so Keller is not really a cheap punt play, but he is a value play. With 17 points this season in just 16 games, Clayton Keller is among the league leaders in points. To put this into perspective, he trails only Ovechkin ($8,800), and Tavares ($8,600) in goals scored; of available players in tonight’s slate. Basically, he is producing like an $8,000 player while priced at a huge discount. He does play for the worst team in the NHL and his hot streak should regress at some point, but until he is priced fairly, look at Keller to continue paying off value. The Penguins are coming home after a long five-game Western Conference road trip, so it is not an ideal matchup. What is in his favor, is the fact that he is averaging almost 20 minutes a night and plays on the top power-play unit against a Penguins team averaging 13.31 penalty minutes per game (30th in the NHL).
Jakub Vrana (WAS): $3,900 @ BUF
With the Capitals being on the back end of a back-to-back, likely starting Philipp Grubauer, and the Buffalo Sabres being one of the worst teams in the NHL, this game should be one of the highest scoring games of the night. Vrana is slotted in on the top line with Swedish All-Star Nicklas Backstrom and previous USA Olympic forward, T.J. Oshie. First of all, Vrana has extremely talented linemates. Secondly, he will play on the second power-play unit. Third, Buffalo will likely line match their top line of Eichel/Kane/Pominville against the Ovechkin line, leaving Vrana and his two Olympic All-Star linemates facing a defenseless second Sabres unit. Ryan O’Reilly‘s line is sitting at a 39% Goals For vs. Goals Against (7 GF vs. 11 GA) when on the ice during even strength. The Backstrom line is posting an incredible 73% (8 GF vs. 3 GA) to start the year. At nearly minimum price on FanDuel, lock in Jakub Vrana in all formats.
Andrew Shaw (MON): $3,400 vs. VGK
I know the Golden Knights are 9-4-1 and are playing very good hockey right now. I also know that Montreal looks terrible right now with a record of 6-8-1. But, this Vegas team is going to crash and burn and I bet it happens in Montreal. This will be the Golden Knights sixth game in just nine days on an Eastern road swing. It is much harder for West teams to travel East due to the time change and the Golden Knights have got to be exhausted. On this road trip, Vegas has allowed 21 goals against (4.2/game). Shaw is locked in on the top line with Danault and Pacioretty. He will also center the first power-play unit. The Vegas Golden Knights might have the worst goaltending luck ever witnessed, losing their top three goalies to injury and because of the back-to-back, they could look to fifth string goaltender Dylan Ferguson. The 19-year-old was playing in the WHL this season, posting a disappointing 4.05 GAA with a 4-9-0 record. The Bell Centre is one of the hardest arena’s for any opposing team to go into, let alone a kid with zero NHL experience. Even if Lagace starts, this is a great spot for all Montreal players.
Defense
Noah Hanifin (CAR): $3,600 vs. FLA
I mentioned already how bad I feel this Panthers team is. Hanifin is one of the NHL’s brightest young stars who is already playing time on the first power-play unit. Although his time on ice isn’t where we would like it to be, averaging just under 20 minutes a night, this is a spot where we can go to free up salary somewhere else. Either a mini Hurricanes stack, or full stack will give you room for plenty of higher priced options on the night.
Goalie
Jaroslav Halak (NYI): $7,500 vs. EDM
Being from Edmonton, believe me when I say, “the struggle is real”. The Oilers do not look like their 2016-2017 playoff-run team. Edmonton is ranked 31st in goals for, 25th in power-play percentage, and yet second overall in shots on goal. Basically, the Oilers are peppering shots on net and not scoring. Which is great for opposing goalies in fantasy. On top of these rankings, the Oilers are traveling across the country to face an Islanders team who have a 5-0-1 home record. It is always scary plugging a goalie in against a team as talented as the Oilers and with the win so important in FanDuel, this may only be a GPP play. That being said, until Edmonton strings together a few wins, look to use goalies against them with confidence.
Check out today’s Breakaway NHL contest from FanDuel
Jeremy Maw is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Jeremy, check out his archive or follow him @j_maw.
