NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Tuesday 3/14/23
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
Linus Ullmark ($9,000): The Boston Bruins are the best team in the league and are coming off a bad loss, which makes them a clear target tonight. The Bruins simply don't lose two games in a row very often, and their -450 moneyline price against the Chicago Blackhawks is a good indication of what we can expect today. The Bruins continue to be one of the best defensive teams, and over the last month, they have allowed just 1.83 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the third-best in the league.
We have seen that on full display for Ullmark as he has conceded three goals or fewer in each of his last 10 starts. While his salary is up there, the Bruins' defense is so good that we're looking at an outside chance of a shutout versus a Blackhawks offense that scores only 2.02 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, the fewest in the league.
High Salaried Skaters
Tim Stutzle ($8,600): The Ottawa Senators are taking on the Edmonton Oilers in a game that features a juicy 6.5-goal over/under, giving us a matchup that is primed for plenty of fantasy points. Over the last month, both teams are in the top five of the league for the most Goals Scored per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations while both also being in the bottom 10 of the league for the most Goals Allowed.
This is exactly what we like to see when looking for games with significant fantasy upside, which should make some of the players from this matchup very popular.
When it comes to Stutzle, he is in the midst of a career year and hasn't slowed down one bit in recent games. Over the last 10 contests, he has 12 NHL points and 33 shots on goal. He is seeing time on the top forward line and the first power-play unit. This is a superb matchup for the Senators, and a multi-point performance from Stutzle wouldn't be a surprise.
Evgeni Malkin ($7,400): Malkin is going to score a goal tonight. That is my take for tonight's slate, and there's plenty to support it.
First off, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a slate-high 4.13 implied goal total at home as they take on the Montreal Canadiens, who are on the second night of a back-to-back after giving up eight goals last night. Right from the jump, it's not looking good for the Habs, who have allowed 3.12 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations over the last month, the seventh-most. Over that same time, the Penguins are scoring 2.98 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is a bit higher than their 2.63 season-long rate.
Malkin comes in with 14 NHL points and 29 shots on goal over his last 10 games but hasn't scored a goal in his last eight games. He's certainly piling up the assists, which is great for his fantasy production, but the ceiling comes from the goals. He continues to skate on the second forward line and the first power-play unit, so he's in a stellar spot to end his goal drought.
Jack Eichel ($8,100): Eichel is another player who is due for a goal and is finding himself with a bit of bad puck luck right now. Tonight, Eichel checks all the boxes we want to see. High implied team total? Yes, 3.68. Easy defensive matchup? Yes, against the Philadelphia Flyers, who are allowing 2.89 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations over the last month. Strong offensive role? Yes, on the first forward line and the first power-play unit.
Eichel has no goals over his last five games, but with this matchup and a great role for the Vegas Golden Knights, he's primed for some offense tonight.
Value Skaters
Tyler Bertuzzi ($4,200): The Bruins have a 3.60 implied total against Chicago and should be in a spot to rebound after their off game. With a few players dealing with injuries on the Bruins, they have moved the recently acquired Bertuzzi to the top forward line and the second power-play unit.
On the season, the Bruins are scoring 3.10 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, tops in the league. To say the role Bertuzzi is playing is a valuable one would be a massive understatement. Getting access to him for $4,200 is a huge bargain.
Evan Bouchard ($4,300): As noted above, the Oilers and Senators are rocking a 6.5 over/under, and there should be plenty of scoring. None of that will be a surprise given the strong offenses and lackluster defenses we see on both sides, making this a matchup to prioritize.
Bouchard is the defender on the first power-play unit for the Oilers, which gets you fantasy exposure to Connor McDavid ($10,700) and Leon Draisaitl ($10,100). They are both very high in salary, but Bouchard is only $4,300. This puts Bouchard in a spot to pick up an easy assist via McDavid or Draisaitl scoring. We've seen that in recent games as Bouchard has five assists over his last five outings.
