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The top daily fantasy hockey lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on January 23, 2025. Brandon's NHL DFS goalies, value plays, stacks, and power play picks.
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 23, 2025, 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!
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NHL DFS Analysis and Picks for 1/23/25
Tonight, we have an 11-game slate and two teams playing on a back-to-back: Boston and Columbus. Tonight’s slate offers value across the board, offering creativity when building lineups.
The currently live top three highest implied team totals are Carolina with 4.3, Nashville with 3.8, and Rangers with 3.4. I will do my best to guide you through this eleven-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
Thatcher Demko - DK $7K || FD $7.4K
Opponent - Edmonton Oilers
Thatcher Demko and the Vancouver Canucks are still trying to stand on their skates. In the last five appearances, the netminder has a 1-3 record with a 2.95 Goals Against Average and a 0.862 Save Percentage. Diving deeper into his last 10 away starts, he has a 2.04 Goals Against Average, a 0.911 Save Percentage, and a 0.38 Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60.
The Edmonton Oilers will be playing in their second game without star center Connor McDavid–out due to a three-game suspension–and in their first game without him, they lost 3-2 to the Washington Capitals.
Without McDavid, the Oilers are still generating shot after shot; however, the quality of the shots has dropped, leading to a higher chance of making a save. At $7K on DraftKings and Demko’s actual ability as a goalie, this seems like a potential ‘steal.’
Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):
- Nedeljkovic (DK $8.2K || FD $7.8K)
- Lyon (DK $7.9K || FD $7.7K)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NHL DFS Picks
Sidney Crosby - DK $8K || FD $7.8K
Opponent - Anaheim Ducks
There are too many premium matchups on the slate tonight, which could lead to a wide range of ownership levels for the big names of the slate. With that in mind, it is also important to find players in said matchups who possess a glimpse of a floor. Enter Sidney Crosby. The star center for the Pittsburgh Penguins has one goal, three assists, 14 shots, and five blocked shots over his last five outings.
On the other end of the ice, the Anaheim Ducks remain a bottom-10 team in all metrics against Per 60 when assessing their last 10 home games, and when analyzing without splits, at a per 60 viewpoint, the Ducks are a bottom-5 team.
As normal, their goaltending continues to carry their franchise. The Pittsburgh Penguins are in a very heated Metropolitan battle and need every point they can get. Considering "Sid and the Kids" will see Anaheim’s worst defensive line and their second-worst defender pairing, they are in for a big night.
Steven Stamkos - DK $6.6K || FD $6.1K
Opponent - San Jose Sharks
Steven Stamkos makes back-to-back articles, and it is hard not to when he has arguably the best matchup on the slate. However, on Tuesday, he did ‘underperform’ in Nashville’s best-ever comeback in the 7-5 thriller over the Sharks. The center produced one assist and three shots. Throughout his last five contests, he has four goals, two assists, nine shots, and one blocked shot.
Despite the San Jose Sharks hosting this back-to-back Nashville meeting, they remain the worst team in all metrics against in their last 10 home games, at a Per 60 viewpoint. It remains to be seen if Alexandar Georgiev will start after his collapse on Tuesday. Nevertheless, Stamkos is expected to see the worst defensive pairing for the Sharks, setting him up for endless opportunities.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Larkin (DK $7.8K || FD $7.2K)
- Aho (DK $7.5K || FD $7.4K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Wings - NHL DFS Picks
Andrei Svechnikov - DK $5.8K || FD $6.5K
Opponent - Columbus Blue Jackets
Andrei Svechnikov is still on pace to reach his projections for the season, however, if he does not pick up his production soon, he may not get the chance. In his last five games, he has one goal, one assist, 12 shots, and one blocked shot. Averaging under three shots a game is a rarity for the shoot-first winger, and his salary reflects his current struggles.
One thing to keep in mind, though. Svechnikov was a victim of a major lineup reshuffle that saw him drop down to the third line for the Hurricanes instead of his typical role on the first line. He has now been back on the top line for a game, albeit it being a hard matchup.
Svechnikov now gets a home matchup against a Columbus squad that pulled off a big win last night and is traveling on a back-to-back. The visitors are playing better defensively over their last 10 away games. However, they remain a bottom-10 team in the majority of metrics against. Expect Svechnikov to produce three shots and two points tonight in a big performance.
Marco Kasper - DK $2.9K || FD $4.5K
Opponent - Montreal Canadiens
There are a plethora of big names to pay up for in big matchups tonight, and it will be necessary to find a few ‘punt’ plays or lower-salaried players with the chance of a ceiling performance to make it work. Marco Kasper of the Detroit Red Wings fits that exact need.
The center/winger hybrid continues to cement his role on the top line for the Red Wings and now has two goals, one assist, seven shots, and two blocked shots in his last five appearances.
The Montreal Canadiens continue to suffer and remain a bottom-10 club in all metrics against Per 60 in their last 10 away games, despite their defensive improvements.
Expected starter Sam Montembeault is also not playing well either. In his last 10 away starts, he has a 3.33 Goals Against Average, a 0.871 Save Percentage, and a -0.64 Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60. As long as Kasper continues to be "under-valued," he will remain a hot commodity that unlocks roster construction.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Marchessault (DK $7K || FD $6.8K)
- Rakell (DK $6.9K || FD $7.1K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Defensemen - NHL DFS Picks
Shayne Gostisbehere - DK $4.7K || FD $5.9K
Opponent - Columbus Blue Jackets
Shayne Gostisbehere, or ‘Ghost,’ is back for the Carolina Hurricanes, and he has resumed his role on the top power-play unit as well. In his first five games since returning from his multi-game absence, Ghost has one assist, 10 shots, and eight blocked shots. His point production is not a major concern, as it will come as he gets acclimated to the game again, and his peripherals are better than average.
As mentioned once already, Columbus will be traveling on a back-to-back, and they have improved defensively, but not enough to compete with ‘elite’ hockey clubs. This was proven last night when the Maple Leafs dominated the Blue Jackets despite losing. A similar, if not better, performance is expected from Ghost and the Hurricanes.
Michael Kesselring - DK $3.5K || FD $4.5K
Opponent - Minnesota Wild
Michael Kesselring is strictly reliant on teammate and fellow defender Mikhail Sergachev not playing again. In the former’s last five outings, he has one goal, two assists, 14 shots, and seven blocked shots.
To put into perspective Kesselring’s rise without Sergachev, in the five games prior to his most recent batch, he had zero points, seven shots, and four blocked shots. Kesselring has elevated his game as the ‘go-to’ defenseman in more ways than one. He is also quarterbacking the top power-play unit for Utah.
In Minnesota’s last 10 home games, in per 60 metrics against, they are a bottom-5 club in Shots and Goals. Furthermore, in expected starter Filip Gustavsson’s last 10 home starts, he has a 3.93 Goals Against Average, a 0.889 Save Percentage, and a -1.01 Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60.
If there was one sneaky play tonight on the slate that will see sub-10 percent ownership with a high ceiling, it is Kesselring and the Utah Hockey Club.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Josi (DK $8.2K || FD $7.1K)
- Karlsson (DK $5.2K || FD $6.4K)
NHL DFS Top Power Plays and Stacks
- NSH1
- CAR1
- PIT1
- DET1
- WAS1
NHL DFS Stacks of the Day
Brandon's Stack
- CAR: Svechnikov-Aho-Blake
Chalk Stack
- NSH: Forsberg-Stamkos-Marchessault
Sneaky Stack
- CGY: Coleman-Backlund-Coronato
NHL DFS News and Injury Alerts
More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis
