Fantasy Hockey Cheat Sheet: Top DFS DraftKings NHL Picks, Values, Lineup Strategy for Jan. 20
Thursday includes a nine-game NHL slate, which begins at 7 p.m. ET on DraftKings. In this article you will find DFS tips for DraftKings queues, plus a few DraftKings Sportsbook bets to target.
Define your DraftKings fantasy hockey rosters here: Save $65,000 in the NHL [$20K to 1st]
Columbus Blues over 2.5 goals (-125)
If you head to the team props page on the DraftKings Sportsbook, you can find alternate team totals for every team in action today. The Blue Jackets face the Flyers, who have allowed the most shots on net per game this year and the fourth most scoring chances. They have now allowed 3.0 or more goals in nine straight games and face the Blue Jackets, who have actually topped the goals-per-game average at 3.1. Columbus is coming off an embarrassing 9-2 loss, but had six goals the game before that. Their offense has an excellent chance of maintaining that terrible streak for the Flyers.
Los Angeles Kings +165 Money Line
It’s not often we should go out of our way to bet against the Colorado Avalanche, but they arrive in Los Angeles having played four games in six days and are also at the end of a straight game. The Kings have been a solid home team. They played hard at Tampa Bay in their last game and rank in the top 10 5-on-5 in expected goal ratio (xGF%). The Kings can go further here against a tired division rival and claim victory.
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Top stack
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Ottawa Senators
Sidney Crosby ($7,500) – Jake Guentzel ($7,400) – Bryan Rust ($6,000)
The Penguins are in a great position today as the Senators come to town. Ottawa ranks 13th on the worst disadvantages and has allowed four or more goals in three of its last four games. Ottawa has also allowed 3.6 goals in 16 road games this year and is only 6-9-1 in those games, so visiting elite teams like Pittsburgh really hasn’t been a good place for them.
Pittsburgh’s front line hasn’t been healthy for much of the season, but when they have been, they’ve scored in bunches. This trio has five goals between them in their last five games, and it feels like they’re just getting started, now that all three of them are seeing time together at even strength and on the power play.
Both Crosby and Guentzel are underrated at this spot, but especially Guentzel who has averaged 17.4 DKFP over his last 10 games but is continually rated by other elite wingers. The Penguins front line is over $4,000 cheaper than the Avs’ first line and has a better game. Stacking these three is a good way to create those high capped lineups for GPPs today.
Superstar to target
Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers vs. Florida Panthers ($7,800)
Times are tough in Edmonton right now. The Oilers are going through an embarrassing phase that includes having their top stars get called names by the local media. Maybe the Oilers aren’t changing things fast enough to salvage their season, but there’s still a lot of fantasy left on this team and their two star prices are ridiculously low today. Leon Draisaitl being under $8,000 is something we haven’t seen in a long time, and he comes into this game with the best long-term goal rate of 0.65 per game in his position.
It’s the classic low point buy for Draisaitl, but it’s also a pretty decent game as the Panthers only have an average penalty and have taken the 10th most penalties against this year. Against a well-skating Edmonton team, the power play should be on track and give Drasaitl a big night. It’s a great building block at this price.
Attack Value
Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings at Colorado Avalanche ($4,800)
The Kings face a team from Colorado who may be a bit disappointed after playing last night. Colorado has now played four games in six days and faces a Kings team that has averaged 3.5 goals per game in its last six starts. Kopitar is expected to be deployed for big minutes here and continues to see over 20 minutes in many games for the Kings. He’s averaged 3.3 blocked shots + shots on goal over his last 10 games and faces the Avalanche’s penalty kill that’s sixth-worst in the league. Kopitar’s recent rise is not recognized here at all, and it’s way too cheap at under $5,000, making it one of the top value targets on this list.
Alex Tuch, Buffalo Sabers vs. Dallas Stars ($4,900)
A more upsetting move today might be to look at the Sabers’ first line who recently added Alex Tuch to the mix. The former Golden Knight has integrated well into Buffalo’s top unit. He landed a multi-point game in his last outing. Tuch has always been good at creating his own shot and has consistently averaged over 3.0 shots per game with Vegas in a more supporting role. In his increased role with Buffalo, taking pictures with him under $5,000 seems well justified. He’s facing a stoned Stars team that’s had a terrible goaltender lately. Tuch is a good expansion or slowdown target for large fields.
Goalkeepers
James Reimer/Adin Hill, San Jose Sharks at Seattle Kraken ($7,600)
The Sharks travel to Seattle today for a short road trip against the Kraken. Seattle is just 1-8-1 in its last 10 games and its skaters remain one of the worst groups to convert scoring chances in the league. The silver line has San Jose at -105 on the DraftKings Sportsbook, but that seems a bit high for San Jose, which has won four of its last six. San Jose also has James Reimer back in the fold, who stopped 39 of 41 shots in his last game, and is coming off a spirited six-goal effort in his last game against a division opponent.
Reimer would be the preferred starter here for DFS purposes as he’s been the Sharks’ best goalie all year, but it seems worth fielding either of the Sharks goalies against this weaker Kraken offense . This is a great payment point that has the potential to boost your GPP queues with additional savings.
Value on Defense
Matt Grzelcyk, Boston Bruins vs. Washington Capitals ($3,600)
The Bruins are coming off a terrible loss to the Hurricanes (on a historic night for their franchise) and should be in a scoring mood. Washington allowed the Bruins seven goals the last time they met and has struggled with consistency lately on both sides.
Matt Grzelcyk has been playing a bigger role on Boston’s special teams on the power play lately and it’s paid off with some monster games for him, including a five-pointer against Washington when they last met. We obviously shouldn’t expect the same here, but Grzelcyk is talented and when his price is this low, he makes a great GPP lens. With an extra game and rest day under his belt after a period of COVID, don’t be shocked if he bounces back with another great game against a regressing Capitals team.
Power play defenders
Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights vs. Montreal Canadiens ($5,900)
The Golden Knights have the highest implied team total on the board today at 4.1 goals and face a Montreal team that has trailed in the bottom five of the disadvantaged standings all season. Shea Theodore has played well since returning to the lineup and enters this game with a very solid average of 4.6 blocked shots + shots on goal in his last 10 starts. Additionally, he’s had four or more shots on net in each of his last five games.
Theodore actually led the Vegas defensemen on the power play in their last game, and there’s reason to believe Vegas won’t skate Alex Pietrangelo against such a weak opponent. The sub-6,000 salary on Theodore looks like great value considering his recent rise and the opponent.
Define your DraftKings fantasy hockey rosters here: Save $65,000 in the NHL [$20K to 1st]
I’m a promoter at DraftKings and I’m also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may occasionally play on my personal account in the games I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal views on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the views of DraftKings and are not a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment to create queues. I can also deploy different players and strategies than those I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
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