Hockey is back and with it come our NHL projections which help inform these picks every night. When you purchase a DFSR NHL subscription to our base hockey projections you also get access to our brand new NFL DFS suite of tools including full projections, optimal NFL lineups and our Player Lab, which includes filters to help you create NFL lineups for FanDuel and DraftKings for any format. It’s a set of tools well beyond anything we’ve ever had, and something we feel will help our users *ahem* tackle the NFL season.
If you want to see the numbers behind our projections, create lineups with a single click, or research as deeply as your heart desires, click the button below to test out yourself.
Opponent - VAN
Proj Pts FD - 13.9 DK - 3.48
How good did the Oilers look in game one? To me, they looked like a team that will not be satisfied with just making it o the playoffs this season and it starts between the pipes. He somehow finished 4th in the Vezina voting last year but, in my opinion, should have been higher after posting 42 wins, a 2.39 GAA, and .919 Save %. It's tough when competing against the likes of Price, Bobrovsky, and Holtby but he is an elite goalie and even comes at a discount on FanDuel. He stopped all 27 shots on opening night and now gets another tasty division matchup vs. the Canucks who ranked second last in offense last season and will be playing their first game of the season tonight. I normally try and target a goalie playing at home for cash games but will make an exception tonight.
Opponent - NAS
Proj Pts FD - 18.87 DK - 4.72
It's been a rough start to the season for Murray and the Stanley Cup Champion Penguins but I think this gives us an opportunity to get him at a lower ownership making him a top GPP play tonight. He is the top projected goalie in the system and was an instrumental piece in the Penguins success last year. With Marc-Andre Fleury out of the picture, he will be relied upon even more this year and the coach is showing him the trust by getting him back in the fire tonight. I don't think you need to play him in cash games but like I said, if he is going to be lower owned, he is a top GPP play.
Also consider Antti Raanta(ARI) and Jimmy Howard(DET) for low-end values
Opponent - NAS
Proj Pts FD - 17.94 DK - 5.15
Opponent - VAN
Proj Pts FD - 19.94 DK - 5.66
I list both players together tonight as I want to make clear for those maybe new to DFS NHL or hockey in general, that they are the two best players in the league by far. Building a lineup around one of these two is essential and it really just comes down to you preference as both are pretty much matchup proof. They were two of just seven players in the league to average over a point per game last season and the only two to average over 1.1 points per game. On top of that, they both started the season red-hot as McDavid dominated the Flames scoring the only three goals in a 3-0 shutout the other night. Crosby has played two games thus far picking up three points and recording six shots and tonight will get a rematch of the Stanley Cup Finals vs. the Nashville Predators. The Penguins ended up taking all three games in that series on home ice with Crosby tallying five points in those games. I look for much of the same tonight. As for McDavid, he goes on the road to Vancouver to face a Canucks team that ranked near the bottom of the league last year and will be playing their first game of the season. I don't see anyone matching his speed on the Canucks roster and I would not be surprised to see another multi-point game. After all, the GOAT Jaromir Jagr said in a recent interview that McDavid could easily score 100 goals this season. That is some high praise. The point of this write up is again the fact that you should be considering one of these two in your lineups and for me, I will be creating multiple lineups and splitting them in cash games.
Opponent - PHI
Proj Pts FD - 14.23 DK - 4.06
It is likely that the Ducks top center, Ryan Getzlaf, will miss another game with a lower-body injury and that would elevate Rakell to the top line again giving him elite value in the mid tier. He showed what he can do in the Ducks first game as he tallied a goal and two assists in a win over the Coyotes on opening night. Like I mentioned the other day, he has improved his game and point total in each of the last three years and is already off to great start to set career highs once again. He gets a matchup vs. a Philly team that got the short end of the straw to start the season as they had to travel cross country to California and might be starting to get tired as evidence of the second half of their game vs. teh Kings. Take advantage and roll Rakell out in all formats.
Stack with: Andrew Cogliano, Corey Perry
Also Consider: Jack Eichel(BUF), Brayden Point(TB)
Opponent - DAL
Proj Pts FD - 15.79 DK - 4.57
With a big slate comes a ton of options tonight and it really comes down to your lineup construction on who you can fit. Alex Ovechkin and Patrick Kane top the salary ranks on both sites and if you can afford them get them in your lineup. For cash games, I will be taking the discount and rolling with Tarasenko who has been a consistent performer over the past three years recording at least 70 points in each. He got off to a nice start to open the 2017/18 campaign recording an assist in a 5-4 win over the defending champion Penguins. Tonight he faces a Stars team that ranked second to last in defense last year and is playing on back to back nights after losing to the expansion Vegas team last night. He has a high floor with shot volume and multi-point upside for tournament formats and if you are stacking, he has some value linemates.
Stack with: Vladimir Sobotka, Paul Stastny
Opponent - CGY
Proj Pts FD - 14.04 DK - 4.12
This matchup gives us a battle of two teams that got handled in their first games and looked terrible defensively. Something has to give here and I think this could be one of the highest scoring games of the night. I lean the Jets who, in my opinion, have the most talent and it starts on their top line with Wheeler. He provides us with a high floor as he has averaged around three shots a game for the past four seasons and has recorded just under a point per game in each of the last two. With a sub $7K price tag on both sites, he is playable in all formats.
Stack with: Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers
Opponent - ANA
Proj Pts FD - 11.01 DK - 3.06
When looking for value in the bottom tier, you are going to be hearing a lot about Jordan Weal this season, especially if his salary stays in the sub $4K range. The Flyers gave him a regular lineup spot in the show last year and he didn't disappoint posting 12 points in 23 games and are expecting more growth in 2017/18. He is a bit undersized from NHL standards but does not play like it and has shown elite speed and playmaking. He is playing on the second line with Wayne Simmonds and rookie Nolan Patrick and is also getting time on the powerplay which makes him an elite value and helps you afford Crosby, McDavid, or any other superstar player in a large slate.
Stack with: Nolan Patrick, Wayne Simmonds
DEFENSEMEN
Opponent - CGY
Proj Pts FD - 12.56 DK - 3.76
Byfuglien is a D man I will turn to in all formats on almost any night but tonight stands out as he comes at a nice discount from the top guys. What I like most is that he has played forward in the past and not only can he contributes offensively with points but also provides us with a very high floor as he takes a ton of shots and is also not afraid to get dirty and block shots. He recorded an assist with five shots and a block in game one and gets an elite matchup tonight vs. the Flames.
Opponent - ANA
Proj Pts FD - 9.38 DK - 2.76
I am a sucker for Provorov and if you have read my NHL articles before, you already know this. I am a die-hard Flyers fan but try very hard not to let my bias get in the way for daily fantasy and although Provorov has yet to record a point playing as the Flyers top D man, he has provided us with a stable floor blocking nine shots through his first two games. The points will definitely come as he is getting top minutes at even strength and on the powerplay. He is the Flyers future and that future is now! As long as his price stays in the mid $4K range, he will be a top cash game play night in and night out.
Opponent - CHI
Proj Pts FD - 9.1 DK - 2.66
Dipping even lower down the D ranks on both sites we find a tremendous value in David Savard. He won't give us the upside that others priced ahead of him will but he is an excellent salary relief option with a high floor. He skates on the Blue Jackets second pairing and also gets time on the second powerplay unit. He failed to record a point last night but did provide us with three shots and five blocks in 20 minutes of ice-time and that is more than enough value at a sub $4K price tag.
Hockey is back and with it comes our NHL projections which help inform these picks every night. When you purchase a DFSR NHL subscription to our base hockey projections you also get access to our brand new NFL DFS suite of tools including full projections, optimal NFL lineups and our Player Lab, which includes filters to help you create NFL lineups for FanDuel and DraftKings for any format. It’s a set of tools well beyond anything we’ve ever had, and something we feel will help our users *ahem* tackle the NFL season.
If you want to see the numbers behind our projections, create linueps with a single click, or research as deeply as your heart desires, click the button below to test out yourself.
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