COVID protocol has been making a strong onset through the NHL in the past week or so. Keeping an eye on new is imperative to succeeding at NHL DFS. Following these Twitter beat writer lists are 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 Friday, Jan. 21.
NHL DFS Picks, Top Stacks & Lineup Optimizer Plays
Center
Matt Barzal (NYI vs. ARI): DraftKings – $5,900 | FanDuel – $6,200
Barzal is an all-around solid pivot. He has great vision and playmaking abilities and can snipe with the best of them. The Isles have dealt with a ton of injuries and COVID issues, but they are almost fully healthy now. The Coyotes have been a defensive turnstile all season, and it is another good night to pick on them. Barzal and Anders Lee have been very good possession-wise for a couple seasons now. Together they carry a 53% Corsi and 2.93 expected goals per 60 while creating 32 scoring chances per 60 and over 14 high-danger chances. It does not really matter what line they match up with because the Coyotes defense has been awful and their penalty kill is the third worst in the league. Barzal and Lee correlate on the top power play, but Zach Parise plays on the second unit. If not using Parise, adding in Noah Dobson is a strong play on the blue line.
Barzal is in the top five Centers popping up in the Awesemo NHL lineup optimizer. For all of Awesemo’s free NHL DFS picks tonight, check out the DraftKings NHL cheat sheet and FanDuel NHL cheat sheet.
Evgeni Malkin (PIT at CBJ): DraftKings – $6,600 | FanDuel – $6,700
The Penguins are almost fully healthy, and they have a pretty deep roster. Since returning Malkin has 5 points in five games. His shot volume has not been through the roof, but that will come in spurts. His playmaking and visual abilities are still phenomenal, and he gets a great matchup tonight. Malkin will likely see the Jackets second line most of the night. Targeting Patrik Laine has always been a successful endeavor. The Jackets second line has a small sample of just under 100 minutes, but that sample is pretty awful: 37% Corsi-for, 44 shots against per 60, 3.07 expected goals against. Laine is a defensive liability, and Jakub Voracek is an aging veteran. Look for the Penguins to capitalize on the matchup.
Tyler Seguin (DAL at DET): DraftKings – $4,900 | FanDuel – $5,000
Seguin becomes an interesting play because he carries center designation while playing second-line winger. Seguin was always a shot volume player but has fallen off over the last year. Lately he has been shooting the puck a ton, though (14 shots on goal in last two games), and with a matchup against the Red Wings tonight he can continue getting pucks on net. Detroit ranks 29th in team Corsi, 23rd in expected goals against, and they are bottom five in scoring chances and high-danger chances. The top line looks best because they will stay away from Dylan Larkin, but the second line is in a fine spot as well. Ownership should be pretty suppressed from the Stars second line compared to their top line.
Winger
Nikita Kucherov (TB at ANH): DraftKings – $8,200 | FanDuel – $9,800
Kucherov will likely be the chalk tonight, but for good reason. He has multiple points in four games straight while averaging almost five shots a game in that span. The Ducks are in the middle of a rebuild, which brings inconsistencies. In the past 10 games at five-on-five the Ducks are 30th in expected goals against, 27th in shots against, 25th in shots against per 60 and 26th in high-danger scoring chances against per 60. Their penalty kill has been very good (fourth), but over the last 10 games they have fallen off as well. The Lightning will be playing downhill hockey tonight, and Vegas seems to agree, giving them the highest team total on the night.
Kirill Kaprizov (MIN at CHI): DraftKings – $8,000 | FanDuel – $9,400
Kaprizov continues to amaze everyone with his super shifty, highlight-reel goals. Over the last 10 games, he has chipped in 15 points while averaging four shots on goal. He gets a great matchup against the lowly Blackhawks, who have struggled at every turn to find their own offense. The Hawks are giving up almost 3.5 goals against per game, and they have a bottom-10 penalty kill. Minnesota’s top line has been dominant, with a 56% Corsi-for, 3.42 expected goals per 60, 39 shots created and 14 high-danger chances. The Hawks will have their hands full tonight, and Kaprizov will be one of the big reasons why.
Jason Robertson (DAL at DET): DraftKings – $6,700 | FanDuel – $8,300
Robertson has been overshadowed by Kirill Kaprizov, but he has quietly been a phenomenal prospect for the Stars. After missing a couple games, Robertson came back yesterday like he never left. Though it was against the Sabres, Robertson lit the lamp twice, chipped in an assist and rifled off five shots on goal en route to a 36.8-DraftKings-point night. Detroit has struggled with their rebuild, and they will also have their hands full tonight. The Stars top line has been dominant at five-on-five all year, with a 57% Corsi and 3.14 expected goals. Look for the Stars to continue their strong play tonight.
Defensemen
Kris Letang (PIT at CBJ): DraftKings – $7,300 | FanDuel – $7,400
Letang is the highest-priced defenseman tonight, and it will hurt to pay that salary, but he is in one of the best spots as well. Letang is averaging over 25 minutes of ice time a night, and he plays in every situation. Quarterbacking the top power play provides exposure to all three lines for the Penguins, with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel on the top line, Malkin on the second line and Evan Rodrigues on the third. Letang has averaged over six shots/blocks per game over the last 10, and Columbus has allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing defensemen over the last month
Noah Dobson (NYI vs. ARI): DraftKings – $5,700 | FanDuel – $5,600
Dobson makes for a strong mid-range play and a great addition to an Islanders stack. Over the last 10 games, he is averaged 23 minutes of ice time to go along with 4.5 shots/blocks per game. He does not hesitate to block shots, and he can push pace and get involved in the offense as well. He quarterbacks the top power play, and with the Coyotes’ third-worst penalty kill in the league, he makes for a strong play.
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DAL 1: Jason Robertson – Roope Hintz – Joe Pavelski
Dallas caught a reality check last night, beating the Sabres 5-4. Dallas’ top line played phenomenally, and they are in a good spot again tonight. Awesemo has them as the best leverage stack on the night, with an 8.6% leverage score. With Robertson back healthy, the Stars top line is phenomenal — 57% Corsi and 3.14 expected goals, 38 shots created per 60, 34 scoring chances per 60 and almost 17 high-danger chances. The high-danger chances are pretty massive for a five-on-five metric. Being that they are playing on the second of a back-to-back, they should go somewhat overlooked with all the other big-money stacks. Detroit ranks 29th in team Corsi, 23rd in expected goals against, and they bottom five in scoring chances and high-danger chances. It is a good night to go back to the well with the Stars top line.
*Additional Data from Natural Stat Trick
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