NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Friday 1/14/22
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
Kaapo Kahkonen ($7,300): The Minnesota Wild are -178 home favorites tonight, which is the third-largest on the slate. But we see Kahkonen with just the fifth-highest salary among goalies. Whenever we have a situation such as this -- the goalie is under-salaried relative to their moneyline -- I always like to target the player for their inherent value. He'll be up against the Anaheim Ducks, who are scoring 2.20 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the 12th-lowest in the league. The Wild also have an elite offense, scoring the third-most (3.04) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which can help propel Kahkonen to a win.
High-Priced Skaters
Aleksander Barkov ($9,400): With a 3.78 implied goal total, the Florida Panthers are in a spot to score plenty of goals. Barkov has 9 NHL points and averages 26.2 FanDuel points over his last six games, showing he has immense scoring upside. This shouldn't come as a surprise since the Panthers are scoring a whopping 3.39 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the second-highest in the league.
The Panthers also lead the NHL with a 65.69 Corsi For (Total Shot Attempts Created), showing they are constantly pushing the pace on offense. They have a high floor and a massive ceiling with the offensive potential they bring, which Barkov is always involved with due to his role on the first forward line and the first power-play unit.
Mikko Rantanen ($9,000): It's actually crazy to see the Colorado Avalanche moneyline sitting at -650, but that's what we have tonight versus the lowly Arizona Coyotes. This is one of the most lopsided matchups in recent memory, and if the Avalanche end up with five, six, or even seven goals tonight, it won't be a surprise.
They lead the league with 3.44 goals scored per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, and the Coyotes are allowing the third-most Goals (2.99) in the same situations. These are two teams at the opposite ends of the spectrum, and we should be seeing an avalanche of goals from Colorado. Rantanen has 17 NHL points and 32 shots on goal over his last 10 games. He is on the first forward line and the first power-play unit, making him a priority option on this three-game slate.
Value Skater
Nicolas Aube-Kubel ($4,400): As noted above, the Avs are in a great spot, and you want exposure to their offense. Aube-Kubel provides that at a low salary. While the top-tier options for the Avs are among the best in the league, they are also extremely expensive, and when we are dealing with small three-game, they can be tough to roster with a lack of value options. This is where we can turn to the depth options on the Avs for value. Aube-Kubel has a surprising 7 NHL points and 18 shots on goal in his last 10 games, a span in which he has been promoted to the second forward line.
