NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Friday 4/2/21
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
Vitek Vanecek ($8,400): Despite being blown out last night 8-4 by the New York Islanders, the Washington Capitals are a place we can look tonight as they are -164 favorites against the New Jersey Devils. The Devils come into this game scoring 2.22 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the 13th-lowest in the league. While I fully anticipate the Devils to score a few goals, the Capitals and their league-leading 3.12 goals scored per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations should prevail and come away with the win. Vanecek comes in with four wins over his last five starts, allowing a total of 12 goals in those outings. He is the second-most expensive goalie on the slate, but it is worth paying up for the win equity.
High-Priced Skaters
Connor McDavid ($8,800): McDavid is coming off a weird (really bad) game. He ended with only 16 minutes of ice time, zero shots on goal, zero FanDuel points, and picked up a $5,000 fine for an unnecessary headshot against a Canadiens' player. This was really unusual for McDavid, so we are going to put that in the past and focus on this matchup versus the Calgary Flames. The Battle of Alberta will have another chapter written tonight, one which should be high scoring, as four of the six games this season between these two have hit the over. In those six games against the Flames, McDavid has scored 14 NHL points. He is the best player in the league, and the last game was nothing but an outlier.
Mikko Rantanen ($8,600): The Colorado Avalanche scored nine goals in their most recent game, which is the upside they carry on a nightly basis. That's not an exaggeration. The Avalanche are tied for the league-lead with 127 goals in 35 games. They are scoring the second-most (3.08) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations and have a league-high 63.86 Corsi For. They are an absolute powerhouse of an offense, and getting exposure to them on a nightly basis is always a good idea. That generally means finding the salary for the first forward line and going to a player such as Rantanen, who comes in with 16 NHL points and 33 shots on goal in his last 10 games. He is also on the first power-play unit with Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog. They are an ideal three-man stack tonight.
Value Skaters
Jesper Bratt ($4,800): Even though I like the Capitals' goalie tonight, it's clear the Devils offer plenty of value. Vanecek is in a good spot to pick up the win, and the Devils are a clear value option tonight. Both can be true. Bratt is on the first forward line and the first power-play unit while being just $4,800. That alone is a reason to consider him. He has a modest 8 NHL points and 17 shots on goal in his last 10 games but remains a threat due to his role.
Andrew Mangiapane ($3,900): With another high-scoring game expected tonight between the Flames and Edmonton Oilers, getting some exposure to this clash could be key. As noted above, four of the six games this season between these two teams have hit the over, giving us a game environment with plenty of fantasy points. While Mangiapane lacks consistency, he can be used in a game stack since he is on the first forward line and the second power-play unit for the Flames. The salary relief he offers should allow you to get to McDavid and Draisaitl.
