Today's NHL DFS Lineup Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel (1/2/25)

4 days ago by Brandon Wampler

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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, January 2, 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, and also, Happy New Year!

NHL DFS Analysis and Picks for 1/2/25

Tonight, we have a twelve-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 3 highest implied team totals are Tampa Bay with 4.1, Colorado with 4, and Vegas with 3.9. I will do my best to guide you through this twelve-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

Filip Gustavsson - DK $7.1K || FD $7.2K

Opponent - Washington Capitals

Filip Gustavsson makes it back-to-back articles after his 5-3 win against the Nashville Predators on New Year’s Eve. He recorded 43 saves, a 3.05 Goals Against Average, and a 0.935 Save Percentage in that performance. Over his last five starts, he has a 3-2 record with a 3.23 Goals Against Average and a 0.911 Save Percentage.

Filip Gustavsson made 43 saves in tonight's win over Nashville, the third-highest total of his career. He now ranks third in the NHL with a .924 SV%, T-3rd with 17 wins and fourth with a 2.28 GAA. #mnwild pic.twitter.com/IjRp6GxZLo

— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) January 1, 2025

Furthermore, in his last ten away starts, he has a 1.35 Goals Against Average, a 0.945 Save Percentage, and a 0.63 Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60.

The Washington Capitals are a dangerous team, and many may scratch their head as to why Gustavsson would be the highlighted goalie. After all, in their last ten home games, in Per 60 metrics, the hosts are a top three team in Expected Goals, Scoring Chances, and High-Danger Chances.

However, Gustavsson remains one of the league's top goalies in most metrics, and at $7.1K on DraftKings, he doesn’t need a bushel of saves to make value.

Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):

Woll (DK $7.7K || FD $7.6K)
Kochetkov (DK $7.2K || FD $7.3K)

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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

Nathan MacKinnon - DK $10.3K || FD $9.1K

Opponent - Buffalo Sabres

Several options are on the slate tonight at the center position, especially for ‘CASH' purposes. However, Nathan MacKinnon is the optimal option. Despite being the highest-salaried player–albeit by a few hundred–he can be the highest-scoring player on the slate.

In his last five games, he has one goal, ten assists, 18 shots, and nine blocked shots. Furthermore, in their last ten away games, Buffalo is a bottom-ten team in all meaningful metrics Per 60.

Expected Sabres starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (DK $8.8K || FD $7K) posts solid numbers and will not make it easy on MacKinnon and the Avalanche. If the center can get going early, expect him to keep his point streak alive with another big performance.

Sam Bennett - DK $5.9K || FD $6.7K

Opponent - Carolina Hurricanes

Sam Bennett ‘could’ be a sneaky play, thanks to the abundance of games on the slate. Searching for high-ceiling potential centers was a ‘cakewalk’, however, searching for peripheral centers was not quite as enjoyable. This led us to Bennett.

In his last five outings, the center has 14 shots and three blocked shots. His lack of points is highly concerning, considering he has just one point in his last nine games and three in his last eleven.

Luckily for Bennett, Pyotr Kochetkov is expected to start for the Carolina Hurricanes. In the netminder’s last ten away starts, he has a 3.30 Goals Against Average, a 0.859 Save Percentage, and a -0.86 Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60. Carolina plays well defensively, but as long as Kochetkov continues to play poorly, all opposing teams have the chance to bag goals at will.

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):

Point (DK $8.8K || FD $8.7K)
Scheifele (DK $7.2K || FD $7.8K)

DraftKings and FanDuel Wings - NHL DFS Picks

Jake Guentzel - DK $8.1K || FD $7.8K

Opponent - San Jose Sharks

After being a last-minute scratch for the Lightning in their 5-2 loss to Montreal on Sunday, Jake Guentzel is projected to be back, but still worth monitoring before the puck drops. In the winger’s last five games, he has three goals, three assists, 14 shots, and two blocked shots. He has arguably the best matchup on the slate tonight, playing a league-bottom San Jose Sharks team.

In their last ten games without splits, the Sharks in Per 60 metrics against are a bottom-ten team in both High-Danger Chances and Goals and the worst team in both Shots and Scoring Chances.

Furthermore, in their last ten home games, in Per 60 metrics against, they are a bottom-ten team in both Shots and Expected Goals. They are also the second worst in Scoring Chances. Considering the defense, even if Guentzel is banged up, he is still expected to produce at least two points and four shots.

Artturi Lehkonen - DK $5.6K || FD $6.5K

Opponent - Buffalo Sabres

Arturri Lehkonen is picking up steam and quickly. Over his last five appearances, he has four goals, ten shots, and four blocked shots. His four goals have all come in his last two games as well.

Despite the goal production, his shot volume is very concerning, considering he is playing with the already-mentioned Nathan MacKinnon. Nevertheless, Lehkonen remains in an optimal role in a high-scoring offense and has an optimal matchup.

14 goals in just 26 games on the season for Artturi Lehkonen!#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/YaQVZLi4eg

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) January 1, 2025

As mentioned, the Buffalo Sabres are nothing to write home about defensively, relying heavily on their goaltending. If Lehkonen and the top line for the Avalanche can get going early, he has the opportunity to surpass value quickly.

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):

Voronkov (DK $4.9K || FD $5.9K)
Benn (DK $4.1K || FD $5.9K)

DraftKings and FanDuel Defensemen - NHL DFS Picks

Erik Brannstrom - DK $3.2K || FD $4.3K

Opponent - Seattle Kraken

The former first-round pick, Erik Brannstrom, has a peculiar situation on his hands after falling out with his drafted team, the Ottawa Senators. He signed a one-year deal with Colorado this summer and was traded to Vancouver months later.

He now finds himself in complete control of Vancouver’s defense and power play with teammate Quinn Hughes out with an injury. In Brannstrom’s first two games serving as the team’s go-to defenseman, he has one assist, four shots, and four blocked shots.

Hughes is considered week-to-week at the moment, and as long as he remains out, Brannstrom will remain the Canucks’ quarterback on their top power-play unit. For only $3.2K on DraftKings, his role on the blueline projects him to maintain value and more.

Ty Smith - DK $3K || FD $4.4K

Opponent - Florida Panthers

Keeping the value train at full steam has Carolina Hurricanes defender Ty Smith returning for back-to-back articles. Smith did not disappoint in the 4-3 loss at Columbus on New Year’s Eve, posting one goal and two shots. That was Smith’s first goal and point at the NHL level since seeing time with Pittsburgh in 2022.

As mentioned in the New Year’s Eve article, Smith will remain on Carolina’s top power-play unit until teammate Shayne Gostisbehere returns from injury, which isn’t anytime soon. The Florida Panthers remain a streaky team on both sides of the puck. For only $3K on DraftKings and manning the top power-play unit for a high-powered Canes offense, sets up Smith in any matchup to, at a minimum, make value.

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):