Saturday's 12-game NHL slate is loaded with top-tier scorers featuring a great matchup as Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers face Matthew Tkchuck and the Florida Panthers. We should expect lots of tight games with some great matchups out there, but expect some of the top scorers to shine through still. So, be sure to check in with our NHL DFS Tools, with the daily NHL projections, and our NHL lineup generator when building those lineups today to help you decide which players you should be targeting!

 

NHL DFS Playbook December 16th

DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts

With there being 12 games today, the strategy for cash games and GPP's could vary quite a bit. There is good reason to focus on the New Jersey Devils with their matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets, as you have one of the highest-scoring teams in the league facing one of the worst teams. In a cash game, I think this is a sensible strategy, and in a GPP you could even go with a full game stack, given Colombus just scored six times against Toronto earlier in the week, and New Jersey isn't a great defensive team. The Edmonton vs Florida game should be of interest as well as both of those teams have allergies to defence also. In a GPP, I would want to consider stacking Columbus as they will likely not see a lot of ownership and hope they score a bunch of goals again, and then try and get yourself a McDavid, Matthews or a group of top players in good matchups to push you over the top.

Recommended DFS Starting Goalies,

Top Options for Saves

Sergei Bobrovsky vs Edmonton Oilers

Tristan Jarry vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Joey Daccord vs Los Angeles Kings

Best Odds for a Win

Vitek Vanecek vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Semyon Varlamov vs Montreal Canadiens

Martin Jones vs Pittsburgh Penguins

Favorite Goalies to Use for DFS Lineups

Tristan Jarry, G, Pittsburgh Penguins

While the Penguins have struggled this season, it hasn't been because Jarry hasn't played well. He will face a Toronto team that has been averaging more than four goals per game over the last two weeks, but his risk is baked into the price, and he has upside with Toronto also averaging 36 shots per game on goal.

Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg Jets

Hellebuyck has been great for the Jets. He has won four straight starts, and he hasn't given up more than two goals in five straight starts. Facing the Avalanche isn't an ideal matchup, but in a GPP he is well worth the risk, especially at his price.

Semyon Varlamov, G, New York Islanders

This is a great matchup for cash games. It looks like it will be Varlamov who gets the start, but either way it should be a solid play. Montréal has struggled as of late and this should be a game the Islanders win at home.

Recommended DFS Skaters

Highest Expected Goal Totals 

New Jersey Devils vs Daniil Tarasov (4.0)

Edmonton Oilers vs Sergei Bobrovsky (3.8)

Dallas Stars vs Jordan Binnington (3.6)

Favorite Skaters to Use for DFS Lineups

Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers

After a slow start to the season, McDavid has come back to remind us that he is the best player in the league. He has multi-point games in eight of his last nine games, and at least a single point in eleven straight games. This is a great matchup against the Panthers tonight, so I wouldn't hesitate to use him in all lineup types.

Nazem Kadri, C, Calgary Flames

We have also seen Kadri's play really pick up. He has six points in his last five games, and he has three five-shot games in that stretch as well. He will be facing a Lightning team that has been in the bottom third of the league for most of the season in goals against so this could be a good spot to use Kadri.

Gabriel Vilardi, W, Winnipeg Jets

Vilardi is coming off a monster game against his former club, and it will be interesting to see if he can carry that momentum forward and you will get him at a value price. 

Noah Dobson D, New York Islanders

Even after a game where he didn't put up points against the Bruins, I continue to see Dobson as a go-to choice especially facing Montreal. He has had seven points in his last five games, and he should be in a position to get more again today.

Player Pool

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