NHL DraftKings and FanDuel DFS Primer: Tuesday (1/17)

We’ve got eight NHL games on Tuesday’s slate, creating ample opportunity to construct numerous different types of DFS lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel. A lot of teams will be playing their second in a back-to-back on Tuesday after a busy slate on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which includes Philadelphia, Florida, Anaheim, Washington, and Detroit. It’s important to track how much rest teams have been given leading up to a regular season game, as frequent travel and consecutive matchups can leave even the most talented teams vulnerable to a loss against an inferior opponent.

Friday’s recommended picks were scorching hot on a lighter, three-game slate. Leading the way with multi-point outings was Leon Draisaitl (C – Oilers) and Jack Hughes (C – Devils), which shouldn’t come as a big surprise considering how talented each center is for their respective team. Jesper Bratt (LW – Devils) netted two goals in a 6-2 rout of Anaheim, which also led to Vitek Vanecek (G – Devils) recording 31 saves and an easy win to return huge value against one of the worst teams in the league. Alexander Barabanov (RW – Sharks) and Josh Morrissey (D – Jets) were the only players held without a point, as Tyson Barrie (D – Oilers) managed an assist for Edmonton in a 7-1 win over San Jose. Jack Campbell (G – Oilers) stopped 25 of 26 shots from the Sharks to make it a successful night on the ice.

Bigger slates means there’s a lot more variance in outcomes, however, there are also three times the number of players possessing value in terms of their salary and usage as it correlates to production. Let’s transfer the momentum from Friday night into Tuesday and keep cashing contests on a competitive eight-game slate!

Check out today’s One-Timer contest from FanDuel

Recommended Plays: DraftKings

DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000

Tage Thompson (C – Sabres): $9,100
Buffalo will travel to Chicago to face the struggling Blackhawks on Tuesday night. The Sabres have been on a bit of a losing slump in their last five games, going 1-4 SU, including an ugly 4-1 loss at home to the Florida Panthers on Monday. If any player can turn the team’s momentum around, it’s Tage Thompson. The 6-7 center has shown his skill and emerged as a young rising star in the league for Buffalo this season, racking up 31 goals and 58 points halfway through the 2023 season. Chicago is a great opponent to get a bounce-back win against, as the Blackhawks have allowed 13 goals across their last three games played. Thompson is due for a big night and provides a solid floor, attempting three to seven shots on goal and managing a couple of assists during the Sabres’ losing slump. He’s expensive but worth the investment in a plus-matchup.

Mitch Marner (RW – Maple Leafs): $6,800
Another team that is riding a current losing slump is Toronto. Two days of rest will get their players ready for a good matchup at home hosting the weary Florida Panthers, who won 4-1 over Buffalo on Monday. Florida is expected to deploy Alex Lyon (G – Panthers) for his first start of the year in the crease, creating a great opportunity for blue-chip players like Mitch Marner to produce a point or two. Marner has scored at least one point in four of his previous five games, including three multi-point outings during this stretch, so at $6,800 on DraftKings, Marner is a huge discounted asset in DFS lineups on Tuesday’s slate.

Moritz Seider (D – Red Wings): $5,200
Detroit is 2-2 SU in its last four games played, getting help from second-year defenseman Moritz Seider. The 21-year-old has a goal and five assists in his past four games played, attempting two to three shots on goal and a couple of blocked shots to create a decent floor in DFS lineups. Detroit will have to travel to Arizona after losing 6-3 to Colorado on Monday, so the team will be tired, relying on younger players like Seider to step up and chip in on scoring possessions. The Coyotes are on a nine-game losing skid and surrendering anywhere from two to six goals. Defensemen are tough to predict in terms of DFS production, but Seider is in a plus-matchup at a discounted salary, so fire him up on Tuesday’s slate.

Connor Hellebuyck (G – Jets): $8,400
Winnipeg is among the hottest teams in the NHL right now, rattling off three straight wins and going 8-2 in their last ten games played. The Jets can thank netminder Connor Hellebuyck for his play in the net, as he’s allowed two or fewer goals in six of his previous seven starts. Only Detroit poured in six goals in Hellebuyck’s only loss since January began. Montreal is +180 on the moneyline, meaning oddsmakers like the Jets to win outright without much difficulty, which is backed up by their puck line odds sitting at +120, meaning they could easily win by two or more goals. Don’t mess around with goaltenders in DFS, as one loss could ruin a lineup and prevent you from cashing. Hellebuyck is the solution for staying in the green.

Recommended Plays: FanDuel

FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000

Matty Beniers (C – Kraken): $6,500
Seattle has been much improved in the first half of the 2023 NHL season, including second-year center Matty Beniers. He has 17 goals and 36 points in 43 games for the Kraken this season. Beniers has been hot lately, producing three multi-point games in his last five matchups. All three included a goal and Beniers also isn’t afraid to take shots on goal, bouncing between two to five shots per night. At $6,500 on FanDuel, this is a high-value addition into DFS lineups ahead of a road matchup against the Edmonton Oilers, which oddsmakers expect to be a high-scoring affair at over 6.5 goals with -120 odds. Plug Beniers into lineups as a high-floor value winger with an obtainable ceiling on Tuesday night.

Kirill Kaprizov (LW – Wild): $9,800
I’m going back to the chalk for Kirill Kaprizov’s matchup on the road against the Washington Capitals. The 25-year-old winger is a scoring machine, leading the Wild with 52 points and 25 goals this season. Kaprizov is priced accordingly based on his production, scoring two goals and two assists in his previous three games played. Minnesota is a slight favorite on the road against the Capitals, who expect to start Charlie Lindgren (G – Capitals) in the net, who hasn’t started in four straight games and previously allowed three goals on 21 shots in a 3-2 loss to Nashville. Kaprizov is an elite talent, so pay up to land his upside on FanDuel.

Seth Jones (D – Blackhawks): $6,200
Chicago is quietly 3-1 SU in their last four games, slowly reversing its losing momentum throughout the early half of the season. Seth Jones has scored at least one point in four of his past five games played, which includes five assists and three assists against Seattle in his most recent outing on Saturday. Rest will aid Jones and the Blackhawks as they prepare to face the Buffalo Sabres, who will deploy 41-year-old netminder Craig Anderson (G – Sabres), who last allowed four goals in a start back on January 9th in a 4-0 shutout loss to Philadelphia. This bodes well for Jones’ upside and since he has momentum from three assists against the Kraken in his last game played, I like paying up a bit to acquire Jones in FanDuel DFS lineups on Tuesday night.

Matt Murray (G – Maple Leafs): $8,400
Toronto is well-rested and expected to deploy Matt Murray in the crease against an unrested Florida Panthers team on Tuesday night. Murray is 2-1 as a starter in his previous three games, allowing four goals to Boston on Saturday, while still managing to stop 30 of 34 shots against arguably the best team in the league. Florida is beginning to score more goals in recent games, but these came in plus-matchups against Vancouver and Buffalo. Toronto is on a two-game losing skid but they are off of two days rest at home against a weary Panthers offense, plus Murray recorded over 30 saves in his two wins prior to losing to the Bruins over the weekend. Pay up to land one of the better goaltenders on Tuesday’s slate.