NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Friday 10/29/21

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

Antti Raanta ($8,200): The Carolina Hurricanes are on the second night of a back-to-back and should have Raanta in net tonight. The Canes come in as large -200 home favorites to take on the Chicago Blackhawks, who are one of the worst teams in the league. Chicago comes in scoring only 1.11 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations -- dead last in the league. They also hold the second-lowest (48.78) Corsi For (Total Shot Attempts Created) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. Their offense isn't generating opportunities and isn't scoring. That should put Raanta in a spot to come away with the win tonight.

High-Priced Skaters

Mika Zibanejad ($7,800): With a 3.11 implied goal total tonight, the New York Rangers are in a spot to pour in some goals against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Zibanejad is skating on the first forward line and the first power-play for the Rangers and simply isn't producing as much as his offensive role normally would. He has only one NHL point in his last three games but has managed to pile up nine shots on goal. I hate to say he's "due" for a goal...but Zibanejad is due for a goal.

He'll be up against the Blue Jackets, who are allowing a 59.27 Corsi Against, which is the sixth-worst mark in the league. Surprisingly, the Blue Jackets are only allowing 1.71 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the seventh-best in the league. This should stand out because it simply doesn't make sense. A defense cannot allow that insane volume of shot attempts and allow so few actual goals. This is why we can look at the Blue Jackets Expected Goals Against (xGA) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is 2.71, putting them as the fifth-worst in the league.

Simply put, the Blue Jackets are due for some regression, and with the role and volume of shots Zibanejad already has, he's in a great spot to capitalize on this matchup.

Jonathan Huberdeau ($8,300): The Florida Panthers are a powerhouse right now and hold the league's best record at 7-0. They are getting it done in all areas of the game, and that should continue tonight with a 3.40 implied goal total against the Detroit Red Wings. If they are going to be scoring, it's likely coming from their top units, and we want to look to Huberdeau as an elite option tonight.

He's firmly involved in the scoring with seven NHL points in his last four games. He's added eight shots on goal as well. Ideally, we'd like to see the volume of shots a little bit higher to give him a better floor of points, but with his time on the first power-play unit, the upside will always be there for him.

Value Skaters

Conor Sheary ($3,800): With T.J. Oshie out for the Washington Capitals, Sheary has been bumped up to the second forward line. Sheary is still skating on the first power-play unit, and it's clear that his salary is too low for the role he has in an elite offense. The Capitals are massive -340 home favorites tonight and hold a slate-high 3.77 implied goal total. He should be able to add a few shots on net, and getting cheap exposure to a power-play with Alex Ovechkin is never a bad thing.

Reilly Smith ($4,500): Smith's salary doesn't match his role. Smith is now skating on the first forward line and the first power-play unit for the Vegas Golden Knights due to Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty both being out. He has 17 shots on goal in his last four games but only a single NHL point. The offense will come for Smith, so look to grab him at this salary before it increases. He makes for a great value stack with William Karlsson ($5,600) and Jon Audy-Marchessault ($5,700).