Today's NHL DFS Lineup Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel (12/12/24)

1 month 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, December 12, 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!

NHL DFS Analysis and Picks for 12/12/24

Tonight, we have a 10-game slate and one team playing on a back-to-back, Anaheim. Tonight’s slate offers value across the board, offering creativity when building lineups.

The currently live top-3 highest implied team totals are Toronto with 3.8, Washington with 3.7, and St. Louis with 3.6. I will do my best to guide you through this 10-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

Cam Talbot - DK $7.5K || FD $7.4K

Opponent - Philadelphia Flyers

Cam Talbot is back in net for the Detroit Red Wings after missing the last four contests due to a lower-body injury. In his five starts prior, he had a 1-2-1 record with a 0.885 Save Percentage and a 3.38 Goals Against Average.

However, dating back to his last 10 performances and out of all goalies to start 120 or more minutes, Talbot ranks fifth-best in Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60. In Per 60 stats, the Red Wings are a bottom-10 team in Shots Against but a top-10 team in Goals Against.

If Talbot can get in a groove early, he could very well hold the Flyers to one or fewer goals.

Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):

Stolarz (DK $8.5K || FD $8.7K)
Skinner (DK $7.6K || FD $7.5K)

Want more NHL DFS tools and content? Our NHL Premium package includes our daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Research Station, Lineup Optimizer, and access to our VIP Discord Chatrooms. Doug Shain (@BanksterDFS) joins the NHL team in 2023 with his proven track record - join in on the winning!

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

Auston Matthews - DK $9.6K || FD $8.6K

Opponent - Anaheim Ducks

This slate is all about fitting in the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Anaheim Ducks are in some of their worst form all season and are playing back-to-back on the road. This leads us to the Maple Leafs' top line and, more specifically, their star center, Auston Matthews.

In his most recent five performances, he has four goals, two assists, 21 shots, and 11 blocked shots. His shooting volume is expected; however, his blocked shots are a welcome bonus. Considering Matthews will see the majority of his time against the Ducks’ top line and top pairing–both are below league average at defense–he is expected to produce two points and three shots at a minimum.

Robert Thomas - DK $6K || FD $6.5K

Opponent - San Jose Sharks

The second center in lineups is a toss-up with multiple prime matchups. However, Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues will make his case. He has three goals, six assists, 10 shots, and three blocked shots throughout his last five games. Furthermore, he generated one goal, two assists, and one shot in his first game, reunited with teammate and winger Jordan Kyrou (DK $6.5K || FD $6.3K).

The San Jose Sharks, as mentioned in every article they appear in, are bottom of the league defensively. In per 60 stats against, in their last 10 games, they are the second-worst in both Shots and Scoring Chances and the third-worst in Goals. Like Matthews above, Robert Thomas and company are expected to see San Jose’s worst defensive lines and will be expected to have big performances.

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):

Horvat (DK $5.6K || FD $5.9K)
Malkin (DK $5.5K || FD $6.1K)

DraftKings and FanDuel Wings - NHL DFS Picks

Pavel Buchnevich - DK $4.1K || FD $5.5K

Opponent - San Jose Sharks

When the San Jose Sharks are on the slate, highlighting multiple players from the other end of the ice becomes inevitable. This sets up Pavel Buchnevich’s grand entrance. Most DFS players will instantly gravitate towards his teammate and mentioned above winger Jordan Kyrou. However, Buchnevich has been holding his own and has less salary.

He has two goals, three assists, and 15 shots in his most recent five outings. Considering his low salary, his three-shot average is already on the verge of making value. Add in a lucky bounce or an assist, and he will be on his way to a ceiling performance.

Max Pacioretty - DK $3.1K || FD $4.6K

Opponent - Anaheim Ducks

Max Pacioretty was disappointing with a subpar performance in Tuesday's 2-1 win at New Jersey. The winger produced zero shots, blocked shots, and points in 15 minutes of ice time at even strength. However, he still made his presence known. Luckily, this may sway DFS players away from him despite his premium matchup and low salary.

Once again, he will line up next to the mentioned Auston Matthews. All Patches needs is a few shots and a lucky bounce, and he immediately reaches a ceiling performance.

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):

McMichael (DK $6.4K || FD $7K)
Rakell (DK $5.3K || FD $5.6K)

DraftKings and FanDuel Defensemen - NHL DFS Picks

Erik Karlsson - DK $4.6K || FD $5.8K

Opponent - Montreal Canadiens

Erik Karlsson was one blocked shot away from having a solid night in a rough 6-2 loss at home to the Colorado Avalanche. Luckily, he and the Penguins have an optimal matchup to bounce back with, hosting the Montreal Canadiens. In Per 60 stats against, Montreal is a bottom-10 club. Furthermore, they are the fourth-worst in High Danger Chances Against Per 60.

Karlsson is now on a three-game and three-assist streak. Over his last five games, he has three assists, seven shots, and 10 blocked shots. His peripherals have dropped as of late, causing some concern. However, it is Karlsson, and he is under $5K on DraftKings in a premium matchup.

Brady Skjei - DK $3.5K || FD $4.3K

Opponent - Dallas Stars

Brady Skjei is entirely reliant on teammate Roman Josi not playing. In the 4-3 home loss to Calgary on Tuesday, Josi left the game after just six minutes of the first period and never returned. Many expect it was from a collision in the boards a few minutes into the game. Nevertheless, Brady Skjei soaked up all the minutes, reaching a season-high of 27 minutes of ice time.

If Josi were to miss the matchup against Dallas, Skjei would become Nashville's go-to defenseman for all situations. He would also become the quarterback of their top power-play unit. At his salary and potential role, he would immediately become one of the top value players of the slate. In Skjei’s last five performances, he has eight shots and two blocked shots.

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):