Welcome to a Wednesday edition of NHL DFS. We have five games tonight, but there are plenty of studs on the board to try and target. There are two games with goal totals at six, which is on the higher end for an NHL game, so we'll look there for some offense. We also have a classic Penguins vs Capitals match up, which is the game of the night to watch.
Vegas lines are big when it comes to picking games to target, and that's a good place to start for goalies. When it comes to skaters, goal totals is another main place to start. Usually 5.5 goals is average, so targets games at six, and can look for goalies in games with a total at five. Only a few games into the season, so not a whole lot of stats to work with, but plenty to get into as the season goes on.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy hockey lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 10/11/17. The lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @DFS_Tom. Let's get to it, shall we?
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DFS Forwards to Consider
Auston Matthews - C, TOR vs NJ (DK - $8,300, FD - $7,900)
Matthews is one of the bright young stars in the league, and will be a 40 goal scorer year in an year out. He is the first line center and on the second power-play unit, so he will see plenty of ice time. He has two goals and three assists through the first three games, and has hat-trick upside literally every night. This game has a goal total set at six, so Matthews is great in a stack, since it projects to have plenty of scoring. Do no pass the chance to roster him when he is at home with this total.
Jakub Vrana - W, WAS vs PIT (DK - $4,600, FD - $4,300)
Vrana might not be a household name to most, but he has the chance to become one. He is a 21 year old forward who is playing on the same line as Alex Ovechkin, so the potential for points is huge simply for being on the ice at the same time. For this reason, he makes a great DFS play, because he is cheap, and gets you exposure to the powerful Capitals offense. Most times in hockey, goals are scored with either one or two assists, and being able to stack lines is huge. He plays on the first forward line, and the second power-play unit, so again, plenty of ice time with the potential for points.
David Krejci - C, BOS @ COL (DK - $6,300, FD - $5,100)
The Bruins lost the other day to the Avalanche, and now get a chance to get some revenge. Simply put, Colorado was one of the worst teams last season, and are projected to be much of the same this year. The Bruins are expected to be in the mix come playoff time, so good teams don't lose to bad teams multiple times. The Bruins are -130 road favorites, so that should tell you enough about the Avalanche. With two games that have a six goal total, this game may go overlooked, which is a perfect spot to get some players at low ownership, who should be able to put up some goals. Krejci is the second line center and plays on the first power-play unit. See where I'm going with this? I like players who see a lot of ice time, this will be a theme all season long.
DFS Defenders to Consider
Cam Fowler - D, ANH vs NYI (DK - $5,600, FD - $4,900)
Fowler is another player who, you guessed it, sees plenty of ice time. He on the first defensive pairing and the top power-play unit, and oh boy does he have a big shot from the blue line. He has six shots in the first three games, along with one goal. Is on the ice for at least 25 minutes a game, and while the multi goal upside isn't there, he moves the puck well, and can put his teammates in a spot to score, especially on the power-play.
Kris Letang - D, PIT @ WAS (DK - $6,400, FD -$6,700)
Letang is a very strong offensive defensemen, as his shown by his 12 shots on goal in only three games. The Penguins may be off to a bit of a slow start, but when their offense gets going, Letang usually has a part in it. Plays on the top defensive pairing and the the top power-play unit, which features Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin. So anytime those two names are mentioned in relation to another player, you generally want some shares of him in DFS.
DFS Goalies to Consider
Jonathan Quick - LA vs CGY (DK - $8,200, FD - $9,000)
Goalies in the NHL are similar to pitchers in MLB. You want to target ones who are at home, and the favorite according to Vegas. This ins't the only thing to look at, but its a solid place to start. It's the beginning of the season, so we don't have a ton of stats to work with, but we will get much more into those as the season goes on. Quick has allowed only one goal on the 60 shots he has faced this season. Very strong start from him, and its important to note that a goalie who sees a lot of shots is good, because it gives him a chance to rack up plenty of points, and if he does let in one goal, he can make up for the lost points. Quick is a -135 favorite at home, which is second biggest on the night, so he is in a good spot to pick up the win.
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