NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Wednesday 2/8/23
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
Igor Shesterkin ($8,100): The New York Rangers are -240 moneyline favorites tonight against the Vancouver Canucks, making Shesterkin a clear option in net. It's only a two-game slate, and Shesterkin has the cheaper salary compared to Jake Oettinger ($8,400) of the Dallas Stars, a -156 moneyline favorite.
While this may all seem very minor, $300 of savings may actually play a difference on a two-game slate when we are starved for value options. The Canucks are a modest offensive team, scoring 2.47 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations over the last three weeks, which is 17th in the league. But the main point for Shesterkin is that the Canucks are also allowing the sixth-most (3.17) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations in that same time, putting the Rangers' offense in a spot to pour in the goals and pick up the win.
High-Salaried Skaters
Mika Zibanejad ($8,000): As I just noted, this is a strong matchup for the Rangers' offense, and it should end with them posting three goals or more. The goal-scoring for the Rangers has been a bit up and down this season, but in the last three weeks, they have been shot out of a cannon. During this time, the Rangers are scoring 3.18 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the fourth-best in the league.
As usual, we have seen Zibanejad play a big part in that with 9 NHL points, 34 shots on goal, and even 6 blocked shots in his last 10 games. His role on the first forward line and the first power-play will always put him in a spot to reach for a fantasy ceiling, something that is very much on the table with this matchup.
Jason Robertson ($9,700): Robertson is an elite goal-scorer, and if the Stars are going to hit over their 2.91 implied goal total, he should have a hand in it. He has 9 NHL points and 34 shots on goal in his last 10 games, putting him up there with Zibanejad as two of the best offensive options on the slate.
The Minnesota Wild are by no means a bad defensive team but have been letting in more goals recently compared to their season numbers. In the last three weeks, they are allowing 2.62 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, compared to 2.21 goals allowed for the entire season. It's not massive, but with an elite goal-scorer like Robertson on the other side, he can jump on any extra opening a defense will give him.
Value Skaters
Ryan Hartman ($4,900): Hartman has been lacking production this season in part due to an injury earlier in the season, but that could be changing soon. He has been bumped up to the first forward line, reunited with Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello, a trio that had plenty of success last season.
Recent games have shown Hartman is still looking to generate offense but has a bit of bad puck luck. He has a solid 25 shots on goal in his last 10 games but doesn't have a single goal and only 3 assists. That's a great volume of shots, and with an increased offensive role, he is due to start contributing.
Anthony Beauvillier ($4,900): Beauvillier was recently traded to the Canucks, where he was slotted right onto the top forward line and the first power-play unit. Those are awesome offensive roles to have, especially for a player under $5,000. He has only one game under his belt with his new squad, but with this strong offensive role, it's too good to pass up on a slate where we need as much value as we can get.
