RotoBallers, welcome back to our daily fantasy hockey (NHL DFS) lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings. Below you will find our NHL cheat sheet - DFS lineup picks, sleepers and stacks for Saturday, March 18 of the 2016/2017 NHL season.
Another action packed Saturday in the National Hockey League with two early games and eight more on the main slate. Just two teams(NYR, ANH) are playing a back to back with three teams(DET, STL, ANH) playing their third game in four nights.
We should be expecting some high fantasy scores tonight as eight of the Top 10 offenses will be on the ice. Let's dig in and take a look at some top value plays from the main slate.
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NHL Daily League Lineup Picks for Saturday, March 18
For those that are new to this, each day we'll be providing you with a few of our top DFS lineup picks for daily league cash games on FanDuel and DraftKings. We will also provide you with one of our favorite teams to stack for GPPs. You can grab the rest of our Premium DFS lineup picks and stacks through the NHL Cheat Sheet and DFS Premium Pass below.
Alex Galchenyuk (C, MTL)
DraftKings - $5,400, FanDuel - $5,900
The Habs have regained the top spot in the Atlantic Divison winning seven of their last 10 games. Galchenyuk has provided big value over that time with points in two straight and eight of his last nine games. All for a price under $6K on both sites against a team he has tallied three points against in two prior meetings. He is safe in all formats.
James Neal (W, NSH)
DraftKings - $5,000, FanDuel - $6,500
He is in play on both sites having scored in three straight games but is a much better value on DraftKings at $5,000. While his shots on goal totals are slightly down from the last few years, he still ranks inside the top 50 in shot attempts per 60 minutes which helps create a safe floor for cash games to go with some nice GPP upside.
Alex Pietrangelo (D, STL)
DraftKings - $5,700, FanDuel - $5,400
A very consistent option in the mid range of slary on both sites. On top of providing multiple shots and blocks in five of his last six games, he has also provided offensive upside with eight points over his last 10 games. He is an elite PTS/$ play in all formats.
Stacking Option
Edmonton Oilers - Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Patrick Maroon
The Oilers have turned things around this season and sit in the heat of the Western Conference playoff race. Not only has a 10th ranked defense helped but a 12th ranked offense has also played a huge role headlined by franchise player, Connor McDavid. He finds himself in a dead heat for the NHL lead in points with Brad Marchand, Patrick Kane, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. He is coming off a three-assist game vs. the Bruins and gets a nice matchup tonight vs. the Canucks and their 23rd ranked defense. Draisaitl and Maroon make nice stack compliments with nine and six points respectively over their last 10 games played.
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Bonus: General NHL DFS Strategy Notes
For cash games, look at players who can contribute to your score even when they are not providing offense. Some examples are guys who take a ton of shots and defensemen who block a lot of shots. Also, look for guys who get power play time. You can find value in players who join a new line due to an injury, or just get a promotion and more ice time. It is also recommended to spread out your exposure to three or four different lines, and not put all your eggs in one basket.
For large field tournaments (GPPs), find payers who have multi-point upside and can grab double-digit fantasy points. If you want to stack the most upside in your forwards, a common strategy is to punt the defense position. This doesn't mean just grab anyone - try and look for a defenseman who will get power play time, or a playing time boost due to an injury. For a contrarian approach, paying up at the defense position can be a great strategy - but it also comes with more risk. GPPs bring a great opportunity for goaltenders in the value price range - you can look for backups on good teams.