NHL DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Saturday (3/9)

There’s plenty of NHL action to look forward to tonight, and some players will be making debuts with their new teams after yesterday’s trade deadline. I’m heading the DFS route in this article, where I’ve compiled this nine-man lineup over at DraftKings. This lineup fits the classic $50,000 salary format, and I’ve also listed each player’s price at FanDuel. This roster is for the games starting at 7:00 p.m. ET (8 games). Here’s who I think will have a big night on the ice.

Today’s NHL DFS Picks & Analysis

The lineup below is based on DraftKings, but FanDuel prices are also listed.

C1: William Karlsson (VGK): $5,500 DK, $6,400 FD

Let’s kick it off in Vegas. The Golden Knights will host the Red Wings, who lost 4-0 in Arizona last night. I’ll take second-line center William Karlsson for my roster tonight. Wild Bill is fourth on the roster in scoring (22G, 21A), with two of those goals coming over the last three games. Detroit has been a little flimsy defensively this season, ranking 23rd in overall defense (3.11 GAA). Factor in that they’re on a back-to-back, and I think Karlsson and the Golden Knights could have a big night.

C2: Dylan Strome (WSH): $5,100 DK, $6,600 FD

I have a trio of Capitals in my lineup tonight. Let’s start with the red-hot Dylan Strome, who has racked up seven points (1G, 6A) in his last three games! The centerman now leads the organization in scoring this season with 50 points (22G, 28A). This Caps offense is finally finding its footing, and they should stay hot against the lousy Blackhawks. Chicago is 29th overall defensively (3.35 GAA).

W1: Claude Giroux (OTT): $5,100 DK, $6,400 FD

The Sens have been slumping recently, dropping their last six games (0-5-1). They’ll have a great matchup tonight against the Sharks, who are 0-7-2 in their last nine. I think Claude Giroux is the perfect guy to help get Ottawa back in the win column. He’s up to 53 points (18G, 35A) this year, which is second on the team. He’s also fourth on the team in SOG (146). This San Jose defense is horrendous, ranking dead last in overall defense (3.74 GAA) and 5-on-5 high-danger shots against (170). Look for Giroux to score at least once tonight.

W2: Tom Wilson (WSH): $4,800 DK, $4,500 FD

The second Washington player I have tonight is Tom Wilson. He lit the lamp in Thursday’s 6-0 win against the Penguins, giving him three points (1G, 2A) in his last three games. The winger’s also slotting in on the top power play, which takes on Chicago’s 21st-ranked PK (77.47%). Washington needs all of the points they can get, and I expect Wilson, the veteran, to help guide his team to a victory tonight.

W3: Anthony Duclair (TB): $3,800 DK, $4,700 FD

Anthony Duclair left San Jose on a high note, posting a four-point night (2G, 2A) in his final game with the organization. Now he’s back to Florida, however, it’s on the bay side this time, where he’ll lace ’em up with the Lightning moving forward. I love this move for the Bolts. Duclair amassed 31 goals back in the 2021-2022 campaign, and he has picked up 16 goals in 56 games alongside subpar teammates in San Jose this year. I think he’ll contribute tonight in his Tampa debut.

D1: Shea Theodore (VGK): $6,300 DK, $6,800 FD

Shea Theodore’s becoming a regular in my lineup considering he just keeps producing. The veteran defenseman has 10 points (10A) since returning from injury last month. He’s up to 28 points (4G, 24A) in 28 games, officially making him a point-per-game guy. This revamped Vegas team should be fired up to take on a potentially tired Detroit squad tonight. I think Theodore has his hand in at least one goal tonight.

D2: Jakob Chychrun (OTT): $5,000 DK, $5,600 FD

The other Senator I have tonight is d-man Jakob Chychrun. 12 (4G, 8A) of his 31 points (9G, 22A) have come on the power play this season, and he’ll be working the blue line on Ottawa’s top power play tonight. They’ll square off against the 31st-ranked San Jose PK (73.43%). Also, the Sharks have conceded an average of 5.1 goals per game over their current nine-game slide. Look for Chychrun, who’s third on the team in SOG (150), to have an impact tonight.

G: Charlie Lindgren (WSH): $8,500 DK, $7,700 FD

I’ll take the low-hanging fruit in net tonight and ride with Charlie Lindgren. The 30-year-old is having a productive season, coming in at 14-10-5 with a 2.76 GAA (20th) and .910 SV% (16th). Mainly, it’s the matchup that has me loving the Washington netminder. He’ll take on the worst offense in the league, the Blackhawks. They’re dead last in overall scoring (2.0 GPG) and 29th on the power play (14.52%). Lindgren’s coming off a 6-0 shutout against the Penguins on Thursday, where he made all 39 saves!

UTIL: John Tavares (TOR): $5,800 DK, $7,100 FD

Let’s round out our lineup with John Tavares as our util-man. The captain has a pair of goals in his last four games, bringing him up to 45 points (19G, 26A) on the year. His Leafs square off against a Habs squad that’s 27th defensively (3.32 GAA) and 28th on the PK (74.88%). Montreal’s also 29th in 5-on-5 high-danger shots against (149), so look for the crafty Tavares to make his way onto the scoresheet.

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