NHL Daily Fantasy Picks and Helper: Saturday 2/24/24

NHL DFS is similar to MLB in terms of how you build lineups, how you view stacking, and how to value players.

Two main points to always focus on in NHL DFS are what lines the players are on and making sure the goalies you are rostering are confirmed as the starters.

Two of the best resources for that are LeftWingLock.com and DailyFaceOff.com. That is where you can find updated forward and power-play lines for each team, along with which goalies are confirmed as the starters.

Using our projections -- which are powered by numberFire -- as a guide, let's take a look at today's slate to find a goalie, some stacks, and value plays for your NHL DFS lineups on FanDuel.

NHL DFS Picks

Goalie to Target

Joey Daccord, Seattle Kraken ($7,900)

Though Joey Daccord ($7,900) hit a rough patch in early February, I'm still inclined to use him tonight based on overall form -- and matchup.

Daccord's own performance has merited him 4.79 goals saved above expectation (GSAx) over the past 30 days, which is the 11th-best mark in hockey in that time frame. In the concurring period, the Seattle Kraken have ceded the ninth-fewest expected goals (xG) per 60 minutes (2.83) as a team.

With that box checked, Daccord and the Serps face a Minnesota Wild team that isn't a bad balance of shot volume and goal-scoring danger. Minnesota ranks 11th in Corsi per 60 minutes (62.6) over the past 30 days. It should help that the Wild played yesterday to deaden the legs a bit.

Overall, FanDuel Research's player projections have Daccord pegged as their top overall goalie with 22.1 FanDuel points at a mid-range salary. He's a hard option to turn away from if not committing to the slate's highest-salaried netminder, David Rittich ($8,300) of the Los Angeles Kings, in a sublime spot.

Stacks

Los Angeles Kings

One of the primary reasons I'm looking away from Rittich? I might want four of his skaters instead.

The L.A. Kings draw the lowly Anaheim Ducks in a spot where they're projected to flourish in all phases. Anaheim has posted the fewest xG per 60 minutes themselves (2.11) in the past 30 days, and they've allowed the fifth-most on the other side of the ice (3.44). To add insult to injury, John Gibson has been the league's fourth-worst goalie in his own right over the past month (-4.28 GSAx).

One of L.A.'s appeals all year is their stackability, but it's gotten a bit trickier as they've mixed and match through a dry spell offensively. We'll still be able to look at Adrian Kempe ($7,600), Anze Kopitar ($6,900), and Drew Doughty ($5,800) on the top line at 5-on-5 and the power play, but this trio is now joined by Alex Laferriere ($4,000) at even strength for the time being.

Personally, I'd expect the Kings to put Quinton Byfield ($5,600) back on the first line before too long -- just as he still is on the power play. He'd be my choice for a fourth selection when salaries are pretty reasonable across the board here.

Vegas Golden Knights

Quietly, this slate has a ton of elite goaltending. Bargain-bin options like Jacob Markstrom and Kaapo Kahkonen reside top 20 in GSAx over the past month, and it made finding a second stack a bit difficult.

I do think that the Vegas Golden Knights merit some consideration despite not being a top-shelf option in a vacuum. Vegas is actually dealing with a boatload of injuries at the moment, which while hurting overall efficiency does help concentrate where the scoring could happen.

Plus, the Ottawa Senators are no strangers to shootouts due to their poor goalkeeping. Joonas Korpisalo is one of three goalies performing even worse than Anaheim's Gibson in the past 30 days (-5.81 GSAx).

I'd target this group's lead power play at present. That includes Jon Audy-Marchessault ($7,800) and William Karlsson ($6,400) from Line 1, Chandler Stephenson ($4,900) and Michael Amadio ($3,800) from Line 2, and Shea Theodore ($7,000) from the blue line.

If you have the salary, four of NHL DFS' top offenses -- the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Edmonton Oilers -- do play on the slate and could break through in tougher matchups, but Vegas is the other spot-specific team to keep in mind.

Value Skaters

Brent Burns, D, Carolina Hurricanes ($5,900)

Speaking of the Hurricanes, I'll keep writing up their lead defenseman so long as he's under the unofficial "value" demarcation of $6,000.

Brent Burns ($5,900) has such an excellent role that it's a bit of a mystery why his production has been so inconsistent. Burns has just four points this month in eight total games, but he plays on the Canes' lethal top even-strength and power-play lines behind some of the NHL's most productive forwards. His TOI average (23:36 in February) isn't lacking, either.

Carolina is definitely worth consideration tonight despite the imperfect matchup. While the Dallas Stars have clamped down to allow the third-fewest xG per 60 minutes in the past month (2.74), their goaltending still hasn't been ideal. Jake Oettinger has posted -1.36 GSAx in the period, and Scott Wedgewood has been even worse.

Burns is projected for 10.7 FanDuel points in tonight's tilt. I'll take the over.

Jonathan Drouin, W, Colorado Avalanche ($4,600)

When it comes to role not matching salary, Jonathan Drouin ($4,600) might be the only one who has Burns beat.

Drouin has consistently played atop Colorado's lead 5-on-5 and power-play pairing for the past month alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, and while he's no All-Star, the ingredients for a solid game on a given night are there. The former No. 3 overall pick is pounding a 20:16 TOI average this month, and he's taken at least three shots in three of nine tilts during February.

Yet, Drouin has only four assists for four points during this period. That'll turn around at some point.

Admittedly, I really dislike this spot for the Avs in general. Even at home, Toronto cedes the seventh-fewest xG per 60 over the past month (2.80), and Ilya Samsonov has shaken off his early-season slump (and then some) with 4.61 GSAx in the period.

Nonetheless, Drouin's status as a one-off option is pretty solid playing next to such high-caliber chance-creators.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.