DFS Lines to Target: 11/07/19
It’s a heavy 11-game Thursday slate in the NHL tonight. Some of the best DFS matchups see the Flames hosting the Devils, while the Flyers have a new-look first line to face the Canadiens. There’s plenty of value to be found, so I’ve highlighted my top high-priced, medium-priced, and value stacks to help you out.
I had Vancouver’s elite second line as my high-priced stack against the Blues on Tuesday, so I didn’t opt to go with them tonight. They were shut down in that low-scoring affair, and I really like their chances of rebounding against a struggling Chicago squad tonight. Feel free to keep riding that Canucks train.
High-Priced
Calgary 1 – Johnny Gaudreau ($6,700), Sean Monahan ($6,400), Elias Lindholm ($6,500)
After Calgary head coach Bill Peters ripped into the play of his team after their overtime win over the Coyotes on Tuesday, I expect this top line to be among many Flames players that turn in a big performance against the Devils tonight. Lindholm has been very consistent and is on an eight-game point streak with five goals and five assists in that span, while Monahan and Gaudreau are also playing very well and have been close to a point-per-game through 16 games.
The Devils have been one of the worst defensive teams this season, allowing 3.69 goals per game. They also have a very poor penalty kill that is operating at just 75.5 percent efficiency. I see great potential for Calgary’s hot top line to do major damage at both even-strength and on the power play against the Devils. As a trio, this line been one of the best possession lines in the NHL with a 55.26 CF% together in over 178 minutes of ice this season. They have averaged 37 shots on goal in their last five games and should produce nicely against Mackenzie Blackwood, who has a .891 save percentage this season.
Medium-Priced
Philadelphia 1 – James Van Riemsdyk ($6,200), Claude Giroux ($6,200), Joel Farabee ($4,200)
The Flyers recently put together a lethal new first line that looked dangerous in their last outing against Carolina. Joel Farabee and Claude Giroux both scored in that game and each had five shots on goal. Giroux is heating up with back-to-back multi-point outings, while Farabee has scored twice in his last three games and his speed is creating tons of chances. JVR is priced a little high considering he’s been held to just one assist in his last four games, but he’s produced when playing alongside Giroux this season. He and Giroux have a 57.74 CF% in over 80 minutes of ice time together this season.
The Habs come into this game with a penalty kill that is ranked second-last in the NHL with 68.9 efficiency. Giroux is a power-play monster and leading a lethal Flyers power play that is among the best in the NHL with a 24.1 efficiency rate. Carey Price is an elite goaltender, but he’s allowed seven goals in his last two starts and sports a .910 save percentage on the season. Giroux’s line also has a good even-strength matchup against the Max Domi, Joel Armia and Jonathan Drouin line. This trio has played almost 70 minutes together this season, and while they generate lots of scoring chances (75 CF ), they also give up lots of chances (67 CA) and aren’t known for their defensive play.
Value Stack
Ottawa 3 – Vladislav Namestnikov ($4,000), Artem Anisimov ($3,100), Tyler Ennis ($3,000)
Ottawa is typically a team to stay away from DFS, but I see good value with their third line against an equally as poor defensive team. Namestnikov has been heating up with five goals and 10 points in 12 games since the trade from New York. His potential was highlighted by a recent monster performance against the Rangers in which he scored a power-play goal, added an assist, fired three shots and contributed four hits and two PIM. Ennis, meanwhile, has scored three of his goals this season in the last five games.
The Kings are allowing four goals-per-game and have lost their last two meetings with Ottawa. The Jean Gabriel-Pageau line is going to get the Anze Kopitar matchup, so this line will be seeing the Dustin Brown line. Namestnikov and Ennis play on the power play, while Anisimov scored 14 of his 15 goals last season at even-strength and is back to full health after missing a large portion of October with a lower-body injury. Jack Campbell is starting in goal for the Kings over the struggling Jonathan Quick, but even he isn’t playing well with 11 goals allowed over his last three games. Considering the Senators have played better at home than on the road this season, I think this this line produces some points against this lackluster Kings defense.