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Welcome back to hockey season, RotoBallers! For those first-time readers, my name is Mark and while I write mostly Fantasy Baseball and Fantasy Football content on the site, I also play a lot of NHL DFS. NHL DFS is very similar to MLB DFS and it's a fun way to spend the fall and winter while we wait for baseball to come back!
Today I'll be bringing you my NHL lineup picks, analysis, and advice for NHL DFS contests on DraftKings and FanDuel for Thursday, October 21st, 2021 at 7:00 PM. Be sure to also check out our awesome NHL tools including our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, Projections, and DFS Cheat Sheets!
If you have any questions on today's slate, bankroll management, GPP strategy, Cash game strategy, or anything else don’t hesitate to message me on Twitter @Mark_Kieffer. Good luck, RotoBallers!
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NHL DFS Analysis and Picks for 10/21
Tonight we have a 10 game slate. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays will be days with larger slates. Generally, I love playing slate sizes that are seven to twelve games large. There is enough variety to have options on where to go, which keeps things interesting and fun!
Something that helps me prepare for DFS slates is to look at the sportsbooks and below are the odds for the day:
NHL DFS Goalies
Frederik Andersen- DK $7.8K || FD $7.5K
Opponent - Montreal Canadiens
Andersen is an easy play for me and he is likely going to be the ninth most expensive goalie on DraftKings and the 11th most expensive goalie on FanDuel when the starting goalies are confirmed. Montreal is struggling; they have scored three goals in four games and averaging 29 shots on goal per game. Andersen may not reach the 35 save bonus on DraftKings but he is likely to get a win and to allow a low number of goals. So far on the season, Andersen is 2-0, has a GAA of 2.5, and a save percentage of 92.6%.
Ilya Sorokin - DK $8.3K || FD $8.1K
Opponent - Columbus Blue Jackets
It's been an up and down start to the year for Sorokin. He is 1-2 with a 3.71 GAA and a save percentage of 89.9%. Last game he saved 39 of 40 shots, so he appears to be turning it around. It also likely helped to play against Chicago last game as opposed to Carolina and Florida the first two. Columbus isn't very good. While they are averaging 3.66 goals per game, eight of their eleven goals came in the first game of the season. Columbus has a low implied total on the slate, 2.6 goals, so this is a GPP type of recommendation here. Sorokin has struggled but is capable of having a good game against a below-average team.
Others To Consider (Cash/GPP): Hellebuyck(DK $8.5K || FD $8.4K), Koskinen(DK $8.4K || FD $8.5K), Markstrom(DK $8.1K || FD $7.8K),
NHL DFS Centers
Conner McDavid-DK $9.5K || FD $9.3K
Opponent - Arizona Coyotes
Connor McDavid is always going to be among the leaders in projected fantasy points and tonight is no different facing arguably the worst team in the NHL, the Arizona Coyotes. McDavid is more interesting to me as a GPP play than a cash-game play because of his price. If you play McDavid and a respectable goalie, it will require you to spend around $4600-$4700 per position. McDavid has 40 fantasy point upside and against an Arizona team allowing 5.66 goals per game.
Elias Pettersson- DK $6.7K || FD $7.2K
Opponent - Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago is allowing 4.25 goals per game. Pettersson is on the second line and the first power-play against a team that can't stop goals from scoring. Pettersson is averaging 3.75 shots on goal per game. While he has scored just one goal thus far, one has to believe more goals are coming and this very well could be the night he blows up.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP): MacKinnon(DK $8.7K || FD $8.6K), Barkov(DK $7.7K || FD $8.1K), Aho(DK $6.1K || FD $7.8K), Nugent-Hopkins(DK $4.2K || FD $6.2K), Jenner(DK $3.6K || FD $3.7K)
NHL DFS Wings
Alex Ovechkin- DK $8.2K || FD $8.9K
Opponent - New Jersey Devils
Alex Ovechkin has started the season on fire scoring four goals and logging two assists in the first three games of the year. Washinton's implied goals scored is 3.2, and I do not see them scoring three or more goals and not having an involved Ovechkin.
Mikko Rantanen - DK $7.6K || FD $8.2K
Opponent - Florida Panthers
Rantanen has three points in three games and is averaging 3.67 shots on goal per game. Colorado has the third-highest implied goal scored total on the slate, and we should see Rantanen firing shots at the net. Being on the first line and the first power play with MacKinnon is valuable.
Tanner Pearson- DK $3.4K || FD $3.9K
Opponent - Chicago Blackhawks
If you want exposure to Vancouver but do not want to pay up, Pearson is a great option to go. He is on the first line and the second power play. He has identical fantasy stats as Pettersson: two assists in four games and averaging 3.75 shots on goal.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP): Draisaitl(DK $ 8.8K || FD $9.0K), Kane (DK $7.4K || FD $7.8K), Connor (DK $ 6.5K || FD $7.3K), Huberdeau (DK $6K || FD $7.7K), Beauviller (DK $4.2K || FD $4.7K), Hoffman (DK $4.1K || FD $4.7K), Yamamoto(DK $2.5K || FD $3.5K)
NHL DFS Defensemen
John Carlson- DK $5.9K || FD $6.7K
Opponent - New Jersey Devils
Washington is implied for 3.2 goals, Carlson is on the power play, and he is discounted compared to other defensemen. He has two points in three games and is averaging one shot on goal per game. I really like him at his price tonight.
Tony DeAngelo- DK $4.5K || FD $4.9K
Opponent - Montreal Canadiens
DeAngelo is on the first power-play which is something I am always looking for with defensemen, especially the value plays. He is averaging one point per game and three shots on goal per game. A defender for sub-5k that is on a power play and shoots on the net? Sign me up.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP): Josi (DK $7.2K || FD $6.2K), Hamilton (DK $7.1K || FD $6.6K), Fox (DK $6.6K || FD $6.6K), Nurse (DK $6.1K || FD $5.8K), Pulock (DK $4.3K || $4.2K), Rathbone (DK $2.5K || $3.5K)
NHL DFS Top Power Plays and Stacks
- COL1
- FLA1, FLA2
- EDM PP
- WAS PP
- WPG2
- CHI PP
In tournaments, I try to stack up two teams per lineup. Whether it is a 4-2-1, or a 3-3-2, or something like that. Often you can pair a 2nd line with a 1st line. For some lineups, I am OK with pairing a third line, especially if some of the third-line players have power-play exposure. Usually, I reserve using a third line for smaller slates. On a 10 game slate, there are a lot of places to go and a lot of values without having to dig too deep. I also recommend in tournaments to play three to five lineups using six to ten different lines and three to five different goalies so you can give yourself plenty of outs in the evening. In cash games, I do not recommend full-line stacks. Stick with two forwards on the same line and try to keep all of your forwards in the first two lines with some power-play exposure.
NHL Player News and Updates
More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis
