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 for Thursday, January 25, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. EST. 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!
Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 10% off using code BALLER! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!
NHL DFS Analysis and Picks for 1/25/24
We have finally made it! The 2023-2024 season is just about halfway done as the holiday season closes. There have been some surprises, both good and bad, and generational talent Connor Bedard has not disappointed. With teams still in flux and many unwritten stories yet to take fold, the race to the Stanley Cup is heating up!
Tonight we have a nine-game slate and three teams playing on a back-to-back: Boston, Arizona, and Carolina. The currently live top-three highest implied team totals are: Edmonton with 4.6, Dallas with 4.2, and Calgary with 3.9. I will do my best to guide you through this nine-game slate on DraftKings and FanDuel starting at 7:00 p.m. EST.
DISCLOSURE: Make sure to monitor the NHL news feeds for the latest player status and injury news.
DraftKings and FanDuel Goalies - NHL DFS Picks
Alex Lyon - DK $7.8K || FD $7.9K
Opponent - Philadelphia Flyers
At the top of the goalie range, it is a much clearer outcome; however, the bottom and midrange salaried goalies are not as clear. This leads to value goalies for saves over goalies who can get the win bonus. Alex Lyon of Detroit fits the mold. The netminder has a 3-2 record in his last five games, as well as a 3.00 Goals Against Average and a 0.912 Save Percentage.
The Philadelphia Flyers offer the best Goals Per Shot Per 60 value on the slate, giving way to Lyon as the predicted top-value goalie on the slate. Excluding all splits in the last 10 games and the Flyers are the top team in Shots Per 60, but they are in the bottom half of the league in Goals For Per 60. Lyon is expected to make value here.
Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):
- Montembeault (DK $7.6K || FD $7.5K)
- Vanecek (DK $7.5K || FD $7.1K)
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
Roope Hintz - DK $6.4K || FD $7.6K
Opponent - Anaheim Ducks
The top line of Dallas has officially been unlocked once more and specifically center Roope Hintz. Ever since bench boss Peter DeBoer made the Joe Pavelski and Wyatt Johnston swap, Hintz has been firing on all cylinders. In the last five games for Hintz, he has 5 goals, 2 assists, 16 shots, and 2 blocked shots.
For comparison, in the five games prior without Johnston, Hintz had 2 goals, 3 assists, 7 shots, and 3 blocked shots. Hintz’s performance though comes as no surprise as Johnston is a pass-first player and as long as he is on the top line, Jason Robertson and Hintz will reap the benefits. Excluding splits, in the last 10 games for the Anaheim Ducks, they are in the bottom 10 in all meaningful metrics.
Elias Lindholm - DK $5.4K || FD $6.5K
Opponent - Columbus Blue Jackets
‘Attack Daniil Tarasov, Part Two’! On Tuesday, Tarasov was the expected starter, until Elvis Merzlikins was named the true starter for the Blue Jackets. Now Tarasov is the expected starter again, providing Elias Lindholm and the Flames with one of the best matchups on the slate. In Tarasov’s last five starts, he has a 1-2-2 record with a 3.91 Goals Against Average and a 0.887 Save Percentage.
Furthermore, out of all goalies in their respective team’s last 10 games to play 120 minutes or more, Tarasov is in the bottom 10 with a -0.71 Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60. Excluding splits, in the last 10 games, the Blue Jackets are in the bottom five in both Shots Against Per 60 and Scoring Chances Against Per 60 and they are the second-worst in Goals Against Per 60. Lindholm’s form and trade rumors are simultaneously heating up. In his last five performances, he has 3 assists, 17 shots, and 4 blocked shots. Sitting in the middle of the $5K range on DraftKings, the top line center could be one of the top value plays of the slate.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- McDavid (DK $9.8K || FD $10.5K)
- Pinto (DK $3.3K || FD $5K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Wings - NHL DFS Picks
Seth Jarvis - DK $5.5K || FD $6.4K
Opponent - New Jersey Devils
With teammate and winger Andrei Svechnikov out with another injury, Jarvis is finding himself in an extended look on the top line for the Hurricanes again. In two games since his promotion, he has 2 assists, 6 shots, and 2 blocked shots. Unfortunately, Jarvis is not the shooter Svechnikov is, limiting his ceiling.
However, he is offensively gifted just the same and will continue to see high-danger chances for. Vitek Vanecek is expected to start for the Devils and in his last five starts, he has conceded 17 goals. Jarvis and the Hurricanes are either going to explode for four or more goals or they will get held to one goal or less.
Jonathan Huberdeau - DK $3.7K || FD $4.9K
Opponent - Columbus Blue Jackets
Continuing the spark that has ignited the flame, winger Jonathan Huberdeau makes it into the article in back-to-back runs. In the shocking 4-3 loss at home to the Blues on Tuesday, Huberdeau did not disappoint with 1 assist, 3 shots, and 1 blocked shot. Tonight, he gets an even better matchup with the previously mentioned poor Blue Jackets defense. In Huberdeau’s last five outings, he has 5 assists, 8 shots, and 3 blocked shots. Luckily, the Blue Jackets also concede more Shots Against Per 60 compared to the Blues, setting up Huberdeau for a ceiling-potential performance.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Johnston (DK $4.5K || FD $5.9K)
- Palmieri (DK $4K || FD $5.1K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Defensemen - NHL DFS Picks
Brock Faber - DK $5.5K || FD $5.9K
Opponent - Nashville Predators
Unfortunately, Brock Faber is starting to see a true price adjustment, finally cracking the $5K range on DraftKings. Deservedly so though with 2 goals, 6 assists, 7 shots, and 11 blocked shots throughout his last five outings. The Predators are a much better team away and Faber should see Nashville’s top-six for the majority of the night, leading to a relatively ‘safe’ floor performance. Despite the salary rise, Faber is still ‘underpriced’ in comparison to recent production.
Noah Hanifin - DK $4.1K || FD $5.4K
Opponent - Columbus Blue Jackets
Noah Hanifin is also another Flames player picking up form at the same time as his trade rumors pick up speed. Over his most recent five games, he has 1 goal, 1 assist, 14 shots, and 8 blocked shots. Unfortunately, Hanifin no longer has a power-play role, but he does run the top penalty-kill, which still provides value. In a match against one of the weakest teams in the league, Hanifin is expected to maintain value at a minimum.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Heiskanen (DK $5.4K || FD $6.5K)
- Romanov (DK $3.9K || FD $4.7K)
NHL DFS Top Power Plays and Stacks
- EDM1
- NYI1
- DAL1
- CGY1
NHL DFS Stacks of the Day
Brandon's Stack
- CGY: Huberdeau-Lindholm-Sharangovich
Chalk Stack
- EDM: Nugent-Hopkins-McDavid-Hyman
Sneaky Stack
- NYI: Holmstrom-Pageau-Gauthier
NHL DFS News and Injury Alerts
More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis