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, November 12, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Be sure to also 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!
NHL DFS Analysis and Picks for 11/12/24
Tonight, we have a seven-game slate and one team playing on a back-to-back, Los Angeles. Tonight’s slate offers value at the wing position, unlocking more expensive options at both the center and defense positions.
The currently live top three highest implied team totals are Seattle with 3.8, Edmonton with 3.7, and Vancouver with 3.7. I will do my best to guide you through this seven-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
Connor Hellebuyck - DK $7.6K || FD $7.3K
Opponent - New York Rangers
Connor Hellebuyck is having a potential career year right now and has a 5-0 record over his last five starts. He has a 1.4 Goals Against Average and a 0.950 Save Percentage in that timeframe. He also has a 0.75 Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60 on the season.
Over the season, in Per 60 stats, the New York Rangers are in the top ten in Goals and Shots. Using the same metrics in their last five games, they are a bottom-ten team in both categories.
40 CAREER SHUTOUTS 🧱
Connor Hellebuyck records his 40th career shutout after blanking the Avalanche 👏 pic.twitter.com/JrI0nj5M8R
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 8, 2024
As mentioned, the Rangers are struggling now but still firing shots on the net. If Hellebuyck can get settled in early, he has the potential to break the slate.
Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):
- Stolarz (DK $8.3K || FD $7.6K)
- Binnington (DK $7.3K || FD $7.1K)
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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
Connor McDavid - DK $9.3K || FD $8.7K
Opponent - New York Islanders
Can Connor McDavid reach 1,000 points at home and become the fourth-fastest to 1,000 points in the league’s history? The young captain is far from expectations to start the season, especially considering how close he and the Oilers got to winning the Stanley Cup last season.
In his most recent five appearances, he has one goal, four assists, and 15 shots. After missing three games due to what was a week-to-week injury, McDavid returned to go pointless in a 4-2 home loss to the Vegas Golden Knights to then register one goal and two assists in a 7-3 win at Rogers Arena.
The New York Islanders' metrics in their last five away games look much better than they genuinely are, considering they only faced one team in the league's top half, the New York Rangers. McDavid mentioned that he was hungry to return to the ice and pick the Oilers up and has not disappointed. McDavid is expected to produce at least two points in this prime matchup.
Sam Bennett - DK $6.8K || FD $6.7K
Opponent - New Jersey Devils
Sam Bennett is having another productive start to the season. He is coming off his second-best season in the league last year when he produced 20 goals and 21 assists in 69 games. In the center’s last five games, he has two goals, three assists, 12 shots, and two blocked shots.
Over the season, in Per 60 stats, the New Jersey Devils are just outside the bottom ten in Goals Against. However, looking at their most recent five away games, they are the fifth worst in Goals Against.
Despite their efforts to mitigate goals and offense against, their goaltending is not holding up. Bennett and company are expected to see Jack Hughes’s (DK $8.4K || FD $8.2K) line, the worst defensive line for the Devils. At what is expected to be sub-ten percent ownership, Sam Bennet has the potential to ship a GPP.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Norris (DK $4.8K || FD $5.1K)
- Stephenson (DK $4.3K || FD $4.6K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Wings - NHL DFS Picks
Jonathan Lekkerimaki - DK $3K || FD $4.2K
Opponent - Calgary Flames
Jonathan Lekkerimaki has received the call every player looks forward to his call-up to the big leagues. The Swedish winger is expected to slot into the top line to replace the injured Brock Boeser.
“Try to enjoy the moment and have fun. Very excited.”
🗣 Hear from Jonathan Lekkerimäki following Sunday's practice after getting called up from Abbotsford. pic.twitter.com/pJ2vWSlb8F
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) November 10, 2024
In seven games for Lekkerimaki in his second season with the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL, he has five goals and two assists. Throughout each level of hockey, the youngster has found success. It remains to be seen if he can do the same at the top level.
The Calgary Flames are playing well enough to remain in the conversation in the West Conference; however, they are not worth writing home about. For $3K on DraftKings and a potential top-six role and second power-play unit role, Lekkerimaki becomes the top value play of the slate. Calgary will also be playing on a back-to-back, their first game of the road trip.
Jaden Schwartz - DK $2.9K || FD $4.4K
Opponent - Columbus Blue Jackets
Jaden Schwartz is not in the same form he once was in St. Louis. However, that does not warrant reducing his salary to almost minimum salary. The winger is now under $3K on DraftKings and has one of the ‘top’ matchups of the slate. Schwartz and the second line are expected to see the second and third lines of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Both of those lines are poor defensively.
In Schwartz’s most recent five games, he has one goal, nine shots, and two blocked shots. At his salary, he does not need to produce a king’s ransom to make and surpass value. The Blue Jackets, in Per 60, stats are seventh worst in Goals Against. In their last five away games, Columbus is a bottom-ten team in both Shots Against and Scoring Chances Against.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Pastrnak (DK $8.5K || FD $8K)
- Hyman (DK $6.7K || FD $6.3K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Defensemen - NHL DFS Picks
Brandon Montour - DK $6.3K || FD $6.6K
Opponent - Columbus Blue Jackets
It wasn’t too long ago that a Seattle defenseman made the ‘Puck Drop’, and that defenseman happened to be Brandon Montour. In that game, he recorded his first natural hat trick with an assist, four shots, and two blocked shots. Throughout his most recent five outings, he has three goals, three assists, 16 shots, and nine blocked shots.
As mentioned, Columbus is poor defensively, and they happen to be at the bottom of the league in Shots Against a defenseman. Montour is ‘expensive’ tonight; however, his floor and potential ceiling could easily make his salary tag well worth it.
Justin Faulk - DK $4.4K || FD $5.1K
Opponent - Boston Bruins
Justin Faulk of the St. Louis Blues is one defenseman who could make lineups jump. He or his teammate Colton Parayko (DK $4.8K || FD $K) are fine options, but Faulk is the more ‘affordable’ of the two. In Faulk’s last five games, he has 14 shots, 13 blocked shots, and surprisingly zero points.
Boston is struggling just as much as St. Louis is right now, and considering that Faulk and the Blues are at home, they are expected to put together a show against the Bs. In a close matchup, Faulk and his shots and shot-blocking skills will be heavily relied upon. Add in his role as a quarterback on the top power-play unit for the Blues, and he is expected to surpass value here.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Bouchard (DK $6.4K || FD $6.4K)
- Ekman-Larsson (DK $4K || FD $5.4K)
NHL DFS Top Power Plays and Stacks
- EDM1
- FLA1
- SEA1
NHL DFS Stacks of the Day
Brandon's Stack
- SEA: Schwartz-Stephenson-Bjorkstrand
Chalk Stack
- EDM: Skinner-McDavid-Hyman
Sneaky Stack
- FLA: Luostarinen-Lundell-Boqvist
NHL DFS News and Injury Alerts
More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis