DraftKings, FanDuel Daily Fantasy Hockey Picks (12/16/23): Today's Top NHL DFS Lineups

11 months ago by Brandon Wampler

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Welcome, RotoBallers! If you do not know me, my name is Brandon and I write both The First-Serve and The Kick-Off for tennis and soccer, respectively. If you have not checked those out, make sure you do! 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 on Saturday, December 16, 2023, at 7:00 PM EDT. Be sure to also check out our 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 Twitter/X @df_solutions, or in our premium Slack chat. Good luck, RotoBallers!

NHL DFS Analysis and Picks for 12/16/23

We have finally made it! The 2023-2024 season is upon us and we welcome the next generational talent, Connor Bedard, to the front and center! With many big moves over the offseason -- Karlsson to Pittsburgh -- and many signings during free agency, this season will make for yet another interesting race to Lord Stanley!

Tonight we have a twelve-game slate and seven teams playing on a back-to-back: New York Rangers, Nashville, Boston, New York Islanders, Dallas, Arizona and Buffalo. The currently live top-3 highest implied team totals are: New Jersey with 4, Dallas with 3.6 and Toronto with 3.6. I will do my best to guide you through this twelve-game slate on DraftKings and FanDuel starting at 7:00 p.m. EDT.

DISCLOSURE: Make sure to monitor the NHL news feeds for the latest player status and injury news.

DraftKings and FanDuel Goalies - NHL DFS Picks

Andrei Vasilevskiy - DK $7.8K || FD $7.8K

Opponent - Calgary Flames

There are a few optimal choices in net tonight, however, Vasilevskiy takes the cake. The veteran netminder has been wildly inconsistent since his return from injury and the bulk of that can be chalked up to a poor defense in front of him. Throughout his last five starts, he has a 4-1 record with a 2.19 Goals Against Average and a 0.930 Save Percentage. On the slate, the Flames are the fifth-worst effective team in terms of Shots Per Goal Per 60, leaving plenty of room for a respectable floor and ceiling for Vasilevksiy.

Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):

Talbot (DK $8.2K || FD $8.2K)
Montembeault (DK $7K || FD $7.5K)

Want more NHL DFS tools and content? Our NHL Premium package includes our daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Research Station, Lineup Optimizer and access to our VIP Discord Chatrooms. Doug Shain (@BanksterDFS) joins the NHL team in 2023 with his proven track record - join in on the winning!

Back to back @DraftKings Fantasy Hockey World Championship trips! Let’s get the main prize this year! Thank you to @banksterdfs for the amazing daily fantasy content! @NHL pic.twitter.com/dONSvJMtIR

— 🇺🇦Shockmain (@Shockmain) January 6, 2023

DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NHL DFS Picks

Nico Hischier- DK $4.5K || FD $6.1K

Opponent - Columbus Blue Jackets

The Jackets cannot keep up with the injuries this season once again losing winger Patrik Laine for up to six weeks. This only boosts Nico Hischier and the Devils. In the center’s last five games, he has 2 goals, 3 assists, 10 shots and 7 blocked shots. Not only is he producing on the score sheet, but he is also adding valuable peripherals to his game. The Blue Jackets are the second-worst in Shots Against, the fourth-worst in Scoring Chances Against and the third-worst in Goals Against – all Per 60.

Brayden Point - DK $7.2K || FD $7.9K

Opponent - Calgary Flames

Tampa Bay may finally be back and it seems like Point also catching fire is not a coincidence. The center has 1 goal, 2 assists, 5 shots and 2 blocked shots in his last three games. In the five games prior, he had 1 goal, 13 shots and 4 blocked shots. Yes, he had a higher volume of shots in that stretch, however, there was nothing to show for it. Luckily, tonight he has another good matchup in Calgary. The Flames are in the bottom half of the league in Scoring Chances Against Per 60 and they are the fifth-worst in Goals Against Per 90. Furthermore, expected starter Dan Vladar is the fifth-worst goalie in Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60 when considering all goalies who have played 120 minutes or more this season. Plus, Vladar has a 1-3-1 record in his last five starts along with a 3.37 Goals Against Average and a 0.891 Save Percentage. Point and company are expected to have a relatively good night tonight.

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):

Crosby (DK $7.6K || FD $9.3K)
Duchene (DK $5.3K || FD $6.3K)

DraftKings and FanDuel Wings - NHL DFS Picks

Jesper Bratt - DK $6.5K || FD $8.3K

Opponent - Columbus Blue Jackets

Bratt is unsurprisingly leading the Devils in points only behind Jack Hughes. The winger has produced 4 goals, 3 assists and 18 shots in his last five appearances. He and centerman Nico Hischier are the perfect one-two when building lineups. Hischier offers the salary savings and is also the primary playmaker for Jesper Bratt who is still ‘affordable’ considering his production and matchup.

Rickard Rakell - DK $3.6K || FD $4.4K

Opponent - Toronto Maple Leafs

Rakell is the ‘easiest’ lock of the night. The winger may finally be making his return from a lengthy injury stint to only find himself on the number one chance-producing line in the league, the Pittsburgh Penguins top line. In the five games before Rakell was injured, playing on a line with Reilly Smith and Evgeni Malkin, Rakell had 1 assist, 9 shots and 3 blocked shots. Rakell has just four assists in 17 games this season after being a main secondary producer for the Penguins last year. This is an optimal spot for the winger to finally break his point slump and kickstart his production in a friendly matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):

Nugent-Hopkins (DK $5.6K || FD $6.4K)
Barre-Boulet (DK $3.3K || FD $3.6K)

DraftKings and FanDuel Defensemen - NHL DFS Picks

Luke Hughes - DK $4.2K || FD $4.5K

Opponent - Columbus Blue Jackets

Despite the matchup, Hughes is nothing more than a ‘boom-or-bust’ play. The defender has yet to become a peripheral player and only has real value with point production, something that has slowed down as of late. Throughout his last five appearances, he has 1 goal, 1 assist, 5 shots and 2 blocked shots. As mentioned, the Blue Jackets are struggling to gain any traction anywhere and this is as good of a matchup as they come for Hughes.

Kevin Shattenkirk - DK $3.5K || FD $3.6K

Opponent - New York Rangers

On the flip side, Kevin Shattenkirk has plenty of experience being a peripheral player while producing at the same time. The two-way defenseman has 1 goal, 2 assists, 7 shots and 8 blocked shots in his last five games. The bulk of this production has come in his last three games since he took over teammate Charlie McAvoy’s role – McAvoy is currently suspended –. In a rivalry matchup with the New York Rangers tonight, Shattenkirk should ‘easily’ maintain value.

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):