NHL Daily Fantasy Picks and Helper: Tuesday 11/14/23

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

Logan Thompson, Vegas Golden Knights ($8,800)

Logan Thompson has quietly become one of the NHL's best goalies and should be in your lineups tonight.

The 26-year-old returned to the ice this season after injuries forced him to miss the latter half of the Vegas Golden Knights' title run, but it's no secret he was a big reason they got to the playoffs to begin with.

He's shown his dominance between the pipes already this year, going 5-1-0 with a 2.31 goals against average (GAA) and .923 save percentage. Thompson's most impressive work has come in goals saved above expectation (GSAx), ranking 9th in the NHL at 6.52.

Thompson and the Golden Knights will be taking on the Washington Capitals tonight, a matchup that should be beneficial to the netminder's daily fantasy prospects.

The Capitals have turned their season around from their brutal start, but they're still a team that we don't need to be afraid of. Washington has a 57.72 Corsi For (Total Shot Attempts Created) per 60 minutes -- ranking 22nd in the NHL. The puck isn't going into the net all that much, either, for the Capitals. In 13 games, they're averaging just 2.28 goals per 60 minutes.

Ultimately, the Capitals create enough opportunities for Thompson to post a good night, and that's really all we are looking for on such a big slate with no clear matchup jumping off the page.

Thompson is the top-projected goalie of the slate, per numberFire's model, and is projected to finish with 21.2 FanDuel points.

Stacks

Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers are taking on the San Jose Sharks, so it's only right we ride with them tonight.

Florida has been an elite offensive unit thus far, following up on their Stanley Cup Final run from the 2022-23 campaign. The Panthers are second in Corsi For at a 68.64 clip, creating opportunities that should be tough for the Sharks to stop. They've averaged just 3.12 goals per night (19th) but have the 6th-ranked Expected Goals For (3.51). With numbers like that, things should begin to fully click for Florida.

If there's a team that should help things click, it's the bottom-of-the-league Sharks.

San Jose has a 74.65 Corsi Against (Total Shot Attempts Allowed) per 60 minutes -- the worst in the entire league. The defense has been nothing but brutal for the Sharks, and that has led to a league-high 4.38 Goals Against, giving the Panthers all they're going to need to make it count tonight.

The Sharks will also send out Mackenzie Blackwood. It's tough to blame Blackwood due to the limited help he has in front of him, but he's sitting at a 2-7-1 record with a 4.00 GAA and .900 save percentage. He's a guy you can beat this season.

Let's stack the Panthers. It should all start with the duos on the top two lines. Sam Reinhart ($10,100) and Aleksander Barkov ($7,100) play on the first line for the Panthers while Matthew Tkachuk ($8,600) and Carter Verhaeghe ($6,400) are on the second. All four forwards are on the top power-play unit, giving them all major chances for big offensive opportunities tonight.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Taking on the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Pittsburgh Penguins are set for a strong night.

The Blue Jackets have struggled in the first month of the year, putting together a 4-7-4 record. Little success has led to plenty of offense for opposing teams. Columbus has been bad on defense with a 69.88 Corsi Against, which is the second-worst mark in the NHL. They've also allowed 3.41 goals per night -- the 11th-most but still under their expected number of 3.61.

Pittsburgh stacks up nicely, ranking top five in both Corsi For (67.67) and GSAx (3.73) while their goals-per-game average is the seventh-best in the NHL (3.52).

The Penguins have the third-best implied total of the nine-game slate (3.64), according to numberFire's heat map.

As it goes with stacking the Penguins, the expected names are the ones you want in DFS lineups. Sidney Crosby ($9,300) and Jake Guentzel ($8,400) play on the top line and top power-play unit. Crosby is projected for 19.9 FanDuel points, tops on the Penguins.

Evgeni Malkin ($8,500) and Reilly Smith ($6,000) also make up part of the top power play and are paired on the second line. Erik Karlsson ($7,400) should get a look on defense, as well.

Value Skaters

Elias Lindholm, C, Calgary Flames ($5,500)

Everything about Elias Lindholm makes him a quality value for the slate.

The Calgary Flames' center is set up for success as they take on the Montreal Canadiens.

Lindholm is averaging 21:10 time on ice, centering the first line and the top power-play unit for the Flames. He's been able to put together only 2 goals, 6 assists, and 8 points over his first 14 games, but as a former 82-point scorer, he should be able to figure things out soon.

His average of 2.71 shots per game and his usage on the Flames set him up for success, and he's due after four straight scoreless games.

numberFire's model has Lindholm projected for 15.1 FanDuel points.

Pavel Buchnevich, W, St. Louis Blues ($4,800)

Coming off a hat trick, Pavel Buchnevich is a value skater we can turn to once again.

Buchnevich posted three goals on Saturday night, with one coming on the power play and the other two coming shorthanded. Overall, the winger has four goals, three assists, and seven points in 11 games.

It's taken a while for him to get going this season, but he's averaging 2.36 shots with 17:38 time on ice per game. The 28-year-old forward plays left-wing on both the first line and the top power play, giving him plenty of chances to deliver for DFS. With four points over his last two games, he could be catching fire.

Buchnevich is projected to finish with 13.5 FanDuel points, per numberFire.

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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.