NHL DraftKings and FanDuel DFS Primer: Tuesday (2/28)

We’re nearly into March, which means the 2023 NHL season is heating its playoff race. Right now, six teams are vying for the two Wild Card spots in the Eastern Conference, as the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins continue to grind out ways to win to maintain their current occupancy in the Wild Card race. In the Western Conference, Seattle and Winnipeg have a four-point cushion over Calgary, who has lost two games in a row and created a sizable gap between themselves and the Wild Card.

The trade deadline has been heating up as well, sending big-name players like Timo Meier (RW – Devils), Bo Horvat (C – Islanders), and potentially Patrick Kane (RW – Blackhawks) to highly competitive teams in the Eastern Conference. It’s a thrilling time to set NHL DFS lineups with all of these trade acquisitions. Factor in the pressure that continues to grow for teams during the final 20-plus games of the regular season and we’re due for massive production that will cash out quite a few DFS contests.

Tuesday’s slate offers up ten games for us to utilize. I’ve found eight of my favorite prospects and will explain why each one is worth investing in ahead of the puck drops later this evening. Without further ado, let’s jump into my recommended NHL DFS plays and cash some contests!

Check out today’s One-Timer contest from FanDuel

Recommended Plays: DraftKings

DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000

Brayden Point (C – Lightning): $7,100
We want players who have a noted skillset and usage in the offensive zone, so I’m gravitating toward Brayden Point. He’s riding a four-game goal streak and has also notched four multi-point outings during this recent streak, so Point is a massive value to acquire on DraftKings at just $7,100. Plus, Point lights the lamp more frequently at home, where the Lightning will host the Florida Panthers, who have been inconsistent as a team lately. Top goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (G – Panthers) is allowing three to four goals per night in the crease, so you should feel comfortable locking Point into lineups Tuesday night.

Brady Tkachuk (LW – Senators): $7,700
Don’t look now but the Ottawa Senators are on a roll. They are 3-2 SU in their last five games played and just dismantled a solid Detroit team on Monday night, with fifth-year winger Brady Tkachuk scoring his 25th goal of the season. Tkachuk is a high-volume shooter when he wants to be, ripping eight shots against the Red Wings, so expect more of the same on an offense that is quietly loaded with talent. You’re not overpaying for Tkachuk but he’s not as discounted as Point, so call it a wash and ride Tkachuk’s hot hand, which has two goals and three assists in his last five games.

Thomas Chabot (D – Senators): $6,200
I hyped up the Senators offense because I’m rolling with another player from their roster who typically skates on the back end of the ice. Thomas Chabot racks up blocked shots with ease as a defenseman, earning over 23 minutes ATOI, while collecting two to five blocked shots per game. He’s also providing the same volume with shots on goal, which is huge for his floor, and he connected it all against Detroit on Monday night, finishing the game with three points. Defenseman can be acquired for a cheaper salary but I like how Chabot and Ottawa are playing, especially staying at home for a back-to-back against the Red Wings on Tuesday night.

Pheonix Copley (G – Kings): $7,400
Los Angeles is one of the most under-discussed teams in the league and is firmly entrenched in a playoff seed right now. The Kings can thank netminder Pheonix Copley for a boost in the crease. The 31-year-old goaltender has only allowed more than two goals once in his previous six starts, bailing out the aging veteran Jonathan Quick (G – Kings), who is slowly losing his fastball. Copley is averaging 2.74 GAA and is 17-4-1 as a starter, so I feel confident investing in him against a Winnipeg team that is riding a three-game losing skid with a total of two goals scored during their slump. Consider Copley a massive value discount on Tuesday’s slate.

Recommended Plays: FanDuel

FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000

Dylan Larkin (C – Red Wings): $7,600
Dylan Larkin has been the top goal scorer and point leader for Detroit all season but he’s cooled off recently, getting blanked in back-to-back games against Tampa Bay and Ottawa. He’ll get another chance against the Senators on Tuesday night against the undefeated but raw Mads Sogaard (G – Senators), so expect a savvy veteran player like Larkin to regain his bounce and either light the lamp or dish a crisp pass to an open teammate for a goal. He has a high floor due to taking five to six shots on goal per night in most matchups, so if Larkin delivers a multi-point outing, you’re in a great position to cash FanDuel contests.

Kirill Kaprizov (LW – Wild): $8,900
Minnesota is largely a defensive-oriented team but 25-year-old Kirill Kaprizov is the blue-chip talent that keeps the Wild in the playoff race. Kaprizov just netted a hat trick against Columbus in his last game played and has scored six goals and an assist in his last five games while attempting anywhere from one to eight shots on goal. His game speaks for itself but the Wild will face the New York Islanders at home on Tuesday night, where they typically play their best brand of hockey. Pay up to land Kaprizov’s enormous ceiling.

Justin Faulk (D – Blues): $6,100
St. Louis has shipped off its big-name pieces like Vladimir Tarasenko (RW – Rangers) and Ryan O’Reilly (C – Maple Leafs), forcing other players to step up and perform in their vacant roles. 30-year-old defenseman Justin Faulk is one of these players for the Blues, scoring three points, including a goal, in his past three games played, while steadily pouring in two to four shots on goal. He’s not a ceiling player but the floor is safely intact, albeit at a decent salary for a defenseman, but the matchup against Martin Jones (G – Kraken) of the Seattle Kraken is juicy. Take a slight risk and be rewarded with Faulk’s usage in the Blues’ offensive zone against a porous goaltender.

Andrei Vasilevskiy (G – Lightning): $8,300
I was thinking about pivoting elsewhere but Andrei Vasilevskiy sticks out in all of the best ways. He’s proven to be one of the league’s top netminders for a few years now and while he may have an occasional dud outing in between the pipes, Vasilevskiy is still averaging 2.55 GAA with a .919 save percentage and has double the amount of wins (28) as losses (14) in regulation, so you should feel very comfortable rostering him against an inconsistent Florida offense that tends to sputter.