Arizona Coyotes Vs. New Jersey Devils
The first game of the slate sees the Arizona Coyotes travel to New Jersey. The Devils are heavy favourites, but that doesn’t mean we should only be looking at them. There is value on both sides, so let’s explore it.
For Arizona, their second line of Clayton Keller, Travis Boyd and Nick Schmaltz is a line to consider. Keller and Boyd also skate together on the top power play unit, and are affordable on DrafKings. It would be a mistake to not at least entertain the idea of playing them, even in cash games.
On the back end, Shayne Gostisbehere continues to see top power play minutes and is by far their best defenceman. He completes the three-man power play stack, and offers great value on both sites.
Karel Vejmelka is like a box of chocolates: you just don’t know what you’re going to get. At times, he’s elite, but can also be the reason your lineup struggles. He has his good games, but the bad ones tend to be disastrous. He’s in a good spot tonight, but we should only consider him in a GPP.
On the Devils side, Jack Hughes is by far the best player on the team. He’s registered five shots on goal in back-to-back games, and while he hasn’t hit value in those games, it’s a good sign to see him shooting the puck. Jesper Bratt joins him on the second line and top power play unit, so that’s a mini-stack to consider.
On defence, Damon Severson looks to be ready to return to the lineup and is expected to quarterback the top power play unit. His price tag on DK is reasonable, and offers some upside due to his shot blocking abilities. If you’re stacking the Devils, it only makes sense to have him be part of it.
In goal, MacKenzie Blackwood is expected to get the start. It’s been quite a challenging season for the Devils’ goaltender, but against Arizona, the matchup on paper is good, and if he can keep the goals allowed to two or less, he should be able to hit value at his current price tag.
Toronto Maple Leafs Vs. New York Rangers
This matchup has all the makings of a tight, low scoring affair, but it's unlikely that we see any of that. Both teams are loaded with talent, and it will be on full display tonight.
It’s hard to argue against playing Auston Matthews tonight. There’s more than enough value on this slate to fit him and another superstar into your lineup. He has ten goals in the last ten games and is currently riding a four game goal streak. On top of that, he has 24 shots on goal in those four games. He’s firing on all cylinders, so he’s an easy choice for any cash game lineup.
To help offset his price tag, Michael Bunting is the obvious choice. He has points in his last four games, and is only $4600 on DK. He isn’t skating on the top power play unit, so that does limit his upside, but his reasonable salary will allow us to be flexible with our lineup.
Mitch Marner is $5500 on DK because their algorithm is broken. He’s going to be chalk, and rightfully so. We know he doesn’t shoot the puck a lot, but he plays with Matthews in all situations, and at that price, we can’t say no to him. The only reason we would fade him is because of his ownership, so in GPPs, feel free to get creative with any power play stack that works.
On defence, It’s Morgan Rielly or bust. As much as I would love to play Rasmus Sandin, the kid is just too inconsistent, and it’s generating anything outside of hits, which don’t count as a fantasy stat in DFS. Yes $2500 on DK is appealing, but you’re probably looking at a zero, or him not doing enough to hit value. If you aren’t down to pay up for Rielly, It would probably be best to go with a three-forward power play stack, adding either John Tavares or William Nylander. If you ABSOLUTELY need the salary savings, then play Sandin.
In goal, Jack Campbell is going to be a popular play, but should he be? On paper, he’s hitting value, but it’s mostly because the team in front of him is providing him with a ton of goal support. This game could end up being a shootout, and paying up for Campbell just doesn’t sound like a good idea. I’d focus on a goalie from the previous game, or in the next breakdown.
For the Rangers, there’s no reason to make this complicated: play Chris Kreider. The veteran winger continues to score goals and provides excellent value at $5900 on DK. You can pair him with Mika Zibanejab, or use him as a single-bullet in all formats.
On the blue line, Adam Fox is always a good idea, but Jacob Trouba has come to life of late, and his performance against Philadelphia was nothing short of elite. He finished with six shots on goal and six blocked shots, hitting value without having to register a point. With that kind of production, he can provide some salary relief, and a safe floor. The Leafs are a good team, and will generate offensive chances, so Trouba will see a ton of chances to hit value again without having to find the scoresheet.
In goal, Igor Shesterkin has a difficult matchup on paper, but could easily be the best goalie option on the slate. He’s better suited to be used in a GPP, but if you aren’t sold on the Leafs tonight, he should have low ownership across most cash game contests.
Colorado Avalanche Vs. Anaheim Ducks
This game opened with a total of 6.0, but has since increased to 6.5, and even that seems very low. The Colorado Avalanche are a force to be reckoned with, and they should have their way with the Ducks in this game.
As always, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen are the tandem that most DFS players will target, and for good reason. They generate most of the team’s offence, and that trend shouldn’t stop tonight. MacKinnon has hit the shot bonus in the last five games, and has racked up six points in that same timeframe. As for Rantanen, he has been just as productive.
If you can’t fit either player into your lineup, Nazem Kadri is the next best option. His point totals aren’t as high as his teammates, but he’s still a key part of the offence, and continues to see time on the top power play unit. Logan O’Connor is $2500 on DK and is skating with Kadri at even strength, and while he only has two points in the last ten games, he’s a player that can provide a lot of salary relief, and some upside.
When it comes to defenceman, Cale Makar has been unstoppable over the last few games, but it’s going to be a challenge to pay up for him. Devon Toews is the next best option, but he probably needs to find the scoresheet to hit value. He finished last game with six shots on goal, so the volume is there, and if he can do the same tonight, it’s possible to see him hit value before the end of the game.
In goal, Pavel Francouz is confirmed to get the start for the Avalanche. He’s going to be a popular play on this slate, but he does carry some risk. If you’re chasing the win, he gives you the best odds to get there, but it’s not certain that he hits value. If you can pay up for him, do so, but understand that he hasn’t hit value in any of his last five games.
For Anaheim, the best way to attack them is to look for specific players that can provide value. Sam Carrick was on the top line last game, and finished with four shots on goal. He’s inexpensive on both sites, and allows us to pay up for talent elsewhere. Max Comtois is another great option, mainly because he’s playing with Trevor Zegras on the second line, and top power play unit. He didn’t do much last game, but both players are cheap and don’t need to do much to hit value. If playing both players allows you to pay up for Matthews and MacKinnon and get them into the same lineup, the risk is worth the reward.
Hampus Lindholm has been promoted to the top power play unit, and provides us with the best value. He’s $4200 on DK and only needs to hit the blocked shots bonus to hit value, something he’s done in two of the last three games. A stack of Carrick/Comtois/Lindholm in a GPP maximizes value and allows us to pay up for some pretty elite players.
In the blue paint, John Gibson gives his team the best chance to win, and if he’s ready to return to the lineup, he is the top GPP goalie. It’s scary to play him against MacKinnon and company, but he’s going to see a ton of shots, and if he can keep the goals against to two or less, and pick up the save bonus, that should be enough for him to value. If he’s able to steal a win for his team, this will shoot your DFS team up the leaderboard. He was pretty good against Colorado back on January 2nd, and we could see a repeat of that effort in this game.
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