NHL DFS Slate Summary: Thursday, March 9th
Welcome to the RotoGrinders NHL DFS Slate Summary. In this article, we’ll concentrate on the key elements of DFS success while delivering analysis on the upcoming slate of NHL slate of games for DraftKings and FanDuel. We’ll discuss today’s NHL DFS player projections, player correlations and NHL stacking, injuries to monitor, NHL starting lineups, differentiation tactics using NHL projected ownership, and recommendations on ways to create lineup diversity if entering multiple lineups using LineupHQ.
Today’s Games
Slate Overview
This slate looks exhausting to break down. That doesn’t mean it’s bad, it’s almost the opposite. There are just so many routes you can go tonight. Five teams have implied totals at 3.7 or higher and nine teams have 3.5 or higher. The Hurricanes stand out at the top, but as we’ve mentioned throughout the year, there’s always a chance of their scoring being distributed throughout the lineup and not being a must-have for fantasy. Meanwhile, the Oilers have a dreadful matchup against the Bruins, knocking them down from their usual “must-play” status and the Devils are in a fairly similar spot against the Capitals. All of this should make for a very interesting slate.
Top Skaters
Nathan MacKinnon
MacKinnon did what we expected him to do on Tuesday in a great matchup against the Sharks. He only had to play 15 minutes in a 6-0 route, but still managed a goal, an assist, and four shots on goal. Extrapolate that out to a full workload, and he probably tacks on another point and SOG for the 5+ SOG bonus. More will likely be required of him tonight in a slightly tougher matchup against the Kings.
Nikita Kucherov
This one might actually be a little surprising for some, given the less than perfect matchup against the Golden Knights. One of the biggest factors influencing this decision is the fact that Kucherov and the Lightning will be at home. His home vs. road splits are some of the most extreme I’ve seen from an elite player. He averages 1.72 points per game at home (17.5 fantasy points) compared to just 1.13 on the road (12.8 fantasy points). The last time these two teams met a few weeks ago, it was a high-scoring affair with nine total goals. I think we could see plenty of scoring again, with Kucherov right in the middle of the action.
Other Options: David Pastrnak, Alex Ovechkin, Roman Josi
Top Values
Luke Evangelista
No homerism here, just an objectively good play. The Preds have embraced the rebuild/youth movement, which has led to opportunities like Evangelista, who has taken advantage of it. He has seen 16 minutes in each of his last two games, and has also earned a spot on the first power play unit. He faces a vulnerable Arizona squad and his price tag of $2800 is simply too cheap for the role and matchup.
Other Options: Oliver Bjorkstrand, Jakub Vrana, Travis Boyd
Top Goalie Projections
Pyotr Kochetkov
Talk about a tough luck loser. Last Tuesday’s selection of Filip Gustavsson doesn’t allow a goal in regulation or overtime but ends up taking the loss in the shootout. Ouch. Tonight seems relatively easy at goalie for cash games. Pyotr Kochetkov is a clear misprice by DraftKings at the minimum of $6500. His team is the biggest favorite on the slate, so it’s silly that he’d be the cheapest. In tournaments, you can either eat the chalk and diversify elsewhere or take a stand and hope he busts. I lean towards eating the chalk and making up the difference with my skaters.
Other Options: Alexandar Georgiev, Andrei Vasilevskiy (GPPs)
Top Stack Projections
| Team | Proj | Own% | DKPt/$ | FDPt$ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOSPP1 | 13.14 | 8.66% | 2.00 | 2.06 |
| DAL1 | 12.92 | 7.90% | 1.92 | 1.98 |
| TB1 | 13.88 | 5.90% | 1.88 | 1.96 |
| NJPP1 | 13.22 | 4.52% | 1.82 | 1.89 |
| PIT1 | 13.49 | 6.67% | 1.95 | 2.25 |
| PITPP1 | 12.91 | 6.14% | 1.95 | 2.16 |
| EDM1 | 13.40 | 0.33% | 1.71 | 1.81 |
| CAR1 | 12.87 | 5.77% | 1.29 | 2.31 |
| COL1 | 13.46 | 4.53% | 1.86 | 2.05 |
| COLPP1 | 14.16 | 6.38% | 1.98 | 2.08 |
Projected Ownership is posted after morning skate daily.
Top Stacks
New York 2/PP1
I won’t pretend to be as smart as NHL coaches, but it does seem baffling that the current Rangers power play unit doesn’t have any of Kreider, Tarasenko, or Zibanejad on it. It speaks to the riches the Rangers have right now, but still seems odd. Anyways, it does create a nice correlation for the second line, who are all on the power play. Kane and Panarin are the higher upside options while Trocheck can be included as well for the 3-man.
Other Options: COL1/PP1, TB1/PP1 (GPPs), CAR1/PP1, NSH1/PP1 (Value)
Image Credit: Getty Images
Welcome to the RotoGrinders NHL DFS Slate Summary. In this article, we’ll concentrate on the key elements of DFS success while delivering analysis on the upcoming slate of NHL slate of games for DraftKings and FanDuel. We’ll discuss today’s NHL player projections, player correlations and NHL stacking, injuries to monitor, NHL starting lineup news and notes, differentiation tactics using NHL projected ownership, and recommendations on ways to create lineup diversity if entering multiple lineups using LineupHQ.
