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]
Tyler Toffoli over 0.5 points
*See description below under value goals
Boston Bruins Moneyline -105
I wouldn’t be afraid to look back on the Bruins today as they wrap up their Western Conference road trip to Las Vegas. The Bruins lost a tight 4-3 game to Anaheim in their last outing, but they’ll likely bring Jeremy Swayman back in the pipes for this game. Swayman is coming off Rookie of the Month honors and has been excellent on the road this season with an 8-2-2 record and .950 save percentage in 13 road appearances. The Bruins as a team have also thrived on the road and are 14-6 in their last 20 road games. The Golden Knights have struggled to find a consistent offense lately and are still without two of their best wingers. The Bruins offense is one of the best units in the league since the return of Brad Marchand and we are almost getting the money needed to take Boston. The B’s Moneyline is a solid way to start betting cards today.
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Top stack
New York Islanders vs. Vancouver Canucks
Brock Nelson ($4,400) – Anthony Beauvillier ($3,000) – Anders Lee ($3,400)
There are plenty of big names and offenses to load onto this list, so if we’re looking for a full combo to stack today, going for some serious value will make building that much easier. The Islanders are in an interesting position as they return home after a long Western Conference road trip and face a Canucks team that has been in the East for the past week. Vancouver has been all over the map lately, picking up big wins over the Flames and Rangers but also giving up seven goals to Anaheim and New Jersey in humiliating losses.
The Canucks still retain the worst penalty kill in hockey, which makes this top three Islanders intriguing for fantasy purposes. Mathew Barzal is still day-to-day, and Brock Nelson would slot back in as a top center and handle primary power-play duties should Barzal sit down again. He has played over 18 minutes in three of his last four games and has also had four or more shots on net in four of his last eight starts. Teammate Anthony Beauvillier is still shooting well below his career mark of 12.1%, but has been more aggressive with his shooting lately, making 5+ shots in two of his last three games. Anders Lee also has an objective + bonus type advantage and barely comes in above the minimum price.
All three look good for a potential short-term positive regression in the shooting department and the Canucks’ erratic goaltending lately makes for an attractive game. The front row of islands is a good stack of value today and should allow you to target other elite duos up front to complete your lineups.
Superstar to target
Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers vs. Ottawa Senators ($8,900)
The Panthers have an implied team total today that’s pushing over 4.0 goals, making it an offense you’ll want to be exposed to for daily fantasy hockey rosters. Lately they have been worn by Aleksander Barkov, who has scored 0.62 goals per game this season and seven points in his last four games. Barkov and the entire Panthers offense were machines when they played in Florida, averaging 4.58 goals per game and over 39 shots on goal per game.
The Finnish center is coming off a 10-shot performance against Edmonton itself that saw him score two goals. He now gets an Ottawa Today team that has allowed 3.45 goals and over 33.5 shots per game on the road this season. Barkov is easy to overlook when we have McDavid and MacKinnon on the slate, but he’s been as efficient or better than his two peers lately and comes at a better price. Start your Florida stack with Barkov today.
Attack Value
Tyler Toffoli, Calgary Flames vs. Montreal Canadiens ($3,800)
I doubt there is much ill will between Toffoli and the Canadiens. After all, the team allowed him to leave, mid-season, and go to one of the best teams in hockey. Still, there’s no doubt that there’s an extra motivating factor at play against a team that just let you go just a month ago. Toffoli has integrated well with the Flames and recently had five points in a two-game series with the Wild. The Canadiens’ disparate goaltending combo showed some major cracks in their last outing and Calgary will likely help facilitate as many chances as possible for their new stud to appease his ego with a goal against his old team. Don’t overthink this one today.
Warren Foegele, Edmonton Oilers vs. Chicago Blackhawks ($2,700)
The Oilers forward squad is suffering right now with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins out for at least another week and Kailer Yamamoto also a playing time decision. That means Foegele has been cemented to Connor McDavid’s hip lately at equal strength. The promotion has seen the former Hurricane play over 16 minutes in the last two games and although he has yet to capitalize on the opportunity with a goal, he has landed several shots on net in consecutive starts. The Blackhawks are allowing more than 32 shots per game and aren’t a solid 5-on-5 team. Priced just over the minimum, Foegele is a great clearing option today.
Goalkeeper
Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins vs. Vegas Golden Knights ($7,500)
If we’re targeting the Bruins for a Moneyline play, then for fantasy purposes, we can certainly look to their goaltender today as well. I mentioned some of Swayman’s recent stats above, but he’s also been lit for fantasy purposes recently. Swayman has returned 19.0 DKFP or more in five of his last six games and looks undervalued again today. It will essentially be his lowest price of the season and the discount comes at a good time considering he hasn’t allowed more than two goals in his last six starts.
The Golden Knights have scored more than three goals just once in their last seven games and are fielding a patchwork of wingers with little scoring potential to make up for losses to Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone. It’s a good time to look back on the Bruins and Swayman today for fantasy and bets.
Value on defense
Shayne Gostisbehere, Arizona Coyotes vs. Colorado Avalanche ($4,200)
We certainly don’t need to go overboard with the Coyotes players on this list, but this award on Gostisbehere is well worth taking. The former Flyer has been a savior for the Coyotes defense in some ways given Jakob Chychrun’s ($5,000) offensive regression this season. Gostisbehere comes into this game with Colorado averaging 0.6 ppg and has posted strong home splits for fantasy ends, averaging 9.6 DKFP at home this season, compared to 7.8 on the road.
The Avalanche have also been a bit more accessible on the road, allowing over 3.1 goals per game, and they maintain a below-average penalty kill. Gostisbehere’s power play exposure and solid use make him a good target at this price, which happens to be his lowest priced all season.
Power play defenders
Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers vs. Ottawa Senators ($6,700)
Ekblad has been great in so many ways for the Panthers lately and could even find himself a Norris Trophy runner-up, where his DraftKings Sportsbook odds sit at +1800, putting him in fifth place in betting odds. The Panthers defenseman has averaged a point per game and 4.6 blocked shots + shots on goal over his last 10 games, and like most Panthers players, he has huge home splits that make him an excellent target today.
Ottawa hasn’t been as bad defensively this season as in previous seasons, but it ranks sixth in shorthanded percentage and fifth in shots against. You don’t mind paying for two of Florida’s stallions in such good locations and Ekblad is a good match for whatever Panthers PP1 forward you decide to pair him with today.
Define your DraftKings fantasy hockey rosters here: Save $65,000 in the NHL [$20K to 1st]
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