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 Thursday, December 19, 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 a nine-game slate and two teams playing on a back-to-back: Philadelphia and Vancouver. Tonight's slate offers value across the board, offering creativity when building lineups.
The currently live top-three highest implied team totals are Colorado with 4.1, New Jersey with 3.8, and Tampa Bay with 3.6. I will do my best to guide you through this nine-game slate on DraftKings and FanDuel starting at 7:00 P.M. EDT.
Linus Ullmark is having as perfect of a last five starts as possible. The netminder has a perfect 5-0-0 record with a 0.975 Save Percentage and a 0.80 Goals Against Average. Furthermore, in the last ten games for all goalies that have played 120 minutes or more, Ullmark is the fourth-best in Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60 with a 1.38.
Calgary is nothing to write about. However, they are in the league's top half in Shots Per 60 and the sixth-worst in Goals Per 60. Over the last ten home games, Calgary has also been a top-ten team in Shots Per 60, and they are the third-worst in Goals Per 60. The Flames are the third-best team when looking for value with Shots Per Goals Per 60. Expect Ullmark to make a case for the top-value goalie of the night.
Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):
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After San Jose's performance Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets, many will be on the Colorado Avalanche, and rightfully so. Considering that Winnipeg's top line did all the damage, Nathan MacKinnon and company will see a large percentage of ownership. In the center's most recent five outings, he has four goals, five assists, 20 shots, and three blocked shots.
The San Jose Sharks, in their last ten games without splits, in Per 60 stats, are a bottom-ten team in High Danger Chances Against, the third-worst in Goals Against, and the worst in both Shots Against and Scoring Chances Against. Expect MacKinnon to produce three shots and two points at a minimum.
Nico Hischier is by no means standing out right now for the New Jersey Devils. However, he continues to be consistent with his shot volume. The center has one goal, one assist, 11 shots, and six blocked shots throughout his last five games. He is also on a two-game point streak with one goal and one assist.
Hischier and the second line of the Devils are also expected to get the optimal matchup when they travel to Columbus. The hosts in their last ten games, in Per 60 stats, are the fifth-worst in High Danger Chances Against and bottom-ten in Scoring Chances Against. A reasonable expectation for Hischier tonight is two shots and one point.
Artturi Lehkonen is the lesser salary of the two wingers that play with the already mentioned Nathan MacKinnon, causing a potential shift of ownership to him to help fit in other players when lineup building. He has four goals, 14 shots, and six blocked shots in his last five appearances.
As mentioned, San Jose is a bottom-five club in all meaningful metrics, and this will also be Colorado's first match against ex-netminder Alexandar Georgiev. Two shots and one point at a minimum is a fair expectation for the young winger.
Oliver Bjorkstrand remains one of the most consistent and productive players for the Seattle Kraken. Within his last five games, he has four goals, two assists, and nine shots. He now travels to Chicago with arguably the best line matchup for the Kraken.
Bjorkstrand is expected to see time against Chicago's fourth, first, and second lines, and all three struggle defensively. As one of three above-average-producing forwards for the Kraken, the winger is expected to be a top producer here. In their last ten games without splits, in Per 60 stats, Chicago is a bottom-ten team in all meaningful metrics and, most notably, the worst team in Goals Against. Furthermore, expected starter Arvid Soderblom has a 0.870 Save Percentage, a 3.73 Goals Against Average, and a -0.7 Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60 in his last ten home starts.
Two-way defenseman Vince Dunn has been a welcomed addition to the Kraken lineup after a lengthy stint off the ice due to injury. In his last nine appearances since his return, he has three goals, four assists, 22 shots, and eight blocked shots. Shockingly, his blocked shots are much lower than expected. However, his shot volume is a bonus.
As mentioned above, Chicago continues to struggle to keep pucks out of the net, and they continue to be a bottom team in Shots Against Per 60 from the point. Dunn will have every opportunity to make his case as the top defenseman on the slate.
Will this be the night Erik Karlsson finally steps up? The veteran offensive defenseman continues to be highlighted in prime matchups and continues to disappoint. In his last five outings, he has three assists, 13 shots, and five blocked shots. His expectations are high as the top power-play unit quarterback for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Luckily, Karlsson averages three shots per game in that same five-game window, excluding the 6-2 Colorado loss at home. The shot volume is there, and it will be a matter of time before he starts collecting points in bulk. As long as he remains under $5K on DraftKings, he is hard to pass up.