DFS Lines to Target: 01/29/20
The NHL is slowly winding back up to full speed post All-Star break, with six games on the slate tonight. I’ve highlighted my top high-priced and value stacks of the night below. Good luck!
High-Priced
Tampa Bay 1 – @Steven Stamkos ($7,600), @Brayden Point ($6,100), @Nikita Kucherov ($8,400)
You’ll have to pay an arm and a leg for this stack tonight, but there’s no denying Tampa Bay 1 is the top line to target on the slate. Stamkos, Point, and Kucherov are on a roll at 5v5, averaging 36 scoring and 13 high-danger chances per 60. The three have done nothing but produce since being reunited on Tampa’s top line a few games ago. They’ve combined for a remarkable eight goals and seven assists across their last four games, and they seem poised to keep things rolling tonight.
More often than not, the Kings opt to use the @Anze Kopitar line against the opposition’s best on home ice. 2019-20 has been a bit of a renaissance for Kopitar, who has 17 goals and 26 assists on the year, but his line’s performance at 5v5 remains mediocre at best. Kopitar, @Alex Iafallo, and @Dustin Brown have struggled to sustain offensive zone time, posting a rather uninspiring 48.90 xGF% at 5v5. They can have a hard time getting out of their own end against elite competition, which is exactly what they’ll be facing tonight. Add in the potential power-play production along with the Kings’ sub-par goaltending, and it’s easy to get excited about Tampa Bay 1 tonight.
Value
Vancouver 1 – @Tanner Pearson ($4,500), @Bo Horvat ($5,900), @Loui Eriksson ($2,900)
While plenty of DFS players will be on Vancouver 2 tonight, it would be unwise to overlook the Horvat line. While his line’s offensive production pales in comparison to that of @Elias Pettersson, Horvat is creating a ton of scoring chances at 5v5. With Pearson and Eriksson on his wings, Vancouver’s top-line is averaging a robust 33 scoring and 13 high-danger chances per 60. They surrender their fair share of scoring chances in the process, but they remain a safe bet to produce in cushier matchups, like the one they’ll see tonight.
Recently, Sharks interim head coach Bob Boughner has opted to use a mix of his first and third lines against opposing top-sixes. While the @Tomas Hertl line is a serious offensive threat, they too surrender a lot of quality chances to the opposition, not unlike the Horvat line. That kind of high-event matchup leaves Vancouver 1 with tremendous upside considering the low asking price. The few minutes of ice-time they’re expected to see against the Sharks’ third line, centered by @Dylan Gambrell, only boosts Vancouver 1’s potential production tonight. At $13,300 for the full stack, you won’t find better value on tonight’s slate.