Thursday features a 13-game NHL slate, which begins at 7 p.m. ET on DraftKings. In this article, you will find DFS advice for DraftKings lineups, plus some DraftKings Sportsbook bets to target.
Set your DraftKings fantasy hockey lineups here: NHL $60K Kick Save [$20K to 1st]
DraftKings Sportsbook
Arizona Coyotes over 2.5 goals +155
This is the same bet we made two days ago in this column but at better odds. The Coyotes hit the over 2.5 goals in the first period of their last game and have scored 17 goals over their last two games alone. The odds are stacked against them today as they remain +310 underdogs on the Money Line against Toronto. The Leafs have been winning games, but they’ve also now allowed four or more goals against in five of their last six games. The Coyotes are very live dogs today, but likely make for better over targets than outright ones given how good the Leafs offense has been.
Blue Jackets at Islanders over 5.5 goals -115
Another team that has been involved in constant shootouts of late is the Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus has allowed an average of 4.25 goals per game over their last four starts, and going back even further, nine of their last eleven starts have featured final scores where seven or more goals have been scored. The Isles’ offense has been showing better of late, and six of their last eight games have featured seven or more goals. The 5.5 total looks well worth taking the over on, even if we have to pay a little extra juice to do it.
Place your NHL bets at DraftKings Sportsbook or by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
Top Stack
Vegas Golden Knights at Buffalo Sabres
Jack Eichel ($6,700) - Max Pacioretty ($6,600) - Nicolas Roy ($2,900)
The Golden Knights have been up and down of late to say the least, but there should be some optimism around their top line for fantasy purposes. Jack Eichel has adjusted quickly and is playing big minutes already as the Knights’ top-line center. Eichel’s exceeded 20 minutes in three of his last four games and averaged 5.5 shots on net over those four games as well. That kind of volume can only lead to good things for our daily fantasy hockey lineups, and Eichel has gone over the 20.0 DKFP mark in two of his last four games.
While the Knights are still missing Mark Stone, they do have Max Pacioretty back, and he’s looked healthy (finally) in his last two starts. The winger has been one of the heaviest shooting forwards in the league since joining the Knights and has now landed 12 shots in his last two games. The Sabres are a great matchup for these two high-volume shooters given that Buffalo has allowed over 34.0 shots on net per game this year, and also feature the eighth-worst penalty kill in the league.
With such a good matchup, targeting both Eichel and Pacioretty gives us access to loads of upside at quality prices, and we can even target some extreme value by going with Nicolas Roy. Roy was bumped up to the top line a few games ago and has skated over 16 minutes in three of his last four games. Any kind of dominant game by Eichel and Pacioretty could easily bring him into fantasy relevance, and his sub-3k salary means that a simple assist will be enough to pay off his near min-price salary.
Superstar to Target
Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils vs. Winnipeg Jets ($6,500)
There’s plenty to choose from today in terms of big names, but I like looking more to the value side of things when choosing a superstar to build around in the Devils’ Jack Hughes. Hughes has really come into his own in the second half of the season, and rolls into this game with 18 points in his last 10 outings. The former first-overall pick has been a great spark for a Devils team who has now scored five or more goals in four of their last seven starts.
Despite the great play of late and increased upside, Hughes’ price remains reasonable and he’s not someone you necessarily have to stack around for daily fantasy purposes either. The Devils’ top-line wingers don’t play much on special teams, but Hughes himself has averaged well over 20 minutes of ice time in the short-term. The Jets are coming off an emotional win over Tampa, but have allowed three or more goals against in 11 straight games. Targeting Hughes and this Devils offense as a whole today makes a ton of sense in lineups.
Value on Offense
Andreas Athanasiou, Los Angeles Kings vs. San Jose Sharks ($3,200)
The Kings offense has been playing well of late, and they’ve gotten good production from secondary sources like Andreas Athanasiou. The former Red Wing and Oiler has been playing in a bottom-six role for much of the year in L.A., but some injuries of late have allowed him to sneak into a second-line role, where he’s excelled. Athanasiou has now scored three goals in his last five games and, more importantly, has gained more ice time as a result of his improved play, playing over 18 minutes in his last outing—which was the second-most of any Kings forward. He’s a great roster as a one-off punt play at just above 3k in salary.
Anthony Beauvillier, New York Islanders ($3,800)
The Islanders’ top-line forwards remain uber cheap as daily fantasy hockey targets on DraftKings with several of their top-line wingers coming in under 4k in salary. Anthony Beauvillier remains an integral part of the Islanders PP1 and has averaged 3.0 shots on net over his last 10 games. He and the Isles’ other top forwards have a great matchup today against the Blue Jackets, who sit dead last in terms of shots allowed per game and scoring chances allowed. Beauvillier rates out as a great value with plenty of one-off upside in this plus matchup with Columbus.
Goalie
Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators vs. Anaheim Ducks ($8,400)
The slate today is huge, and we have a wide spectrum of goalie salaries to choose from. The Predators sit as one of the larger favorites on the slate at -200 on the DraftKings Sportsbook, and they take on a Ducks team who is just 2-4 over their last six games. The Predators’ Juuse Saros has rebounded nicely after a mini slump and heads into today on a two-game win streak and having stopped 42 of the last 43 shots he’s faced.
A lot of the other top goalies on this slate are priced well above $8,500, and Saros has also been a better back in daily fantasy at home, where he’s averaged 16.8 DKFP this year. Saros is a great way to maintain some salary flexibility while getting some solid upside in net today.
Value on Defense
Damon Severson, New Jersey Devils vs. Winnipeg Jets ($4,600)
As mentioned above, the Devils’ offense seems to be in a great spot today against a Jets team who have issues limiting their opponents on the scoresheet. Even though Dougie Hamilton ($6,500) has returned from injury, it has still been Damon Severson who has been manning the point on the Devils’ top-unit power play. Severson has been successful in the role too, as he’s now found two power-play goals in his last 10 games.
The Jets’ penalty kill remains a below-average unit. Severson looks underpriced today given the matchup and the recent surge in production by the Devils’ offense. He’s a good target on his own at these levels, especially if you want to pay down at this position. He’s also a great way to stack alongside Jack Hughes, who plays big PP1 minutes for New Jersey.
Power Play Defensemen
Jakob Chychrun, Arizona Coyotes at Toronto Maple Leafs ($5,300)
The Coyotes’ offense is on a tear at the moment. Arizona has scored 17 goals in their last two games and head into a matchup with the Leafs, who have been one of the worst defensive teams in hockey of late. Toronto has now allowed just under 5.0 goals per game over their last six starts making the Coyotes’ players worth targeting again today in daily fantasy.
Jakob Chychrun has seemingly found his stride of late in the Coyotes’ upsurge as the offensive defenseman. He was one of the most reliable daily fantasy hockey defensemen in the league last year and has now scored six points in his last four games and landed a monster 40.0 DKFP game his last time out. Chychrun doesn’t see huge power-play time but that exposure could go up today given his recent form. He’s a great back, regardless, given the matchup—and the fact he’s starting to show the same kind of offensive flash he was displaying on a nightly basis last season.
Set your DraftKings fantasy hockey lineups here: NHL $60K Kick Save [$20K to 1st]
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