The NHL season is in full swing and the league presents us with a seven-game slate tonight. I’m crafting a nine-man lineup for one of DraftKings’ classic $50,000 salary DFS leagues, and I’ve laid out my reasoning as to why I’m rolling with these players. I’ve also provided the prices for FanDuel’s $55,000 salary equivalent competitions. Here’s who I believe is primed for a big night on the ice.
Tuesday’s NHL DFS Picks & Analysis
The lineup below is based on DraftKings, but FanDuel prices are also listed.
C1: Joel Eriksson Ek (C – MIN) | DraftKings: $6,800/FanDuel: $8,100
I’m looking to fade Pittsburgh’s defense moving forward. They’ve been horrendous out of the gate, ranking 31st in overall defense (4.00 GAA) and dead last in expected goals against per 60 minutes (4.15). I’ll lock in Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers Minnesota’s second line. The centerman is off to a solid start, notching four goals and two assists. His 16 shots on goal (SOG) are the fourth-most on Minnesota’s roster.
C2: Sean Couturier (C – PHI) | DraftKings: $3,900/FanDuel: $4,600
I’ll ride with Philadelphia’s Sean Couturier tonight. Typically, I look to avoid Flyers skaters when they have a matchup with the Bruins. However, tonight’s an exception, as the Bruins have not gotten their feet underneath themselves defensively. They’re 25th in overall defense (3.33 GAA) and 27th in expected goals against per 60 minutes (3.5). I’ll take Couturier, who centers the frisky Flyers’ top line. The centerman has six points through nine games, lighting the lamp three times while adding a trio of helpers.
W1: Kirill Kaprizov (LW – MIN) | DraftKings: $9,000/FanDuel: $9,200
The other Wild skater I have is the second-most expensive player on the list today. I’m riding with Kirill Kaprizov to light up the Penguins. As I mentioned above, Pittsburgh’s defense is in shambles. Kaprizov is the perfect man to make them pay, as he leads Minnesota in both points scored (15) and goals (four). The Penguins have allowed the most shots on goal this year (351), as well as the most high-danger shots against (49).
W2: Jordan Eberle (RW – SEA) | DraftKings: $4,800/FanDuel: $5,500
The Kraken take on the Canadiens tonight. We should see Seattle’s offense have a big night. The Habs are a modest 24th in overall defense (3.33 GAA), but rank 31st in both expected goals against per 60 minutes (3.85) and high-danger shots against (48). I’ll play Jordan Eberle, who leads the Kraken in goals (six) and sits second in overall points (eight).
W3: Anders Lee (LW – NYI) | DraftKings: $4,100/FanDuel: $5,400
Anders Lee is off to a slow start this year, scoring just three goals. However, Lee’s lack of production certainly isn’t due to being trigger-shy with getting pucks on the net. He leads the team in SOG with 34, which is six more SOG than his closest teammate (Nelson 28). I think it’s worth a flier at this low price, especially considering Lee will be shooting on a bottom-tier Anaheim squad.
D1: Erik Karlsson (D – PIT) | DraftKings: $5,300/FanDuel: $6,100
I like Erik Karlsson tonight solely based on his matchup against Minnesota’s penalty-killing unit. The Wild are just 26th on the penalty kill, killing off 73.33% of opposing man-advantage opportunities. Karlsson is still running the blue line on Pittsburgh’s top power-play unit, where three (one goal, two assists) of his six points (one goal, five assists) have occurred. Also, it’s confirmed Marc-Andre Fleury (.898 SV%) will tend the Minnesota net, so we won’t have to worry about dealing with the always-dangerous Filip Gustavsson (.922 SV%).
D2: Brandt Clarke (D – LAK) | DraftKings: $4,600/FanDuel: $6,200
My second defenseman tonight is Brandt Clarke of the Los Angeles Kings. I’m pretty high on Clarke right now, mainly because he’s been elevated to Los Angeles’ top power-play unit due to the injury to Drew Doughty (ankle). Clarke has scored four (one goal, three assists) of his seven points (one goal, six assists) on the power play this season. This is a good matchup for the Kings, as they take on a Sharks club that’s 30th in overall defense (3.90 GAA) and 20th on the penalty kill (76.74%).
G: Ilya Sorokin (G – NYI) | DraftKings: $8,300/FanDuel: $7,900
One of the chalk options at goaltender tonight is New York’s Ilya Sorokin. It’s confirmed the 29-year-old will start this game. I think it’s worth playing him. Sorokin has been unreal through four games played, going 2-1-1 with a 1.74 GAA (third) and .936 SV% (fourth). He’s tasked with slowing down an Anaheim offense ranked 30th in overall offense (2.3 goals per game), 31st on the power play (7.69%) and 28th in expected goals per 60 minutes (2.72 GAA). Sorokin is primed for a huge night in the crease.
UTIL: Brandon Saad (LW – STL) | DraftKings: $3,200/FanDuel: $5,300
After spending big bucks on several players above, I’m not left with much at the util spot. With that said, Brandon Saad is the best option to round out this lineup. The St. Louis winger is getting top-line minutes, while also getting time on the second power-play unit. Saad will be playing in just his seventh game. He has four points (two goals, two assists) so far. The Blues take on a Senators team ranked 28th in overall defense (3.50 GAA). This could be a breakout spot for Saad, so I’ll play him at this low price.
