Thursday features a nine-game NHL slate, which begins at 7:00 p.m. ET on DraftKings. In this article, you will find DFS advice for DraftKings lineups, plus some DraftKings Sportsbook bets to target.
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DraftKings Sportsbook
Tyler Toffoli over 0.5 points
*See write-up below under value targets
Boston Bruins Moneyline -105
I’d not be fearful of jumping back on the Bruins today as they complete their Western Conference road trip in Las Vegas. The Bruins lost a close 4-3 game to Anaheim their last time out but will be getting Jeremy Swayman back in the pipes for this game most likely. Swayman is coming off Rookie of the Month honors and has been excellent on the road this season with an 8-2-2 record and a .950 save percentage in 13 road appearances. The Bruins as a team have thrived on the road as well and are 14-6 straight up in their last 20 road games. The Golden Knights have struggled to find consistent offense of late and are still without two of their top wingers. The Bruins’ offense has been of the best units in the league since getting Brad Marchand back and we’re getting near even money to take Boston. The B’s Moneyline is a solid way to start betting cards today.
Place your NHL bets at DraftKings Sportsbook or by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
Top Stack
New York Islanders vs. Vancouver Canucks
Brock Nelson ($4,400) — Anthony Beauvillier ($3,000) — Anders Lee ($3,400)
There are a lot of big names and offenses to load up on this slate so if we’re looking for a full-line combo to stack today, going with some serious value will make for far easier construction. The Islanders are in an interesting spot as they’ll return home after a long Western Conference road trip and take on a Canucks team who has been out East for the past week. Vancouver has been all over the map of late, grabbing big wins over the Flames and Rangers, but also allowing seven goals to Anaheim and New Jersey in humiliating losses.
The Canucks still maintain the worst penalty-kill in hockey as well, which makes this Islanders top-trio intriguing for fantasy purposes. Mathew Barzal is still day-to-day, and Brock Nelson would again slot in as top-line center and handle top power-play duties if Barzal sits again. He’s played over 18 minutes in three of his last four games and also landed four or more shots on net in four of his last eight starts. Linemate Anthony Beauvillier is still shooting well below his career mark of 12.1% but has been more aggressive with his shot of late, landing 5+ shots in two of his last three games. Anders Lee also has goal + bonus type of upside and comes in just barely above the minimum price.
All three look good for some potential short-term positive regression in the shooting department and the Canucks’ spotty goaltending of late makes this an attractive matchup. The Isles top-line is a good value stack today and one that should let you target other elite duos at forward to round out your lineups with.
Superstar to Target
Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers vs. Ottawa Senators ($8,900)
The Panthers have an implied team total today that is pushing over 4.0 goals, making them an offense that you’ll want exposure to for daily fantasy hockey lineups. Lately, they’ve been carried by Aleksander Barkov, who has put up an elite 0.62 goals per game this season and seven points over his last four games. Barkov and the entire Panthers offense have been machines when playing in Florida, averaging 4.58 goals per game and over 39 shots on goal per game.
The Finnish center is coming off a 10-shot performance against Edmonton himself that saw him post two goals. He now gets an Ottawa team today that has allowed 3.45 goals and over 33.5 shots per game on the road this season. Barkov is easy to overlook when we have the likes of McDavid and MacKinnon on the slate but he’s been as efficient or better than both of his peers of late and comes in at a better price tag. Start your Florida stacking with Barkov today.
Value on Offense
Tyler Toffoli, Calgary Flames vs. Montreal Canadiens ($3,800)
I doubt there’s much ill-will between Toffoli and the Canadiens. After all, the team did allow him to leave, mid-season, and go to one of the best teams in hockey. Still, there’s no doubt that there’s an added motivation factor at play when facing a team who just let you go, only a month prior. Toffoli has fit in nicely with the Flames and recently grabbed five points in a two-game series with the Wild. The Canadiens’ patchwork goalie combo showed major cracks their last time out and Calgary will likely help facilitate as many chances as possible for their new stud to placate his ego with a goal against his old team. Don’t overthink this one today.
Warren Foegele, Edmonton Oilers at Chicago Blackhawks ($2,700)
The Oilers’ forward crew is hurting at the moment with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins out for at least another week and Kailer Yamamoto also a game-time decision. That’s meant Foegele has been cemented to the hip of Connor McDavid lately at even strength. The promotion has seen the former Hurricane play over 16 minutes the last two games and while he’s not yet capitalized on the opportunity with a goal, he’s landed multiple shots on net in straight starts. The Blackhawks allow over 32 shots per game and aren’t a strong team 5v5. At a price barely above the minimum, Foegele’s a nice punt option today.
Goalie
Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins at Vegas Golden Knights ($7,500)
If we’re targeting the Bruins for a Moneyline play, then for fantasy purposes we can certainly look to their goalie today as well. I mentioned some of Swayman’s recent stats above but he’s been lights out recently for fantasy purposes too. Swayman has returned 19.0 or more DKFP in five of his last six games and looks underpriced again today. This will essentially be his cheapest price point of the season and the discount is coming at a great time given the fact he’s not allowed more than two goals in his last six starts.
The Golden Knights have scored more than three goals just once in their last seven games and are deploying a patchwork of wingers with little scoring potential to make up for the losses of Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone. It’s a fine time to get back on the Bruins and Swayman today for fantasy and betting.
Value on Defense
Shayne Gostisbehere, Arizona Coyotes vs. Colorado Avalanche ($4,200)
We certainly don’t need to go overboard with Coyotes players on this slate, but this price on Gostisbehere is worth taking on. The former Flyer has been a savior for the Coyotes’ back-end in some respects given the regression offensively this season by Jakob Chychrun ($5,000). Gostisbehere comes into this matchup with Colorado averaging 0.6 points per game and has posted solid home splits for fantasy purposes, averaging 9.6 DKFP at home this season, vs. 7.8 on the road.
The Avalanche have been slightly more gettable on the road as well, allowing over 3.1 goals per game, and they maintain a below-average penalty-kill. Gostisbehere’s power-play exposure and solid usage make him a good target at this price, which happens to be his cheapest since the beginning of the season.
Power Play Defensemen
Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers vs. Ottawa Senators ($6,700)
Ekblad has been excellent in many respects for the Panthers of late and may even end up as a Norris Trophy finalist, where his odds on DraftKings Sportsbook sit at +1800, making him fifth in the betting odds. The Panthers defenseman has averaged a point per game and 4.6 blocked shots + shots on goal over his last 10 games, and like most of the Panthers’ players, has massive home splits that make him a great upside target today.
Ottawa hasn’t been as bad defensively this season as they’ve been in past seasons but they do rank sixth-last in penalty-kill percentage and fifth-last in shots against. You don’t mind paying up for two of Florida’s studs in spots this good and Ekblad correlates well with whichever forward from the Panthers’ PP1 you decide to pair him with today.
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