NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Friday 2/26/21
Hockey is officially back! NHL DFS is similar to MLB in terms of how you build lineups, how you view stacking, and how to value players.
Two main points to always focus on in NHL DFS are what lines the players are on and making sure the goalies you are rostering are confirmed as the starters. Two of the best resources for that are LeftWingLock.com or DailyFaceOff.com. That is where you can find updated forward and power-play lines for each team, along with which goalies are confirmed as the starters.
Let's jump in to take a look at today's slate and some players to consider for your lineups.
Goalie to Target
Tuukka Rask ($8,600): Rask is confirmed as the Boston Bruins' starting goalie for tonight, and it's an easy spot to trust him. Last night, the Bruins got absolutely smoked 7-2 by the Islanders, but they have a chance to put that behind them and pick up a win tonight against the New York Rangers. This season, the Rangers are scoring only 1.93 goals per 60 minutes while at even-strength, which is the fourth-fewest in the league. Combine that with the fact the Bruins are one of the best defensive teams in the league -- allowing a 48.55 Corsi Against per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations -- it puts Rask in a spot to come away with a clean win.
High-Priced Skaters
David Pastrnak ($8,800): As noted above, the Bruins didn't look good last night, but their matchup versus the Rangers is where we could see Pastrnak hit his ceiling. The Rangers are in the bottom half of the league in goals allowed and Corsi Against, both per 60 minutes while at even-strength. Pastrnak is an elite goalscorer and finished last season tied for the most goals in the league. Even though he didn't find the scoresheet last night, Pastrnak still managed to post five shots on goal, showing he is always a threat to produce. With his time on the first forward line and the first power-play unit, Pastrnak makes for a fun stacking piece alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand.
Anze Kopitar ($7,300): Are the Los Angeles Kings good? They've won six games in a row and find themselves in a playoff position -- and I'm shocked. They were projected to be one of the worst teams in the league, and they are finding ways to win. That could certainly continue tonight against the Minnesota Wild, who have the 2nd-worst (57.98) Corsi Against and the 10th-worst (2.38) goals allowed, both at even-strength. Somehow, the Kings come in with a slate-low 2.42 implied goal total, which just doesn't add up. LA is super-hot team that is facing a weak defense, and I like getting exposure to the Kings. This means paying up for Kopitar, who has 21 real-world points in 18 games while posting 40 shots on goal and 14 blocked shots. Ideally, we'd see a few more shots on goal per game, but his overall efficiency is there on a nightly basis with some extra blocked shots compared to some other centers in the league.
Value Skaters
Jordan Greenway ($3,900): The Wild have a solid 3.08 implied total -- tied for the highest on the slate -- so we should be looking to them as a solid option. Greenway is on the first forward line and the first power-play unit for Minnesota, and he is under $4,000. That is nearly unheard of for a player at this salary. Greenway is doing a decent job in terms of capitalizing on this new role, totaling 6 actual points, 14 shots on goal, and 6 blocked shots in his last 10 games.
Brandon Saad ($5,100): Saad is back in the lineup for the Colorado Avalanche, and it is time to take a stroll down narrative street. Saad was out of the lineup on Wednesday due to the birth of his child, so we have a classic baby narrative to have fun with. Narratives aside, Saad is legitimately a good value option due to his role on the second forward line and the second power-play unit. He already has a strong 9 real-world points and 16 shots on goal in his last 10 games, so why not add one more for the baby narrative tonight.
