NHL Daily Fantasy Picks and Helper: Thursday 1/18/24

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.

Let's jump in and take a look at today's slate, find a goalie, some stacks, and some value plays for your NHL DFS lineups on FanDuel.

NHL DFS Picks

Goalie to Target

Joonas Korpisalo, Senators ($6,600)

There's no sense in beating around the bush -- Joonas Korpisalo ($6,600) has been legit bad this year.

The Ottawa Senators signed him off the back of a good season with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings when he had the 15th-best goals saved above expected per 60 minutes in the NHL. This season, he's the seventh worst in that metric.

So, why are we interested in playing him tonight? Well, the salary is near the minimum for a goalie, and he's a favorite tonight. Ottawa is actually a sizable favorite, currently listed as -184 on FanDuel Sportsbook.

The matchup is a good one for Korpisalo against the Montreal Canadiens. Montreal played last night, so some fatigue is likely to set in. They are also not generally a matchup to fear, having scored the fifth-fewest goals per game in the NHL.

Although it may not be a comfortable click to insert Korpisalo into your lineups, it does leave room for flexibility elsewhere. If you want a safer option, you could go with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen ($7,900), but the salary is significantly higher.

Stacks

Buffalo Sabres

While the snow caused the Buffalo Sabres to have to wait a day to play this game, they are still in an excellent spot tonight.

They haven't been nearly as fun to stack this season as they were last season when they were third in the league in goals. This season, they are down in 22nd in goals per game.

Tage Thompson ($7,800) was the main man last season but has seen a dip in production this season. That's why his salary is much lower. He still has 14 goals and 27 points in 34 games and has a high shot-attempt rate of 21 attempts per 60 minutes.

He's playing with Alex Tuch ($6,900) and Zach Benson ($4,000) at even strength and with Tuch on the power play. Tuch is fourth on the team in goals (12) and points (30), and he's a pretty good value for this salary. Benson is a talented rookie getting a chance to show what he can do with the best forwards on the team.

The Sabres are hosting the Chicago Blackhawks tonight. Chicago was one of the least talented teams heading into the season and has suffered a ton of injuries. Overall, they are in the bottom 10 in most defensive metrics, including allowing the fourth-most goals per game.

Buffalo has an implied team total of 3.28 goals, and with this stack's low total salary, it's easy to fit in with some high-upside players.

Vancouver Canucks

Surprisingly tied for the most points in the league, the Vancouver Canucks are also the highest-scoring team in the NHL. They've still made changes to their lines and now have their best forwards playing together.

J.T. Miller ($9,500) leads the team with 60 points, which is good for fourth in the league. Not too far behind him is Elias Pettersson ($9,800) with 58 points. Brock Boeser ($8,400) leads the team with 27 goals, so all of these players contribute to goals and fantasy points.

They'll play at home tonight against the Arizona Coyotes. Arizona has been better than expected this season, but they still rank in the bottom 10 of scoring chances against and high-danger chances against per 60 minutes.

The Coyotes have been propped up by good goaltending from Connor Ingram this season, but that could go up in flames against this ruthlessly efficient Canucks team. Vancouver carries the second-highest implied team total of the night at 3.69 goals, and this line arguably has the highest upside on the slate.

Value Skaters

T.J. Oshie, W, Capitals ($4,400)

T.J. Oshie ($4,400) got a bump in salary from where we saw him on Tuesday, but it's still too low. He's still on the top line and top power play for the Washington Capitals and is in a good spot tonight.

Washington will face a St. Louis Blues team that has allowed the sixth-most expected goals per 60 for this season but the most per 60 in the last two months. Oshie now has points in three straight games and could easily pick up multiple points tonight.

Ridly Greig, C, Senators ($4,600)

The injury to Josh Norris has allowed Ridly Greig ($4,600) to step into the role of the top-line center for Ottawa.

Greig was a former first-round pick in 2020, so he definitely has some talent. He displayed that on Tuesday, scoring twice, and now has five points in his last four games.

Ottawa has the third-highest implied team total of the night. Greig gets to play with talented wingers Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux at even strength, so he definitely makes for a good value at just $4,600.

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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.