DFS Alerts
This winger has been even better since the Christmas break.
Johnny Gaudreau was on an absolute tear going into the Christmas break. Since then, he’s been even better, compiling a league-best 21 points in his 10 games since then. It can get repetitive on short-slates with lines like this, but Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm have a great matchup one home ice against the Buffalo Sabres who have been horrendous lately. After starting off the season 17-6-2 in their first 25 games, the Sabres have since been in a downward spiral going 6-11-4 in the next 21. This is a great opportunity for the streaking Flames — 8-1-1 in their last 10 games and 2nd overall in the NHL — to pick the corpse of a dying Sabres team.
Other tagged players: Sean Monahan, Elias Lindholm
The highest-scoring line in the NHL has an elite matchup.
The top line in Colorado comprised of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog is the highest-scoring line in the NHL. They’ve been completely dominant and although they’ve slowed down a bit — or have Nikita Kucherov and Johnny Gaudreau just exploded? — this line is still an elite play game-in and game-out. Tonight they visit the Ottawa Senators, a team that since the Christmas break has a 26th ranked CF% of 47.29 and giving up a league-high 63.19 CA/60. On the other hand, Colorado has been dominant possession-wise with a 53.77 CF% (4th) and 64.94 CF/60 (2nd) since the break.
Other tagged players: Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog 
This line is healthy and ready to wreak havoc across the NHL.
I don’t necessarily mean from a DFS perspective, but in general it feels like the MacKinnon line, Gaudreau’s line and Kucherov going bananas as of late, the top line in Boston hasn’t been getting the same kind of love as they should be. With the entire line healthy again, David Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand will wreak havoc on the NHL as one of the most dynamic trios in the league. Not only do they put up elite offensive numbers, the line is one of the best defensive ones as well. They’re on the road tonight to take on a struggling Philadelphia Flyers team that is 2-7-1 in their last 10 and sitting 29th in the NHL with an abysmal 40 points.
Other tagged players: Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand 
Expensive Defenseman Should Be Worth the Cost
While most will make the Calgary forwards (Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm, Sean Monahan) their first priority, I think Mark Giordano might be an even higher priority for me tonight. Fitting all of them is possible, but it requires some value across the rest of your lineup. Giordano has been on an absolute tear lately with eight points in his last four games, including two three-point games. He should see 25+ minutes of ice time, including all the time he can handle on the number one power play.
Other tagged players: Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm, Sean Monahan
Flyer forward has a goal in three consecutive games
The Philadelphia Flyers may be an awful team, but James van Riemsdyk has come alive over the last week. During his last three games, JVR has five goals and two assists as his ice time has climbed. Last time out JVR had a hat trick against Minnesota and logged a season-high in ice time (20:14). The matchup with Boston is not ideal, but the Flyers are home and JVR’s price across the industry, particularly on DraftKings ($4,500) is noteworthy given the general lack of salary relief options on a night where not grabbing someone like Nathan MacKinnon could be punishing.
Rookie has gone cold after hot November
After posting 10 points (6G, 4A) in 11 November games, Brady Tkachuk has cooled considerably, collecting just a goal and four assists over his last 20 games. As a result, we have a more attackable price tag on the rookie winger. The Senators’ line of Chris Tierney, Mark Stone and Brady Tkachuk is an affordable stack with upside tonight as they should spend the better part of the game against Colorado’s lackluster depth lines. Furthermore, Brady Tkachuk is seeing top power play minutes. Last time out, he took seven shots on goal. He is a bit too volatile for cash games but makes for a nice tournament play.
Calgary center looks to extend point streak
With center so top heavy tonight, there is a certain opportunity cost to playing someone like Mikael Backlund, but he is in play for the sizzling Flames. Backlund has a goal and three assists over his last three games and could find the scoresheet again tonight against a Buffalo team leaking many goals recently. He and his linemates Michael Frolik and Matthew Tkachuk have been on fire over the past week, combining for 14 points in just three games. Backlund and company make for an interesting moderately-priced stack in tournaments.
Young Defenseman Emerging (Again)
Zachary Werenski’s talents have never been in question. The bigger issue has been opportunities, as he’s been playing in Seth Jones’ shadow for the past few years. When Jones has been out due to injury, Werenski has proved he can handle the load, but the team has seemed reluctant to give it to him when both are healthy. Lately, that has changed as Werenski has been given the PP1 quarterbacking responsibilities, while Jones is on the PP2. Columbus has a tasty matchup against the Devils, who are on the second of a back-to-back. I expect Werenski to find the scoresheet at least one, likely on the power play.
Elite Line Healthy and Reunited
While NSH1 isn’t regarded in the same light as Colorado’s, Calgary’s, Boston’s, or other dominant first lines, their underlying numbers suggest they aren’t too far off. The difference is that Nashville’s line of Forsberg, Johansen, and Arvidsson hasn’t been able to stay healthy for extended periods of time. Since Forsberg returned in a full capacity, this line has combined for 11 points in their last three games, including four goals from Forsberg. I expect them to dissect the Capitals with relative ease tonight, who will be on the second of a back-to-back.
Other tagged players: Ryan Johansen, Viktor Arvidsson 
Backup Goalie Looks to Stay Unbeaten at Home
Laurent Brossoit has been a pleasant surprise for the Jets this year, and by all accounts has outplayed the starter, Connor Hellebuyck, albeit in far fewer starts. Brossoit is 9-1-1 on the year with a 2.10 GAA and .939 SV%. Both of these would lead the league if he had enough starts to qualify. At home, he’s even better with a 4-0-0 record and 1.97 GAA and .947 SV%. He faces a Vegas team who is much better at home, so I expect him to pick up the win at home.
This winger has scored at a goal-per-game pace since returning from injury.
Although it is a very small sample size of just four games, Filip Forsberg has scored four goals in those games and has been re-united with his usual linemates in Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Johansen. The Nashville Predators have been solid at generating shot attempts at even strength since the Christmas break, doing so with a 62.51 CF/60 which ranks fifth in that time frame. On the flip side, the Washington Capitals have been allowing the fourth most CA/60 at a 61.18 rate. This poses a large mismatch and should allow the Predators to get plenty of opportunities on home ice.
Other tagged players: Ryan Johansen, Viktor Arvidsson 
This winger has been fantastic since the Christmas Break.
Since the Christmas break, the second line of the Vegas Golden Knights has been fantastic. While Max Pacioretty missed a few games, all three of the players slated to skate on line two today have been a point-per-game or better since then. Alex Tuch has 3 goals and 11 points in 9 games, Paul Stastny has 4 goals and 10 points in 9 games and Pacioretty has 2 goals and 5 points in the 5 games he has played. The three played on the same power play unit last game so if that is the case again tonight, this full-line stack has elite upside due to having full-game correlation. They take on a Winnipeg Jets team that have won four straight home games and have been leaning a bit more on Laurent Brossoit as of late with Connor Hellebuyck’s struggles.
Other tagged players: Max Pacioretty, Paul Stastny 
This winger is doing things nobody in the NHL has done for 20 years.
Nikita Kucherov is the first player since Mario Lemieux in 1997 to have 75 points in his first 45 games over the weekend. Kucherov continues to put up numbers that no player in the NHL has done in two decades and there is no signs of him slowing down. Considering he “only” had 12 points in 11 October games, this pace is even more incredible. He’s playing on a line with Brayden Point who has joined in on the offensive barrage with 61 points this season with Tyler Johnson playing on the other wing. Point and Kucherov play on the top power play unit together and considering the Lightning power play leads the league with a 29.9 percent success rate, this is a good mini-stack if you want to leave Johnson off the full stack.
Other tagged players: Brayden Point, Tyler Johnson 
Veteran Carolina winger on fire in January
The red-hot Hurricanes look to keep their recent surge in goal-scoring going at Madison Square Garden tonight. After struggling to score goals all season long, Carolina is starting to find the back of the net. This month alone the Hurricanes are averaging 4.14 goals per game. Much of that can be attributed to Sebastian Aho, but Justin Williams has been sizzling with six goals and an assist in seven games while averaging over three shots on goal per game. Carolina will see some ownership tonight but most of that will go toward the team’s top line. Williams makes for an under-the-radar tournament play as he looks to score a goal for the sixth consecutive game.
Losers of 11 straight in desperate need of a spark
The Ducks did manage to grab a point in Winnipeg, one of the toughest venues, last time out but ultimately blew a late lead as Bryan Little buried the overtime winner. Jakob Silfverberg logged more than 20 minutes of ice time, skating with Ryan Getzlaf and Rickard Rakell on the team’s top line. While the matchup is not the most exploitable, Silfverberg has a cheap price tag across the industry in a game that will be overlooked, not only on the Ducks’ side, but the Red Wings’ side as well. Jakob makes for a low-owned tournament target.