NHL Daily Fantasy Picks and Helper: Wednesday 12/27/23

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

Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders ($7,900)

Ilya Sorokin is in a great spot to produce as the New York Islanders face the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Throughout the 2023-24 season, Sorokin has proven to be a major reason why the Islanders have 16-8-9 record and sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division. Over 21 starts, Sorokin has fought to a 10-4-7 record with a meh 3.09 goals against average but very strong .914 save percentage. It gets better with Sorokin as he ranks 11th in the NHL with 10.81 goals saved above expectation.

He's been -- as expected -- one of the best goalies in hockey, and that should match up perfectly against a Penguins team that has done nothing but struggle when it comes to actually getting the puck in the net.

Pittsburgh has an elite Corsi For per 60 minutes -- ranking 5th at a 64.66 clip. But despite all these opportunities, the pucks on net haven't turned into goals. They're averaging just 2.81 Goals For per 60 minutes, good for 26th in the NHL. It's hard to not love Sorokin tonight as plenty of saves should be on the menu.

numberFire's model has Sorokin projected for 20.9 FanDuel points.

Stacks

Toronto Maple Leafs

The high-caliber offense of the Toronto Maple Leafs is the top stack tonight on the 14-game slate.

They enter tonight with an insane -- and slate-best -- 4.11 implied total for a date with the Ottawa Senators. The game is set with an over/under of 7.5 goals, the highest of the slate and one of the highest we've seen all season long. It's all pointing toward wanting Leafs in your lineup, so we're rolling with them.

Toronto has been an offensive powerhouse, ranking ninth with a 62.46 Corsi For per 60 minutes and fourth with 3.49 Goals For per 60 minutes. Defense hasn't been a complete miss by the Senators with a 59.45 Corsi Against per 60 minutes, but they're allowing 3.53 Goals Against per 60 minutes -- the fourth-most in the NHL. That's music to our ears.

Ottawa will play Joonas Korpisalo in net. He has been underwhelming in his first campaign with the team, sitting at a 3.62 goals against average and .891 save percentage. He's allowed four or more goals in five straight games, so the Maple Leafs are getting him at a good time.

Auston Matthews ($10,300) and Mitchell Marner ($9,100) are the top-line duo to ride with, and both William Nylander ($9,800) and John Tavares ($8,300) are strong options, too. For value in the stack, Morgan Rielly ($7,300), Tyler Bertuzzi ($4,400), and Matthew Knies ($3,800) are all viable plays.

Los Angeles Kings

Few offenses have been as good as the Los Angeles Kings' offense this year.

Los Angeles has been a juggernaut offensively, ranking in the top three in both Corsi For per 60 minutes (66.91) and Goals For per 60 minutes (3.5). Unsurprisingly, they could go off tonight against the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks have been the opposite of the Kings in every way. They're 31st with a 70.99 Corsi Against per 60 minutes and are watching their opposition score 3.99 Goals Against, the most in the league.

Kaapo Kahkonen will get the nod for San Jose. His 3.61 goals against average and .899 save percentage certainly could be a lot worse. Still, when you see a goals against average nearing four, it tells us it could be a big offensive onslaught for Los Angeles.

The Kings trail only the Maple Leafs in implied total for today, sitting at a 4.10.

It's easy to stack the Kings. Their top line of Adrian Kempe ($7,300), Anze Kopitar ($7,200), and Quinton Byfield ($5,800) are all projected to have a big night. All three players take up time on the top power-play unit, as well, making them a must if you're looking to stack the Kings.

Value Skaters

Timo Meier, W, New Jersey Devils ($5,200)

After a slow start to the campaign, Timo Meier has finally started to click for the New Jersey Devils.

Meier has played 25 games, totaling 8 goals, 6 assists, and 14 points. The struggles were apparent, especially after the Devils signed him to a big contract. He's expected to come up with important minutes but is averaging just 16:44 time on ice -- his fewest since the 2020-21 season.

He currently takes up a spot on the third line and second power-play unit. That's good enough for a value skater who takes part in such a high-octane offense. The main reason to roll with Meier is that he has scored three goals in his last two games, finding momentum that can carry him forward.

numberFire's model is projecting Meier to finish with a strong 13.9 FanDuel points.

Johnny Gaudreau, W, Columbus Blue Jackets ($5,100)

It hasn't been the banner-like season that the Columbus Blue Jackets have been looking for, and nothing has been more disappointing than Johnny Gaudreau. All that being said, "Johnny Hockey" is finally turning things around.

Gaudreau has played in 35 games this season and has mustered just 22 points on 6 goals and 16 assists. Not flashy numbers or anywhere close to what they expected from him when signing him in the 2022 offseason, but he's found a hot streak to give us confidence in going with him.

The 30-year-old has a five-game scoring streak, recording seven points over that span. We're riding the wave with Gaudreau as this looks like the turnaround he desperately needed.

Gaudreau is projected to have a good night as numberFire forecasts the Blue Jackets' winger to finish with 13.0 FanDuel points.

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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.