It’s a massive Saturday slate of sports, and the NHL is offering up an eight-game schedule. There’s no shortage of ways to get skin in the game, and that includes crafting a DFS lineup. Below I’ve listed the lineup that I’m playing in DraftKings’ Classic $50,000 Salary format. This roster includes players from the final six games (starting at 7:00 p.m. ET), and I’ve also listed each player’s price at FanDuel. Let’s dive into my roster and analysis!
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Today’s NHL DFS Picks & Analysis
Lineup below is based on DraftKings, but FanDuel prices are also listed.
C1: J.T. Miller ($7,300 DK, $9,500 FD)
The anchor of the roster tonight is J.T. Miller. Everyone wants to talk about the top center, Elias Pettersson (and deservingly so), but second-line center Miller has amassed more points than Pettersson. Miller enters this game with 30 points (13G, 17A), 13 (6G, 7A) of which have come on the power play. The Canucks are taking on the abysmal Sharks tonight in San Jose. They’re ranked dead last in expected goals against per 60 minutes (3.87) and they’re 29th on the penalty kill (73.24%).
C2: Casey Mittelstadt ($3,500 DK, $5,500 FD)
Another game where there should be no shortage of goals is the Sabres vs. Devils game. The oddsmakers set this total at 6.5 goals, and they’ve juiced the over heavily. I’ll take Buffalo’s top-producing forward, Casey Mittelstadt. The centerman is playing a bigger role now that Tage Thompson is sidelined with injury. He has picked up four assists in his last five games, bringing his point total to 16 on the year (3G, 13A). This is a good matchup for Buffalo’s offense as they take on a New Jersey side that’s 28th in goals against (3.33 GAA).
W1: Valeri Nichushkin ($6,100 DK, $7,000 FD)
My top winger tonight is the Avalanche’s winger, Valeri Nichushkin. Big Val’s putting together a fantastic season, and he’s really developing into a star first-liner. He has 18 points (9G, 9A) and five of his nine goals have come on the power play. Nichushkin is playing 19:23 per night and getting a ton of time alongside Nathan MacKinnon, so I’ll take him to get on the scoresheet tonight at home against Calgary.
W2: Jeff Skinner ($6,000 DK, $6,300 FD)
One of my higher-priced forwards tonight is Jeff Skinner. The winger leads the Sabres in goals this year with nine, bringing him to 16 points altogether (7A). He has notched three power-play goals and he’s the team’s leader in SOG (69) as well. This should be a high-flying game in Newark, and I expect Skinner to have his hand in a couple of goals.
W3: Erik Haula ($4,700 DK, $5,700 FD)
New Jersey has run into some injury issues early in the season, which has offered Erik Haula an opportunity to step up and contribute. The winger has done just that, picking up 11 points (6G, 5A) through 17 games. He has just 33 SOG this season and 16:23 TOI/G, but he’s certainly making the most of his chances. Haula should have a productive night against a middle-of-the-pack Sabres defense.
D1: Devon Toews ($4,400 DK, $6,200 FD)
Let’s lock Devon Toews into our lineup tonight. The D-man is putting together a solid season, racking up 12 points (3G, 9A) over 19 games. He’s also on a point-per-game pace over his last seven games (2G, 5A), making him the sixth-highest-scoring defenseman over the last 14 days. Calgary hasn’t really been too sharp defensively, so look for the skilled Toews to have a solid night in the offensive zone.
D2: Noah Hanifin ($4,100 DK, $5,300 FD)
Let’s keep it in the same game with our second defenseman, but let’s snag Noah Hanifin of the Flames. The D-man is a bit cheaper than his teammate, Rasmus Andersson, but the production has been roughly the same. Andersson has 11 points (3G, 8A) while Hanifin has 10 (4G, 6A). In a game that’s expecting around 6.5 goals, I think the power-play defenseman can make his way onto the scoresheet.
G: Ilya Sorokin ($7,500 DK, $8,500 FD)
Ilya Sorokin hasn’t been playing at the Vezina level that we’ve become accustomed to early in his career, but the netminder still owns a .909 SV% (19th). He’ll have a favorable matchup tonight against a Philadelphia team that’s riding a two-game losing streak. One of those losses was to the Islanders on Tuesday, a game where Sorokin made 34 saves on 36 shot attempts while earning a win. The Flyers are currently 28th in expected goals per 60 minutes (2.84), so I believe Sorokin can turn in another solid outing.
UTIL: Bo Horvat ($6,400 DK, $7,700 FD)
I’m rounding out my lineup with Bo Horvat, who has notched seven points (1G, 6A) in 10 games this month. Despite the lack of goalscoring, the centerman has been ripping shots on goal this season. He’s third on the Isles in SOG, amassing 55 through 18 games. He’ll be taking on a Flyers team that appears to be regressing as they’re in the midst of a two-game slide. I think there’s a good chance the crafty Horvat lights the lamp against a team that’s playing their second game in as many days.
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