DFS Lines To Target: 01/08/20
It’s a typically slow Wednesday night in the NHL with just three games on the slate. I’ve highlighted my top high-priced and value stacks of the night below. Good luck!
High-Priced
Toronto 2 – @Alexander Kerfoot ($4,100), @John Tavares ($7,200), @William Nylander ($6,200)
Much of the talk surrounding Sheldon Keefe’s recent line juggling has centered around @Auston Matthews and @Mitch Marner finally playing together, but it’s also brought another pair of dynamic Leafs together for essentially the first time. After playing less than 40 minutes at 5v5 together last season, Nylander and Tavares are thriving on Toronto’s second line. Understandably, teams are opting to treat the Matthews and Marner line as the Maple Leafs’ best, leaving Tavares and Nylander with some more than favourable matchups against opposing lines and defensive pairs. The two of them are taking full advantage of the opportunity, creating offense at an elite rate. Toronto is averaging a robust 74 shot attempts and 39 scoring chances per 60 with Tavares and Nylander on the ice.
Recent line matching trends suggest the majority of Toronto 2’s 5v5 ice time tonight should come against the @Mark Scheifele line. Winnipeg’s top line is creating offense at an above average rate, but they’re surrendering a ton of chances in their own end in the process. Teams are averaging 32 scoring and 16 high-danger chances per 60 against the Scheifele line this season. Look for Tavares and company to stay hot in this ideal matchup.
Value Stack
Los Angeles 1 – @Alex Iafallo ($4,200), @Anze Kopitar ($5,600), @Tyler Toffoli ($4,400)
@Dustin Brown’s recent injury catapulted Toffoli onto the top line, and Kopitar and Iafallo look better for it. The three leading Kings are grossly outshooting and out-chancing the opposition at even strength. They average 31 scoring and 15 high-danger chances per 60, while surrendering just 16 and nine to their opponents, respectively. They’ve done nothing but dominate play at 5v5 in their short time together, and tonight should be no different.
As you might expect, Kopitar is routinely matched up against the opposition’s best on home ice. Tonight, that means going head to head with the @Tyler Seguin line. Seguin, @Jamie Benn, and @Alexander Radulov are an offensive force at even strength, but like the Scheifele line I mentioned above, they can also be a bit of a liability in their own end. They’re susceptible to being beat off the rush and can struggle to get out of their own end at times. The strong two-way play of the Kopitar line should result in plenty of shots and scoring chances tonight. They’re a safe bet to return value at just $14,200 for the full stack. All three members of Los Angeles 1 also skate on the team’s top power-play unit, giving them that extra bit of upside.