NHL Daily Fantasy Picks and Helper: Thursday 2/15/24

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

Ilya Samsonov, Leafs ($7,600)

It's not too comforting to look at the numbers of Ilya Samsonov ($7,600) and want to roster him, but there are few factors going his way tonight.

Samsonov has been much better of late. He's won five of his last six games and allowed just 1.83 goals per game in that stretch.

The Toronto Maple Leafs aren't a terrible defensive team, ranking 15th in expected goals (xG) against per 60 minutes, according to Natural Stat Trick. This can allow Samsonov to not have to do too much, especially against non-elite offenses.

Tonight's opponent doesn't possess an elite offense. The Philadelphia Flyers are 21st in goals per game and have the second-worst power play in the league.

Samsonov at $7,600 is a nice salary for a goalie who is a -170 favorite and has an implied team total below three goals.

Stacks

New York Rangers

The New York Rangers experienced a dip in their play just before the All-Star break but now have turned things around. They've won five games in a row and are in a good position to make it six.

Artemi Panarin ($8,900) leads the team in every offensive category this season. He's also seventh in the league in goals and eighth in points. He's been centered by Vincent Trocheck ($7,300) for the majority of the season, who has 47 points in 53 games this season. These two have been dynamic on the power play, which is the fifth-best unit in the league.

The other player on this line is Alexis Lafreniere ($5,500), who is having the best season of his career so far. He's linked up nicely with two all-star caliber players on this line.

The Rangers are at home tonight against the Montreal Canadiens. Montreal allows the third-most xG per 60 minutes and also the third-most scoring chances per 60.

New York's implied team total is the highest on the slate at 3.85 goals, so I like playing this line if you can fit it into lineups.

Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators have quietly been on a roll. They've won seven of their last 10 games, including four in a row. They're also seventh in the league in goals per game.

We saw Brady Tkachuk ($8,600) go off for a hat trick on Tuesday. He now has 25 goals this season, the most on the team. Drake Batherson ($6,600) is tied for second behind him, and he links up with him on the first power-play unit. Josh Norris ($6,200) is the center on this line and is looking to get back to the pre-injury form that saw him score 35 goals in just 66 games in 2021-22.

Ottawa dominated a soft matchup on Tuesday, and they have another one tonight. They'll play the Anaheim Ducks, who are fresh off losing 5-0 to Montreal on Tuesday. The Ducks allow the fifth-most goals per game and the second-most xG per 60 minutes.

The Sens only trail the Rangers in implied team totals on this slate, so I'd be happy to get them into lineups tonight.

Value Skaters

Connor Bedard, C, Blackhawks ($4,000)

This is cheating a bit, as Connor Bedard ($4,000) was not expected to return this early from his injury. However, all signs point to him being in the lineup tonight.

It's a no-brainer type of play because Bedard's salary was close to the $7,000 range before he got hurt. He still leads the Chicago Blackhawks and all rookies in points despite not having played since early January.

It's not the best matchup against a Pittsburgh Penguins team that is solid defensively, but the value is too good to pass up.

Andrei Kuzmenko, W, Flames ($3,900)

Andrei Kuzmenko ($3,900) hit the ground running with his new team, scoring in his first two games. He's earned a role on the top line and power play for the Calgary Flames.

If there's ever a spot for Kuzmenko to have success, it's tonight. The Flames will play the San Jose Sharks, who are coming off the second night of a back-to-back. San Jose still allows the most goals and xG per 60 minutes in the league.

Kuzmenko scored 39 goals last season, and while he's regressed, he's definitely worth playing tonight in this matchup.

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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.