DFS Lines to Target: 12/12/19
It’s a heavy 12-game Thursday slate in the NHL tonight. I’ve highlighted my top high-priced, medium-priced and value stacks to help you out. Best of luck!
High-Priced
Toronto 2 – William Nylander ($5,300), Auston Matthews ($7,800), Kasperi Kapanen ($3,300)
Toronto’s second line has a solid matchup tonight going up against Calgary’s Dube, Monahan and Backlund line. Neither of these Flames players have played with each other very much, but in a 51:55 sample size last season, Backlund and Monahan had an underwhelming 39.47 CF%. Nylander and Matthews meanwhile have terrific chemistry and have a 57.50 CF% in over 400 minutes of ice time this season.
Matthews is catching fire with three goals in his last two games and should be able to keep rolling against a Calgary team giving up close to three goals per game. While Kapanen doesn’t play on the first power-play unit like Matthews and Nylander do, he’s been a steady even-strength contributor with eight goals and 18 total points in 32 contests. This line should be able to get on the board against David Rittich, who has given up seven goals in his last two starts.
*Note: I originally listed Pittsburgh 1 as my high-priced stack, but have updated this to reflect news Evgeni Malkin is sick and will NOT play vs CBJ
Medium-Priced
Winnipeg 2 – Nikolaj Ehlers ($5,900), Blake Wheeler ($6,600), Mathieu Perrault ($2,800)
I had this stack listed in this same slot Tuesday against the Red Wings, and Wheeler delivered with a goal and an assist while Ehlers helped out with a helper. The only difference this time is Matthew Perrault is now playing with Ehlers and Wheeler instead of Jack Rosolvic. Considering Patrik Laine comes with a heavy $8,100 price tag for the rematch, I see no reason not to ride this second line again tonight.
Detroit is in the middle of a 12-game losing streak and have surrendered four or more goals in all but one of their last 11 games. They are struggling mightily defensively and Winnipeg’s second line has been the Jets’ best at 5-on-5. Wheeler and Ehlers own a 54.35 CF% together and will see a mix of Detroit’s second and third lines, both of which are being outchanced at 5-on-5.
Value Stack
Carolina 3 – Ryan Dzingel ($3,400), Lucas Wallmark ($3,100), Martin Necas ($3,000)
Carolina’s third line comes at a nice price tonight going up against the Canucks’ second and third lines. They’ll have a hard time controlling play against the Miller, Pettersson and Boeser line, but they should be able to do some damage against the Canucks’ third line. Gaudette and Virtanen have posted a lackluster 38.46 CF% in over 50 minutes of ice time together this season, while this Carolina trio has an impressive 58.24 CF% in around the same sample size.
Dzingel had a goal and five shots in his last outing against Edmonton and plays on the first power-play unit. Wallmark has points in back-to-back games, while Necas has 16 points in 27 games and will be playing in his second game back after returning from a lower-body injury. This line will also benefit from facing goaltender Jacob Markstrom, who has suffered back-to-back losses and surrendered three goals in each of those contests.