Welcome, RotoBallers! My name is Brandon, and I'll be writing both The First-Serve and The Kick-Off for tennis and soccer. It is the return of the NHL season, which means it's time to sharpen our skills and partake in NHL DFS! As always, I'll give you the best tools to succeed and the info you need to build the best lineups possible for your GPP and cash game NHL contests on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Today, I'll be bringing you my NHL lineup picks, analysis, and advice for NHL DFS contests on DraftKings and FanDuel for Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. EST. Be sure also to check out RotoBaller's awesome NHL tools, including our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, Projections, and DFS Cheat Sheets!
If you have any questions on today's slate, bankroll management, GPP strategy, cash game strategy, or anything else, don't hesitate to email me at [email protected], via X @df_solutions or in our premium Slack chat. Best of luck!
Tonight, we have an eleven-game slate and no teams playing on a back-to-back. Tonight's slate offers value across the board, offering creativity when building lineups.
The currently live top-three highest implied team totals are Carolina with 4.6, Colorado with 3.7, and Edmonton with 3.6. I will do my best to guide you through this eleven-game slate on DraftKings and FanDuel starting at 7:00 P.M. EDT.
Actual value at the goalie position is scarce on tonight's slate. However, Juuse Saros offers a glimpse of a possibility. The Calgary Flames are a top-ten team in Shots Per 60 in their last ten games but are dead last in Goals Per 60. Furthermore, Nashville is in the bottom ten in Shots Against Per 60.
Juuse Saros and the Predators are on a run of poor form and have dropped their last five games. In that time, Saros has a 0.891 Save Percentage and a 2.99 Goals Against Average. However, in his last ten games, he has a 0.41 Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60. Considering Saros is making quality saves, and Calgary is struggling to convert their many chances, the former is in an optimal spot to make value.
Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):
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Sebastian Aho and the Carolina Hurricanes' top line are on a tear, and it is no secret. The center has five assists and 12 shots in his last five games. His shot volume is concerning; however, Aho is a pass-first player, and low shot output comes with the gig. Despite his low peripherals, his point production is elite, and this is yet another premium matchup.
In Per 60 stats against, in the last ten games, the San Jose Sharks are second-worst in both Shots and Scoring Chances. They are also the third-worst in Goals Against Per 60. Expect Aho to produce two shots and two points at a minimum.
John Tavares is picking up steam with three goals, 14 shots, and eight blocked shots in his last five appearances, and he is getting teammate and winger William Nylander (DK $8.4K || FD $7.8K) back on his line. The former's shot production may drop off, but his point production is expected to climb.
The New Jersey Devils are playing better defensively, and their goaltending is starting to show positive regression. However, this meeting is expected to turn into a track meet. The Devils will be busy attempting to shut down the Maple Leafs' top line, leaving the door open for Tavares and company to take center stage.
The next piece of the Carolina puzzle is winger Andrei Svechnikov. He has three goals, three assists, and 14 shots in his most recent five outings. He is undoubtedly the hottest player on the Hurricanes in the short term.
As mentioned above, the Sharks continue to struggle defensively, and now they have just shipped what was their best goalie at the NHL level. Expect Svechnikov to produce five shots and three points.
Patches is back! Max Pacioretty returned from a lengthy lower-body injury in the weekend's 5-2 loss at Pittsburgh. He had one shot in 14 minutes of ice time in the game. Considering he missed an entire month of hockey, any production would be a bonus. The veteran winger now gets slotted in the left-wing position on the top line for the Maple Leafs, putting himself in the best possible situation to produce.
Before his injury, Pacioretty played in 13 games and had two goals, four assists, 24 shots, and five blocked shots. Sitting just above the minimum salary on DraftKings in a prime matchup, he only needs a few shots to make value.
The final piece to the Carolina puzzle is offensive defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere. The veteran defenseman is another Carolina player on a hot run of form with seven assists, eight shots, and six blocked shots over his last five outings. Considering how active 'Ghost' is on and off the puck, one would expect his peripherals to be better than what they are.
Nevertheless, he is playing San Jose, and by this point in the article, all readers know to target the Sharks. For under $5K on DraftKings, Gostisbehere is expected to exceed value.
Finally, a different team and a different matchup. Erik Karlsson and the Pittsburgh Penguins are hosting the sputtering Colorado Avalanche. The visitors are in the bottom half of the league in High Danger Chances Against Per 60, and they are a bottom-ten team in Goals Against Per 60, all in the last ten games.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is showing glimpses of hope, and Karlsson is the quarterback for their top power-play unit. He has been playing improved defense lately, and the peripherals show. He has three assists, ten shots, and nine blocked shots throughout his last five games. As long as he continues to produce peripherals, he will maintain value. In what is expected to be a back-and-forth meeting between these two high-octane teams, expect Karlsson to produce one point, three shots, and one blocked shot.