Covid protocol has been making a strong onset through the NHL in the past week or so. Keeping an eye on news is imperative to succeeding at NHL DFS. Following my twitter beat writer lists is a huge advantage for getting last minute news and scratches. This Power Play article will use Awesemo’s Premium NHL Tools to help dole out the NHL DFS advice to help with building lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel tonight. The Awesemo NHL projections and ownership projections are two of the best tools to utilize when constructing stacks and making the optimal NHL DFS picks. Let us go position by position and pinpoint some of the top plays and stacks for Thursday, February 10th.
NHL DFS Picks, Top Stacks & Lineup Optimizer Plays
Center
Sidney Crosby (PIT vs SEA): DraftKings – $8,200 | FanDuel – $8,800
Crosby came off a three game multi point streak with a goal against the Bruins on Tuesday night. He has hit the shot on goal bonus in two games straight now as well. Ottawa will likely choose to use their second line against Crosby and company, which will still be a plus matchup for the Penguins. Ottawa has played better, winning three of their last four games, but they are still giving up a ton of chances. Over the last ten games, Ottawa ranks 25th in expected goals against, 22nd in shots against and 27th in high danger chances allowed at five on five. You will likely see the Penguins have the best stack leverage tonight because of their price. At $21,400 they are the most expensive stack on the slate, which means you need to find an inexpensive filler stack to go along with them.Â
Crosby is one of the top five centers showing up in the Awesemo NHL lineup optimizer and fantasy hockey projections today. For all of our free NHL DFS picks tonight, check out the DraftKings fantasy hockey cheat sheet and FanDuel fantasy hockey cheat sheet.
Tage Thompson (BUF vs CBJ): DraftKings – $5,100 | FanDuel – $5,700
Thompson has been one of the only bright spots in the Sabres roster. He is a great facilitator that is not afraid to put pucks on net. Over the last ten games, the pivot has ten points while averaging 3.5 shots on net per game. Through the season, Thompson ranks eleventh in forwards in individual corsi per 60. He gets a great matchup tonight against the Jackets, who have struggled all year defensively. They are dead last in expected goals against, dead last in shots against per game, 30th in scoring chances against per game and they are giving up the most high danger chances in the league. Thompson will also match up with Patrik Laine, who is a defensive turnstile.Â
Winger
David Pastrnak (BOS vs CAR): DraftKings – $8,300 | FanDuel – $8,900
Pastrnak has been a one man wrecking ball over the past month. The sniper has had six multipoint efforts in the last ten games, and he is averaging four shots a night. The Hurricanes have been a great possession team, but their second line has shown cracks, and that is who Pastrnak will line up with most of the night. Vinny Trocheck and Andrei Svechnikov have elite offensive numbers, but they have given up a ton as well, carrying 2.98 expected goals against, 53% Corsi, allowing 33.8 shots against per 60, 33 scoring chances against, and 3.15 high danger chances. Although the Hurricanes have the best penalty kill in the league, they are also taking the most penalties per game in the league as well. If you give the Bruins enough chances on the extra man advantage, they are going to make you pay. Â
William Nylander (TOR @ CGY): DraftKings – $6,200 | FanDuel – $7,400
The All-Star break came at a good time for Nylander, as he was held pointless in the three games prior. In the first game back on Monday, he managed to rifle off six shots and chip in an assist against a very good Hurricanes team. Toronto will look to take advantage of the rest situation, with the Flames playing on the hind end of a back-to-back. Nylander will also benefit from staying away from the Mikael Backlund line, which has been a phenomenal shut down line. Calgary is a tough team to play against but on a semi-shorter slate with a lot of tough matchups, it should keep their ownership obsolete in tournaments. Â
Jordan Kyrou (STL vs NJ): DraftKings – $5,900 | FanDuel – $7,900
Kyrou got to show the world just how quick he is, with a 13.55-second lap, to take the title of the fastest skater in the NHL at the All-Star game. He has nine points in the last ten games and gets to play on a great line alongside Robert Thomas and Vladimir Tarasenko. They will likely match up against the Pavel Zacha line, which is a plus matchup. Since losing Jack Hughes to the Covid protocol, the Devils’ depth takes a hit. Vegas is giving the Blues the second highest team total on the night. Expect a lot of production from the Blues second line.Â
Cole Caufield (MTL @ WSH): DraftKings – $2,500 | FanDuel – $4,000
The Canadiens have had a pretty awful season, and Caufield has not been the same since his playoff run last year. He has been demoted to the fourth line, but he still gets power play time. His salary should be easily paid off at just $2,500 with a couple of shots on net. The key being that Caufield will beat up on the depth lines of Washington, who will be without Alex Ovechkin because of Covid testing laws. Caufield has averaged over 3.5 shots per game in the last month and if he can continue with that, he will surely pay that price tag off as a value play.Â
Latest NHL DFS Content
Defensemen
Kris Letang (PIT @ OTT): DraftKings – $7,000 | FanDuel – $6,900
Letang is Awesemo’s top projected defenseman tonight and for good reason. He logs a ton of ice time and plays in every situation. Over the last ten games, he has averaged 25 minutes of ice time, to go along with over five shots/blocks per game. Ottawa is allowing the sixth most shots against per game in the league and they are giving up the fifth most shots against on the penalty kill. Letang quarterback’s the top power play and all offense funnels through him. If you have the salary to reach up to Letang, he is a very strong play.  Â
Rasmus Dahlin (BUF vs CBJ): DraftKings – $4,700 | FanDuel – $5,700
Dahlin makes for a great play and a great addition to a three man power play stack tonight. Awesemo has him rated as the best point per dollar value of all top power play defensemen. He logs 23 minutes of ice time nightly, to go along with four shots/blocks per game. Columbus has been horrendous defensively, ranking in the bottom five of all the advanced metrics normally looked at for NHL DFS.Â
Justin Schultz (WSH @ MTL): DraftKings – $2,900 | FanDuel – $3,900
Schultz makes for an interesting tournament play tonight. With Alex Ovechkin not being able to play in Canada due to Covid testing protocol, Schultz will likely slot in on the top power play unit tonight. They have been using John Carlson in Ovechkin’s kitchen at the circle and Schultz will be the blue-liner. The Canadiens have been just as awful as the Blue Jackets on defense. Montreal is in the bottom five of all the advanced metrics preferred for NHL DFS purposes as well. The Canadiens have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing defensemen per game in the entire league. They are also sporting the league’s third worst penalty kill, with just a 73% kill rate.Â
Top NHL DFS Stacks
PIT1: Jake Guentzel – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Pittsburgh’s top line has been clicking on all cylinders. They are the most expensive stack on the slate, which means you will need to find an inexpensive secondary stack to go along with them. Together the trio has been phenomenal with a very large sample size. They garner 2.7 expected goals per 60, 53% Corsi and 34 shots for per 60, while creating almost 13 high danger chances at five on five. They fully correlate on the top power play unit and with a date against the Senators, that is a good thing. Over the last month, Ottawa ranks 25th in expected goals against, 22nd in shot attempts against per 60 and 27th in high danger chances allowed. The Senators are going to struggle to contain the Penguins’ top line tonight and Vegas agrees, with an egregious -255 opening moneyline. In all seriousness, you will need to find a cheap value stack that will pair with them and Buffalo’s top line will likely be popular. Awesemo has the Sabres top line owned almost 25% of the time, so it is wise to try to find another option.
Value Stack
STL 3/PP1: Brayden Schenn – David Perron – Torey Krug/Tarasenko
Going down to the third line on the Blues could be a great way to find some value without ownership. The Devils are going to be without Hughes and Dougie Hamilton and their goaltending situation is still something to worry about without MacKenzie Blackwood and Jonathan Bernier. Look for the Blues veterans to take advantage of Devils’ inexperienced depth lines.Â
*Additional Data from Natural Stat Trick
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