Hey, RotoBallers! I want to introduce myself formally. My name is Jon Irvin. Some of you may know me from the Discord channels and know I love breaking down DFS slates, especially in the MLB and NHL. I enjoy the deep dumpster diving, so to speak, and look forward to helping find the low-owned, overlooked, and unwanted plays.
I predominantly play on DraftKings, so some of my picks are more tailored to their point/price system, but a good spot is a good spot regardless of platform.
Welcome back, my friends, to the show that never ends. We're so glad you could attend. Come inside! Today's DFS content will be for the main slate for both DraftKings and FanDuel for Monday, December 16th, 2024, at 8:00 PM EDT. We have a traditional small 3-game slate today filled with top-end offenses.
DraftKings and FanDuel NHL DFS Picks: First Look Stats
After reading this, jump into the RotoBaller Discord NHL channel and chat with all the other great minds about today's slate. Don’t forget to check out our valuable NHL tools, including the NHL DFS Heat Map. I've begun to implement my personal trend chart. This looks at the average between the L25 and L10, weighing the L10 heavier to help find certain positive or negative trends.
DraftKings and FanDuel Goalies - NHL DFS Picks
Value in net is key on DK with a three-point bonus at the 35-save mark. We can afford to give up an extra goal or two if our goalie can see a steady shot volume against him. Those extra few hundred can get us those top-line forwards.
Jake Oettinger - DK $8.2K || FD $7.8K
Opponent - Washington Capitals
Usually, I scroll straight to the bottom of the player pool to find most of my goalies but tonight is different. Oettinger has been a stonewall at home this year and faces an Ovechkin-less Caps squad, winners of 8 of the last 10 games, who have been holding their own without their captain. Jake comes in tonight with a .926 SV% and a paltry 1.99 GAA at home which should be enough to keep Washington from finding the back of the net.
Others to consider: Logan Thompson (DK $7.2K || FD $7.2K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NHL DFS Picks
Casey Mittelstadt - DK $4.2K || FD $5.5K
Opponent -Vancouver Canucks
If you're struggling to afford the likes of MacKinnon, look down to Casey who has been centering a makeshift COL2 all season and finally has both of his scoring wingers healthy and flanking him behind the terror that is COL1. Mittelstadt gets prime PP1 exposure which only heightens his shared toi with the top Avalance playmakers.
Others to consider: Leon Draisaitl (DK $7.7K || FD $8.6K )
DraftKings and FanDuel Wings - NHL DFS Picks
Vasily Podkolzin - DK $2.5K || FD $3.6K
Opponent - Florida Panthers
Vasily has found a home on the left side of Leo and EDM2. With great home metrics as a full line unit, Podkolzin makes for an extreme value punt with 3 points, 3 sog, and 3 blocks over the past 2 games. With plenty of pay-ups on tonight's slate, we could use a min-priced punt to offset our builds.
Others to consider: Kasperi Kapanen (DK $2.5K || FD $3.5K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Defensemen - NHL DFS Picks
When selecting defensemen, especially on DK, I tend to find players with a high chance at both blocks and shots and not concentrate so much on point dependency.
Mattias Ekholm - DK $4.0K || FD $5.1K
Opponent -Florida Panthers
When searching for a decent floor with a ceiling upside on a nightly basis, look no further than Ekholm. Consistently over 20 mins TOI with exposure to PP and PK units, Mattias contributes on both ends of the ice. Hosting a Panthers team that averages over 30 SF/60 should give him a solid chance at plenty of blocks.
Others to consider: Esa Lindell (DK $3.2K || FD $4.9K)
Here is my top-25 defensemen chart, focusing more on shot and block peripherals to find a safer floor.
JIrv’s Discount Stacks and Sample Lineups
Top Stacks / Spend Ups
COL1 (Lehkonen/MacKinnon/Rantanen)
Value Stacks
EDM2 (Podkolzin/Draisaitl/Kapanen)
COL2 (Colton/Mittelstadt/Nichushkin)
Don't be afraid to go off the beaten path and distinguish yourself from the masses, and as always, good luck, RotoBallers!
NHL DFS News and Injury Alerts
More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis