NHL DFS Playbook January 22nd: Top DraftKings and FanDuel Picks
Published: Jan 22, 2024
Monday's 6-game NHL slate is loaded with top-tier scorers featuring a great matchup as J.T. Miller and the Vancouver Canucks face Seth Jones and the Chicago Blackhawks. 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 January 22nd
DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts
The matchups are going to push ownership up for Vancouver and Los Angeles today, with them both having soft matchups. In cash games loading up on those teams will make a lot of sense. Players like J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Anze Kopitar, Trevor Moore and Drew Doughty will make a lot of sense. In GPP's I would be looking to Florida and Boston as teams that could have big nights to mix in with the Vancouver and Los Angeles players.
Recommended DFS Starting Goalies,
Top Options for Saves
Juuse Saros vs Florida Panthers
Anthony Stolarz vs Nashville Predators
Connor Ingram vs Pittsburgh Penguins
Best Odds for a Win
Thatcher Demko vs Chicago Blackhawks
David Rittich vs San Jose Sharks
Tristan Jarry vs Arizona Coyotes
Favorite Goalies to Use for DFS Lineups
Connor Hellebuyck G, Winnipeg Jets
Hellebuyck at this price is some serious disrespect from DraftKings. He has a 0.931 save percentage on the road this season, and the Jets are one of the best teams in the league. I am happy to buy in at this price.
Logan Thompson G, Vegas Golden Knights
Over the last two weeks, Vegas has given up less than two goals per game. Thompson has won four of his last five games, and he hasn't given up more than two goals in any of those wins. I think he is a solid choice for GPP's today, as he doesn't come at a high price, and I don't expect him to see a lot of ownership against the Devils in New Jersey.
Thatcher Demko G, Vancouver Canucks
While I would have expected Demko to have gotten the night off, it looks like he will get the start against a Chicago team that has averaged 1.33 goals per game over the last two weeks. Wins are never safe in the NHL, but the odds of Vancouver winning this game are going to be very high.
Recommended DFS Skaters
Highest Expected Goal Totals
Vancouver Canucks vs Petr Mrazek (4.2)
Los Angeles Kings vs Mackenzie Blackwood (4.1)
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Connor Ingram (3.2)
Favorite Skaters to Use for DFS Lineups
J.T. Miller, C, Vancouver Canucks
Miller continues to be a stud for Vancouver. He has points in four of his last five games and six points in that span. His ownership is likely going to be high, facing Chicago, but I wouldn't let that deter you from using him today in either cash or GPP games.
Phillip Danault D, Los Angeles Kings
It is never a bad idea to play the second-line players when the game might be lopsided as the top line often gets a rest. Danault has four points in his last four games, and he should be in a good spot to have a solid night tonight against the Sharks.
Trevor Moore, W, Los Angeles Kings
The floor for Moore is among the best in the league, as he shoots a lot. In a great matchup against the Sharks, those shots could be goals and that would mean a big night.
Alexandre Carrier, D, Nashville Predators
The Panthers are one of the teams that shoots the most in the NHL. Carrier leads the Preds in blocked shots this season and presents a reasonably priced blocked shots option with him blocking three shots or more in two of his last four games.
Player Pool
| $ Tier | C | W | D | G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High |  J.T. Miller  $9,500 |  Matthew Tkachuk $8,400 |  Quinn Hughes $8,000 | Thatcher Demko $8,700 |
| Medium |  Anze Kopitar $7,200 | Trevor Moore $7,000 | Drew Doughty $6,100 |  Connor Hellebuyck $8,400 |
| Low | Phillip Danault $5,900 |  Pavel Dorofeyev $4,800 |  Alec Martinez $5,800 |  Logan Thompson $8,200 |
Stacks
| Canucks | Elias Pettersson | J.T. Miller | Filip Hronek |
 DraftKings | 8500 | 8000 | 4900 |
| Fanduel | 10000 | 9500 | 5700 |
| Kings | Trevor Moore | Drew Doughty | Phillip Danault |
| DraftKings | 6000 | 5400 | 4600 |
| Fanduel | 7000 | 6100 | 5900 |
| Panthers | Brandon Montour | Sam Bennett | Matthew Tkachuk |
| DraftKings | 5000 | 5400 | 8000 |
| Fanduel | 5200 | 6100 | 8400 |
Player News
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told reporters that Zach Eflin (lat) is likely to return and start Sunday against the Angels
It was assumed that Eflin would be back this weekend, but now we have a concrete date. The 31-year-old may not be at full strength after throwing fewer than 60 pitches in his rehab start, but the Orioles feel confident enough to have the right-hander back on the bump for the series finale against the Angels.
Riley Greene is not in the lineup for the first game of a doubleheader against the Rockies on Thursday.
Greene will get a break and likely return to the lineup for the second game of the twin-billing. Zach McKinstry will get the start in left field while Greene rests.
Panthers released TE Jordan Matthews.
Matthews converted to tight end a few years ago and hasn’t made much noise at the position. The change has, however, likely kept him in the league for a few more seasons. He appeared in four games with the Panthers last year but didn’t record any stats on offense. The Panthers also released or waived WR Dax Milne, C Andrew Raym, and TE Colin Granger.
Yu Darvish (elbow) is facing live hitters on Thursday.
Darvish has been throwing bullpen sessions and traveled to the team’s complex in Arizona to face live hitters on Thursday. It will be his first time facing live batters since a spring training appearance on March 13th. He will likely need a few sessions like this before the Padres can map out a rehab appearance timeline for him.
Adael Amador is starting at second base and batting ninth for the Rockies on Thursday.
Amador has now started three of the last four games at second base for the Rockies. He’s gone just 7-for-43 this season with 15 strikeouts in 16 games. He’s just 22 years old, so there is plenty of time for him to adjust to the MLB level, but he doesn’t need to be on redraft radars right now.
Jackson Holliday is playing second base and batting second for the Orioles on Thursday against the Twins.
With Cedric Mullins sitting out on Thursday, Gunnar Henderson will bat lead off, and Holliday will jump up from sixth in the order to second. Holliday is riding a hot streak right now, and the Orioles are taking advantage. This is likely just a one-game sample with no Mullins or Adley Rutschman in the lineup, but Rutschman has been struggling, so perhaps it could become a more permanent spot in the lineup for Holliday moving forward.