With the NHL rolling out a 10-game schedule tonight, we have a myriad of ways to get in on the action. I’m heading the DFS route. Below you’ll find the nine-man lineup I locked in at DraftKings. This lineup is playable in DraftKings’ classic $50,000 salary format, but I’ve also listed each player’s price at FanDuel’s $55,000 salary equivalent.
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Tuesday’s NHL DFS Picks & Advice
The lineup below is based on DraftKings, but FanDuel prices are also listed.
Let’s start with the Hart Trophy favorite (-140 at DraftKings Sportsbook) and Rocket Richard leader, Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers centerman is compiling a big-time season, where he’s racked up 90 points on 44 goals and 46 helpers.
Draisaitl is also 10th in the NHL in shots on goal (SGO) with 201. Draisaitl draws a stingy Anaheim defense tonight, but the Ducks are 29th in SOG against (1,891) and 28th on the penalty kill (73.81%), which plays right into his strengths.
I love this matchup for the Avalanche tonight, as they take on a Penguins squad ranked 31st in GAA (3.37), 30th in SOG against (1,944) and 28th in defensive-zone giveaways (453). One way to fade Pittsburgh tonight is by riding with second-line centerman Casey Mittelstadt.
The center has 33 points (10 goals, 23 assists) this season, but now that he’s playing alongside Valeri Nichushkin (12 goals, six assists), he should see his offensive numbers improve. I like the Mittelstadt-Nichushkin duo to get on the board tonight against the floundering Penguins.
The other high-price player I have in my lineup tonight is Buffalo’s Tage Thompson. Thompson has 52 points in 53 games this season. His 29 goals and 167 SOG top the Sabres roster. Buffalo welcomes in a San Jose defense ranked dead last in both team GAA (3.44) and high-danger shots against (264) and sits 24th on the penalty kill (75.79%).
Thompson is pricey, but I think he is primed for a big night against a Sharks side on the second night of a back-to-back.
It might be time to start taking the Blue Jackets seriously. Starting with their high-powered offense, which is fifth in the NHL in scoring (3.3 goals per game). Second-line winger Kent Johnson is nearly a point-per-game guy this year, picking up 42 points (20 goals, 22 assists) across 46 games played.
Johnson’s on the wing of the crafty Boone Jenner (seven assists in four games played). They’ll take on a Lightning team coming in on the second night of a back-to-back. This feels like a decent value spot for Johnson.
Philadelphia’s Matvei Michkov is almost always playable considering he’s priced under $5,000 on DraftKings. The rookie has 19 tucks and 25 assists this season. His 134 SOG are the third-most on the Flyers.
Philadelphia takes on a defensively sound Flames team tonight, but Calgary has lost three straight games, allowing 2.7 goals per game during the stretch. Michkov’s heating up and I think he can strike at home tonight.
With Charlie McAvoy sidelined, Mason Lohrei (four goals, 24 assists) is walking the line on Boston’s top power-play unit nowadays. The 24-year-old has been taking advantage of the opportunity, racking up five points (one goal, four assists) and 20 SOG in five games since the break.
The Bruins welcome in a Predators team ranked 25th in GAA (3.03) and 30th in defensive-zone giveaways (457). With the way Lohrei is playing, he’s worth a flier at this cheap price.
D2: Vince Dunn (D – SEA) | DraftKings: $4,400/FanDuel: $5,400
Seattle’s Vince Dunn is a sneakily value pick tonight at the defenseman position. I was between Brandon Montour (11 goals, 19 assists) and Dunn (11 goals, 17 assists), but being that Dunn is currently running the blue line on the power play (18.07%, 26th), I’ll ride with him at a cheaper price.
Seattle’s man-advantage unit will be taking on a Minnesota penalty kill ranked 30th in the NHL (70.51%). Also, Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson went just 5-7-0 with a .890 SV% in 13 outings in January and February.
If you offer me the Vezina Trophy frontrunner at a price of just $7,900, I’m going to take it. The 31-year-old Connor Hellebuyck continues his monster season, as he leads the league in wins (36-7-3), GAA (1.99), SV% (.927) and shutouts (six).
The Jets take on an Islanders team that comes in on the second night of a back-to-back, where they were shut out 4-0 by the Rangers last night. New York is now just 28th in scoring (2.7 goals per game) and dead last on the power play (11.27%).
I’ll round out my lineup with Dallas’ Logan Stankoven (nine goals, 20 assists). The simple fact we can grab the first-line winger with a sub-$4,000 price tag on DraftKings feels like a great move.
The lack of goal scoring hasn’t been due to not shooting the puck, as Stankoven is ranked third on Dallas’ roster in SOG (147). This is a tough matchup against a top-tier Devils defense, but as I said, getting this price on a guy who plays with Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson seems like a no-brainer for the utility spot.
