Saturday night in NHL DFS was a wild one as a shorter-than-usual slate produced more unexpected results. Toronto beat Montreal with another Auston Matthews goal, but Connor McDavid set everything ablaze with 5 points in less than two periods versus Calgary. Let’s see what may unfold tonight.
Please note that both FanDuel and DraftKings has a three-game main slate starting at 7:00 pm ET. That does include the Philadelphia – Boston outdoor game. Thanks for your patience.
As always, be sure to check our premium Slack for crucial lineup information in the 20-30 minutes leading up to every game’s lock. With the COVID-19 pandemic still looming, teams have taxi squads and are ready to fill positions daily as teams scratch players. Our Slack chat is hands down one of the best places to get news and line change notifications.
NHL Power Plays: DraftKings + FanDuel DFS Picks | Feb. 21
NHL DFS Picks: Centers
Patrice Bergeron ($7,900 FanDuel / $8,100 DraftKings)
Bergeron is our top pick because of the goal potential. His best fantasy performance was against Philadelphia earlier in the season where he hit the DraftKings shot bonus while racking up a goal and 3 assists. Philadelphia gives up the second-most shots per 60 in the NHL at even strength and were 30th in shots allowed defensively. This is the exact opposite of last season, which should suit Bergeron fine. Top lines keep having their way with or without Sean Couturier in the lineup.
Keep playing Bergeron, and do not overlook Charlie Coyle, who will be the second center in place of David Krejci (injured). Will we see David Pastrnak paired more with Bergeron?
Nick Suzuki ($5,500 FanDuel / $5,000 DraftKings)
If we are looking to risk it again, Suzuki is a fun risk to take on Sunday because most will be on Boston, Winnipeg, etc. Ottawa allows the most DFS points overall to forwards, and especially centers. Suzuki’s production dipped over the last half-dozen games or so. However, that is not from a lack of chances. Sometimes puck luck is not there, but the Senators have a way of getting some teams well. This is even with the Senators often matching up well against Montreal. If the Canadiens can get their power play going, Suzuki may leave us with a profitable night. The young forward needs to play more loose and less nervous. That will be vital.
Latest NHL DFS Content
- DraftKings Fantasy Hockey Cheat Sheet: The Best NHL DFS Stacks Today | Zach Hyman and the Oilers (May 5)
- NHL DFS Picks Today: William Nylander Value! (April 30)
- NHL DFS Picks Today: Time to Stack the Maple Leafs (April 27)
- NHL DFS Picks Today: Nathan MacKinnon Smoking the Field (April 26)
- NHL DFS Picks Today: Money Making Matthew Tkachuk (April 23)
- Stokastic DFS on Youtube
NHL DFS Picks: Wingers
Nik Ehlers ($7,000 FanDuel / $6,900 DraftKings)
It is too hard not to take one more shot at this, with Ehlers scoring 5 goals and 7 points in his previous eight games. That includes averaging just over 4 shots on net per contest. Ehlers carries speed to burn and will test Vancouver’s less-than-mobile defense early and often. That is what to look for on Sunday night is players that can stretch defenses. Matchups to exploit include the obvious Boston wingers against Philadelphia’s bottom pairings. However, Ehlers is cheaper than Boston’s top-two wingers and carries as much or more potential. Tyler Toffoli is a slightly higher risk but has had 6 scoring chances in two meetings with Ottawa.
Before we forget, Ehlers could see a slight bump in power-play time, as his penalties-drawn differential may be one of the best in the league.
Joel Farabee ($5,100 FanDuel / $4,800 DraftKings)
Some value can be found once again with Farabee, as he has managed to stay on the top six in Philadelphia for longer than anyone has expected. The result has been 6 goals and 9 points in his last 10 games. As long as he produces, Farabee will be just fine. His shot volume has been around 2.5 shots per game, and Boston’s defense has shown some vulnerability to a player with Farabee’s vision and mobility. Farabee plays sometimes as a center off the right wing at times. This expects to throw off Boston a little, especially if Farabee shoots a bit more than expected outdoors Sunday evening.
The risk with Farabee is he can score in bunches while also going invisible in games. The acceleration he possesses might even cause the Boston top lines some unexpected problems. Remember, with games outdoors, the ice is usually a little slower, more choppy, etc. Farabee excels in less-than-ideal ice conditions as is often the case in venues like Philadelphia and even Madison Square Garden. Expect the Bruins to use Charlie McAvoy a lot in an attempt to slow Farabee down. Even that may be easier said than done.
Other wingers to look at have to include Brendan Gallagher for shot volume and Pastrnak against a team that yields the second-most shots per 60 in the NHL. Finally, remember the Winnipeg and Boston power plays. They are probably the two best on this short slate. Do not sleep on Ottawa. They generate enough chances, but it is the conversion on the man advantage that is questionable. Their wings like Evgeni Dadanov can surprise.
NHL DFS Picks: Defensemen
Shea Weber ($5,400 FanDuel / $5,200 DraftKings)
This slate has several projected high-owned defensemen, including Weber. Weber ownership elevates because of the injury woes of Jeff Petry. Petry is playing but has been banged up and struggling from an offensive standpoint. Weber carries a booming shot still. Also, Montreal should fire a ton of shots and garner a number of power plays. This boils down to converting, which has always been the Canadiens’ issue. Tonight they need to convert to set the tone more than anything else. Also, it will help calm their nerves after another down night against Toronto.
Bouncing back and playing another rival could be the medicine Montreal needs. Weber again may be the play over Petry or Ben Chiarot despite the risk.
For those looking elsewhere, McAvoy has assumed the No. 1 offensive defenseman role for Boston. He plays in all situations now due to injury and has handled things well. From the value tier, look down a bit to a Josh Morrissey or Tyler Myers. Both will see extra ice time in all special teams situations — for better or for worse.
NHL DFS PICKS: Goalies
For us the idea is that Jake Allen is the goalie with the highest win chance versus Ottawa. Yes, Connor Hellebuyck is confirmed and has the second-highest chance of a win, and his shot volume may be the best on the slate. After that, Carter Hart versus Tuukka Rask is a bit of a crapshoot.
If we rank the goalies so far:
- Allen
- Hellebuyck
- Rask
It is early, and as always, changes can happen.
Follow us on all of our social channels! Check out our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more great Awesemo content.
Looking for more daily fantasy hockey and NHL DFS picks content? We have loads of daily fantasy hockey articles, data, cheat sheets and more on the Awesemo NHL home page. Just click HERE.
