NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Friday 12/16/22
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 and 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 and take a look at today's slate and some players to consider for your lineups.
Goalie to Target
Ilya Sorokin ($8,300): The New York Islanders come in on a two-game losing streak but are in a great spot against the Arizona Coyotes to get back on track. This puts the Isles as -196 moneyline favorites, and it makes Sorokin a clear option in all formats tonight.
The Coyotes come in scoring 2.05 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the sixth-worst in the league -- not to mention a league-worst 43.81 Corsi For (Total Shot Attempts Created). Sorokin has been elite this season and comes in with 13.8 Goals Saved Above Expectation (GSAx), which is the fifth-best in the league. I don't say this often, but Sorokin has legitimate shutout potential tonight.
High-Salaried Skaters
Mathew Barzal ($6,700): The Islanders have a 3.11 implied goal total, and as mentioned, this is a great matchup for them. The Coyotes are allowing the sixth-most (2.98) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations and the fifth-worst Corsi Against (60.67). They are one of the worst defenses in the league, and we should be looking to stack against them whenever they are on the slate.
Barzal is the center on the top line for the Islanders, and he's also on the first power-play unit. Barzal has been good on offense but can be doing a bit more. He has 8 NHL points and 20 shots on goal over his last 10 games, which are solid numbers, but with that offensive role, he should be able to push those rates a bit higher in this favorable matchup.
Mats Zuccarello ($8,300): The Minnesota Wild come in with a slate-high 3.88 implied goal total and should be the chalk of the slate. We're going from one bad defense with the Coyotes to another bad defense with the Chicago Blackhawks. This season, the Blackhawks are in the bottom five of the league in goals allowed (3.05) and Corsi Against (63.37), both per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations.
Zuccarello is rolling right now with 12 NHL points, 33 shots on goal, and 7 blocked shots in his last 10 games. A role on the first forward line and the first power-play unit put him in a spot to continue this level of production every night. Look to stack Zuccarello with Kirill Kaprizov ($9,800) and Matthew Boldy ($6,700).
Value Skaters
Jonathan Huberdeau ($5,100): It's odd to say Huberdeau is a value play, but this is where we see him at only $5,100. After having the third-most points (115; 1.4 per game) in the entire NHL last season, Huberdeau is off to a very slow start this year with 18 points in 27 games. His role is the same on the first forward line and the first power-play unit; it's just been a clear lack of production this season for his new team.
The Calgary Flames have a 3.52 implied goal total against the St. Louis Blues, who are on the second night of a back-to-back. With the Blues allowing the 10th most (2.72) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, the Flames' offense should be able to dial up the pressure with their fifth-best Corsi For (61.16).
