Welcome back to another Friday edition of the NHL DFS Primer! Three games form a lighter slate than Tuesday’s article, but there is still enough talent and value to pursue when constructing DFS lineups. Ottawa versus the New York Rangers and Nashville on the road against the New York Islanders should both be close games based on the tight moneyline odds, while Columbus is a +200 road underdog at the Winnipeg Jets.
Tuesday’s recommended picks were largely successful from a production standpoint. Let’s touch on the dud performances first, which primarily consisted of goaltending on losing teams. That’s right, Ilya Sorokin (G – Islanders) and Tristan Jarry (G – Penguins) each surrendered three goals in losses, tanking their value and production in DFS lineups on Tuesday night. Trevor Zegras (C – Ducks) and Brent Burns (D – Hurricanes) were the only skaters held in check without a point, with Burns generating a higher floor due to shot volume and blocked shot opportunities. Pivoting to the successful players, we have to start with Alex Ovechkin (LW – Capitals), who netted two goals in a 5-1 rout of Vancouver. Roman Josi (D – Predators) scored a goal for the Preds in a 2-1 win over the Ducks, while Logan Couture (C – Sharks) produced a two-point outing that included a goal in a 4-0 shutout over Montreal. Kyle Connor (LW – Jets) also managed an assist during Blake Wheeler’s (RW – Jets) hat-trick performance in a surprising 5-0 blowout over the Colorado Avalanche.
Welcome back to another Friday edition of the NHL DFS Primer! Three games form a lighter slate than Tuesday’s article, but there is still enough talent and value to pursue when constructing DFS lineups. Ottawa versus the New York Rangers and Nashville on the road against the New York Islanders should both be close games based on the tight moneyline odds, while Columbus is a +200 road underdog at the Winnipeg Jets.
Tuesday’s recommended picks were largely successful from a production standpoint. Let’s touch on the dud performances first, which primarily consisted of goaltending on losing teams. That’s right, Ilya Sorokin (G – Islanders) and Tristan Jarry (G – Penguins) each surrendered three goals in losses, tanking their value and production in DFS lineups on Tuesday night. Trevor Zegras (C – Ducks) and Brent Burns (D – Hurricanes) were the only skaters held in check without a point, with Burns generating a higher floor due to shot volume and blocked shot opportunities. Pivoting to the successful players, we have to start with Alex Ovechkin (LW – Capitals), who netted two goals in a 5-1 rout of Vancouver. Roman Josi (D – Predators) scored a goal for the Preds in a 2-1 win over the Ducks, while Logan Couture (C – Sharks) produced a two-point outing that included a goal in a 4-0 shutout over Montreal. Kyle Connor (LW – Jets) also managed an assist during Blake Wheeler’s (RW – Jets) hat-trick performance in a surprising 5-0 blowout over the Colorado Avalanche.
Lighter slates like the three-game schedule on Friday night make us dig a bit deeper into the depth chart for maximum production. I’ve found eight of my favorite players to target when constructing winning builds on DraftKings and FanDuel ahead of Friday’s puck drops. Let’s start the weekend off right by cashing out a few lineups!
Check out today’s One-Timer contest from FanDuel 
Recommended Plays: DraftKings
DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000
Pierre-Luc Dubois (C – Jets): $5,600
Pierre-Luc Dubois gets to face his former team at home on Friday night, so fire up the revenge game narrative. Dubois’ time in Columbus didn’t end with sparkles and rainbows, so it’ll be interesting to see how he performs for the Jets in a plus-matchup. The center has at least one point in four of his previous five games played, including two multi-point outings during this stretch, so insert Dubois into lineups with confidence at only $5,600 on DraftKings.
Blake Wheeler (RW – Jets): $4,900
Sticking with Winnipeg, veteran winger Blake Wheeler is coming off of a three-goal outing where he finished with four points in a 5-0 rout against Colorado. Wheeler has four multi-point games in four of his past five games, only being held without a point against Minnesota back on November 23rd. He earns over 18 minutes ATOI and also notches a couple of blocked shots and shots on goal per game, creating a high upside for his value in DraftKings lineups. At under $5,000 against a reeling Columbus squad, you’re getting a huge boost in lineups with Wheeler, so add him without hesitation.
Adam Fox (D – Rangers): $6,000
The New York Rangers will host the Ottawa Senators at MSG on Friday night. Rangers defenseman Adam Fox will be ready to contribute on both ends of the rink per usual, as he has finished with an assist in each of the previous two home games that he’s played in. Fox takes anywhere from two to five shots on goal per game while collecting a blocked shot or two as well, so he has a nice floor intact facing off against Ottawa, who have a 3-6-1 record on the road this season.
Igor Shesterkin (G – Rangers): $8,000
Last year’s Vezina Trophy winner, Igor Shesterkin, did not play against Ottawa during the Rangers’ last game on the road on Wednesday. The 26-year-old netminder is 10-4 as a starter for the Rangers this year, recording one shutout thus far, but is 0-2 in his last two starts. This will end during Friday’s home game against the Senators, who have only scored one goal in four of their past six games played. Get Shesterkin into lineups despite the high salary.
Recommended Plays: FanDuel
FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000
Brock Nelson (C – Islanders): $8,100
One of the New York Islanders’ primary contributors on offense is 31-year-old Brock Nelson. He has 11 goals and 12 assists in 24 games played for the Isles this year, scoring either a goal or an assist in his last three games played. Nelson is a low-volume shooter, so we’re relying on efficiency here, but he’ll draw a plus matchup against Nashville’s backup netminder Kevin Lankinen (G – Predators) on Friday night. Lankinen is 0-2 in his last two starts, surrendering seven goals during this slump. Pay up to land Nelson ahead of Friday’s home game, where the Isles are favored at -150 on the moneyline.
Brady Tkachuk (LW – Senators): $9,400
Despite the lack of talent throughout Ottawa’s roster, Brady Tkachuk can shoulder the burden of generating offense for the Senators in most games. The 23-year-old winger leads Ottawa in total points (25) with nine goals and 16 assists. Tkachuk was held without a point in his most recent outing against the Rangers but he has two goals and two assists in his previous four games played while providing a huge floor with his high-shot volume in the offensive zone. Tkachuk’s five to eight shots on the net are enough to be enticing, but I believe he’ll get back in the point column when the team travels to New York City in a rematch against the Rangers on Friday night.
Roman Josi (D – Predators): $8,200
Nashville is lucky to roster one of the most dynamic scorers on defense in the league. Roman Josi has a goal and an assist across his past two games entering Friday’s road matchup against the Islanders while attempting five to eight shots on goal most nights. Josi also collects blocked shots in the defensive zone, so between his usage on both ends of the ice, the 32-year-old defenseman should have enough opportunity to provide a floor, while also notching his 14th assist of the season.
Ilya Sorokin (G – Islanders): $8,100
The Islanders are a very balanced team playing great puck right now. A lot of it can be attributed to the lack of goals allowed, as they have only surrendered 62 goals, maintaining a +16 goal differential heading into Friday night’s matchup against Nashville. Ilya Sorokin couldn’t get the job done when I recommended him on Tuesday but I like his outlook against the Predators, who have only scored 59 goals this season. Sorokin already has two shutouts logged this season, and he has not allowed more than two goals in four consecutive starts. Pay up and build your lineup around the Islanders’ talented goaltender.
