NHL DFS Picks: Thursday's Top DraftKings + FanDuel Top Stacks + Values

We have a decent-sized slate ahead of us tonight for our NHL DFS picks, comprising six games, with one cancelled from Carolina. We are here to help you get a start on building your NHL DFS lineups for tonight, be it for cash games or for tournaments on both DraftKings and FanDuel. We are also going to try to avoid just listing a bunch of high-priced players. We are going to list guys from all across the price spectrum.

Be sure to check our Premium Slack throughout the day for lineup updates, particularly in the 30 minutes leading to lineup lock. There are going to be cancellations and missed games all season long, as we’ve already seen, so being on top of the latest information will be an edge to be gained this year. Be in a position to get that information by staying tuned to our Slack channels.

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Thursday’s Power Plays: NHL DFS Picks | DraftKings & FanDuel

NHL DFS Picks: Centers

Nick Suzuki (MTL at VAN)

DraftKings – $5,400

FanDuel – $5,900

Ice time is one of the crucial metrics for judging potential fantasy success, and an issue with the Canadiens is they spread out the ice time for their forwards. One of the exceptions is Suzuki, who is playing 17:40 a night and has a point in every Montreal game this season. Averaging threes shots per game in the young season is a good sign for Suzuki, as he builds off a rookie season where he fell just short of two shots per game. The matchup going into Vancouver is good for the Habs, and Suzuki should avoid the top competition, meaning softer in-game matchups. He is fine to use in any format.

Yanni Gourde (TB at PHI)

DraftKings – $3,400

FanDuel – $4,100

On the topic of ice time, while we just have a couple games to use, Tampa Bay is spreading their ice time more than usual. Last year, for example, Ondrej Palat had over two more minutes per game in ice time than Gourde did. This year Gourde is neck-and-neck with him in ice time. This is wonderful news for this slate, as Gourde and his line mates form an excellent trio and face a Columbus team with its lineup in disarray, and Gourde is very cheap across the industry. He is best used as part of a duo or trio in tournaments.

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NHL DFS Picks: Wingers

Drake Batherson (OTT vs. WPG)

DraftKings – $3,500

FanDuel – $3,400

Ottawa’s opponent tonight was one of the worst defensive teams in the league last year, finishing 29th by expected goals against at five-on-five, only being saved by a superlative goaltender. Things haven’t gotten much better as the Jets are near the bottom of the league again this year. Batherson is skating on the top line for Ottawa, earning nearly 18 minutes a night in ice time while averaging over four shots on goal in this young season. That level of ice time with those kinds of line mates in this kind of matchup make Batherson impossible to ignore at his price. He can be used as a one-off in any format or as part of a stack in tournaments.

Jordan Eberle (NYI vs. N.J.)

DraftKings – $5,100

FanDuel – $5,300

The Islanders are fond of sending out their second line, or even their fourth line, against the opposing team’s top lines. That leaves Eberle and his line mates to feast on the depth of the opponent. Tonight’s opponent does not have much depth, with their top-line center still injured and the rebuild underway. The Canadian winger isn’t shooting much early on with just five in three games, but he has never been a big shot-volume guy, and the Devils look to be a weak defensive team again. That puts Eberle firmly on our draft list tonight. Just be aware that Josh Bailey is out for the Islanders, and that may change up their lines a bit through the day.

Jake DeBrusk (BOS vs. PHI)

DraftKings – $4,700

FanDuel – $4,800

With David Pastrnak on the shelf and Boston’s right wingers taking some punishment in general, there has been movement on the top line. The latest iteration sees DeBrusk skating there. This is one of the best spots to be in the league, and DeBrusk still being priced as if he’s skating on the second line is a benefit to us. Boston hosts a Philadelphia team that is missing their top-line center, and that swings the pendulum in the favor of Boston’s top line. The Bruins winger is fine to use all by himself in cash games but is unlikely to have a big night without his line mates also having a big night. In that sense, using him as part of a Bruins stack in tournaments is the choice here, rather than as a one-off in cash games.

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NHL DFS Picks: Defensemen

Tyler Myers (VAN vs MTL)

DraftKings – $3,100

FanDuel – $3,700

Roles can change fast in the NHL, and the role for Myers has certainly changed quickly for Vancouver. He was playing down their lineup in their first couple games, skating about 18 minutes a night. But that has climbed over 20 minutes in each of his last three games, averaging nearly 22 minutes in that span. He is now on what is effectively the shutdown defense pair, and that means more ice time. He is not an offensive dynamo, but in a matchup against a shot-happy team like Montreal, the shot-block bonus on DraftKings is well within reach. He is a fine, cheap option for the blue line in any format.

Thomas Chabot (OTT vs WPG)

DraftKings – $6,300

FanDuel – $5,300

There is simply too much ice time here for Chabot to go unmentioned. He played over 27 minutes in his first game of the season and is averaging over 25 minutes a night. While his peripherals like shots (five) and blocks (four) aren’t sterling, as mentioned in the section on Batherson, this is about as good a matchup as exists in the NHL. Chabot playing 25 minutes against one of the worst defensive teams in the league puts him firmly on the radar for cash games tonight. He may see a lot of ownership in GPPs because of this ice time and matchup, particularly on FanDuel because of his price, so be cautious about using him in tournaments. Fantasy players will need to look at ways to get different elsewhere in the lineup.

NHL DFS Picks: Goalie

Thatcher Demko

DraftKings – $7,200

FanDuel – $7,200

Braden Holtby played last night for Vancouver, so it should be Demko tonight. He is one of the cheapest goalies on the slate and also figures to face among the highest shot volume. That combination is right in the wheelhouse for anyone looking to win tournaments, so Demko should be high on the priority list for GPPs.

Connor Hellebuyck

DraftKings – $7,600

FanDuel – $8,400

The winner of the top goaltender trophy in 2020, Hellebuyck is truly one of the top net minders in the league. Playing behind a porous defense can mean a lot of shots against, and shot volume is great for tournaments. Hellebuyck’s price keeps him out of the top-end options for the night, and that puts him firmly on our radar in any format.

Top Fantasy Hockey Stacks

Montreal 1 – Tatar – Danault – Gallagher

Boston 1 – Marchand – Bergeron – DeBrusk

Value Fantasy Hockey Stacks

Tampa Bay 3 – Coleman – Gourde – Goodrow

Montreal 3 – Armia – Kotkaniemi – Toffoli

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Author

Michael Clifford

Michael has been writing about fantasy hockey for over a decade, and has been playing Daily Fantasy for just as long. He has contributed to both the Chicago Tribune and the Boston Herald, has worked for Rogers Sportsnet in Canada and is now in his fifth season with Stokastic. He lives in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, and can be reached on Twitter @SlimCliffy.