NHL Daily Fantasy Picks and Helper: Tuesday 1/16/24

NHL DFS is similar to MLB in terms of how you build lineups, how you view stacking, and how to value players.

Two main points to always focus on in NHL DFS are what lines the players are on and making sure the goalies you are rostering are confirmed as the starters.

Two of the best resources for that are LeftWingLock.com and DailyFaceOff.com. That is where you can find updated forward and power-play lines for each team, along with which goalies are confirmed as the starters.

Let's jump in and take a look at today's slate, find a goalie, some stacks, and some value plays for your NHL DFS lineups on FanDuel.

NHL DFS Picks

Goalie to Target

Igor Shesterkin, Rangers ($8,200)

Clearly the best goalie in the league in the 2021-22 season, Igor Shesterkin ($8,200) hasn't been as dominant quite this season. Last season, he finished in the top five in goals saved above expected (GSAx), according to MoneyPuck.

This season, he arguably hasn't been the best goalie on his own team. He's struggled for consistency, but we still see the best of Igor sometimes. Since December 16th, he's won 7 of his 10 games, allowing more than two goals in just one of those games. It's just been the losses where his stats have been blown up.

Tonight, the New York Rangers will play the Seattle Kraken at home. Seattle was on a hot streak until yesterday when they lost 3-0 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Some of their key players are banged up now, including Matty Beniers and Vince Dunn.

Seattle creates the seventh-fewest expected goals (xG) per 60 minutes in the league. They have the lowest implied team total on the slate (2.32 goals) and are on the second night of a back-to-back. With that being the case, I'm more than fine rolling out Igor Shesterkin here.

Stacks

Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals haven't been a fun team to stack all season. They've scored the second-fewest goals per game in the league, and their main man, Alex Ovechkin, has just eight goals.

That being said, this situation sets up perfectly for them. They'll face an Anaheim Ducks, who are on the second night of a back-to-back. They also allow the second-most xG per 60 minutes.

Maybe the most appealing part of stacking Washington is the salaries on their players. Dylan Strome ($6,100), has the highest salary on this line, and he leads the team with 15 goals.

T.J. Oshie ($3,800) and Max Pacioretty ($4,500) both haven't had the best seasons but have both missed a ton of time with injuries. They are veterans that are proven goal-scorers, and Pacioretty in particular should get back to his best after missing nearly the last two years.

Those two wings are great values, and all three of these players are on the first power-play unit if Ovechkin remains out (he's a game-time decision).

You can get an extremely affordable stack for the team with the highest implied team total (3.69 goals) on the slate.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The game of the night -- especially in Canada -- is the Toronto Maple Leafs traveling to face the Edmonton Oilers. Edmonton's stack might get more attention with the team having won 10 games in a row, but we are going to look at the Toronto side.

Auston Matthews ($10,400) leads the league with 33 goals and is on pace to beat his incredible 60-goal season from 2021-22. He's playing with the same running mate, Mitchell Marner ($8,700), as he did when he scored those 60 goals. Marner is third on the team with 46 points in 41 games.

The new addition to this line is Pontus Holmberg ($3,500), whose low salary makes it easier to fit this stack into lineups. Holmberg hasn't been too impressive so far in his NHL career, but he does have four points in his last five games and will get his chance to play with two of the Leafs' best players.

Toronto is an underdog tonight, but this line is much easier to fit into lineups than Edmonton's top line. It also still has the upside needed to win tournaments, and if Matthews comes in as the least popular player between him, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, I like pivoting to him in this spot.

Value Skaters

Taylor Raddysh, W, Blackhawks ($3,700)

The Chicago Blackhawks are devoid of talent this season -- especially after the Connor Bedard injury. We won't be targeting many of their players while he's out, but it does make sense to want a piece of them tonight.

The Blackhawks are facing the San Jose Sharks in a battle of arguably the league's two worst teams. San Jose has now allowed over four goals per game this season and is playing the second leg of a back-to-back.

Taylor Raddysh ($3,700) isn't a great player by any means, but he's on the first line and first power play against the worst defensive team in the league. He's an option if you really need to save salary.

Fabian Zetterlund, W, Sharks ($4,500)

On the other side of that game, Fabian Zetterlund ($4,500) is also a good value. He's second on the Sharks with 12 goals and plays on the first line and first power play.

The Blackhawks, like the Sharks, are not a good defensive team. They rank in the bottom five in most defensive metrics, including allowing the second-most high danger chances per 60 minutes.

I like taking shots on players in this game because most of them have low salaries, and Zetterlund is my favorite dart on San Jose.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.