FanDuel NHL: February 7
By Matt Rogers
FanDuel NHL: February 7 is a daily fantasy sports column focusing on the best FanDuel NHL player and value options for your daily lineups. The salary options are based on the daily salaries set by FanDuel. We’ll review the best options at each position, and help you afford an ideal lineup for your big FanDuel NHL paydays.
It’s Tuesday Night, we’re we back to a more full slate of eleven FanDuel NHL tonight, giving us great options to build multiple lineups. Tonight’s games begin between 7pm ET and 9pm ET. Here is a list of scheduled NHL games, with the games we’ll focus on highlighted:
Sharks at Sabres (7pm ET)
Ducks at Rangers (7pm ET)
Flames at Penguins (7pm ET)
Hurricanes at Capitals (7pm ET)
Stars at Maples Leafs (7:30pm ET)
Blues at Senators (7:30pm ET)
Blue Jackets at Red Wings (7:30pm ET)
Kings at Lightening (7:30pm ET)
Canucks at Predators (8pm ET)
Wild at Jets (8pm ET)
Canadiens at Avalanche (9pm ET)
Before we review the top options for each FanDuel NHL lineup position, let’s review the FanDuel NHL scoring rules:
Forwards/Defense
- Goals = 12pts
- Assists = 8pts
- Shots on Goal = 1.6pts
- Short Handed points = 2pts
- Power Play Points = 0.5pts
- Blocked Shots = 1.6pts
Goalies
- Win = 12pts
- Goals Against = -4pts
- Saves = 0.8pts
- Shutouts = 8pts
Next: Top Centers
Top Centers
The Toronto Maple Leafs, now stacked with young draft-pick acquired talent, is emerging as one of the top offenses in the NHL. Playing on the 1st line for the Leafs tonight, Nazem Kadri ($6,800) has a floor of around 9 FanDuel NHL points and ceiling of around 35 points. Kadri is consistently getting double-digit FanDuel NHL points through assists and shots on goal.
Tonight, the Maple Leafs are playing the Dallas Stars at home, in a very favorable match up for this offense. Kadri should be working closer to his ceiling than his floor tonight, and we’re going to explore two Toronto stacks in our lineup tonight, starting with Nazem.
Lars Eller ($3,500) was our value play at center on Sunday, and he rewarded our pick with 13.6 points against the Kings. Eller now has three double-digit FanDuel NHL point games in the Caps last five games. The Caps are playing at home, again, tonight against the Hurricanes. This is a risky play, but I suspect Lars should continue to be active with Caps scoring on a hot 3rd line.
Next: Top Wings
Top Wings
With Kadri in our lineup at center and high expectations for the Maple Leafs tonight, we’re going to stack William Nylander ($5,300) with Nazem. The 20-year-old has been fantastic this season, positioning himself well in front of the net, and using great technique on the ice for such a young age. Nylander does provide rookie-like results, though, with several peaks and valleys in terms of FanDuel NHL point results. However, he’ll very rarely provide a zero result and his ceiling is in the 40’s.
On the Maple Leafs 2nd line, our next stack will be James van Riemsdyk ($7,600) and Mitchell Marner ($6,800). Marner is averaging over 20 FanDuel NHL points-per-game over Toronto’s last four games. I suspect that’ll continue tonight.
James van Riemsdyk is the veteran on the line and has been part of a trade rumor to the Blackhawks in their question to make a run for another Stanley Cup. James has 12 double-digit FanDuel NHL results in the Maple Leafs 16 games since the start of the new year. Like our other Maple Leaf picks tonight, van Riemsdyk is more likely to have another double-digit result for us tonight against the Stars.
Making our lineup affordable tonight is difficult, so we’re going to search for a value pick for the 4th win spot. Playing for the Stars against the Leafs tonight is Brett Ritchie ($3,500) on Dallas’ 2nd line. Ritchie isn’t going to score more than 10 FanDuel NHL points often, but he’s a consistent 4-6 point average player. But also, Brett had 23.2 points against Toronto on January 31st. So we know he has a decent match up tonight. His potential value is worth the risk.
Next: Top Defense
Top Defense
Over-and-over again we’ve highlighted the fact that if the San Jose Sharks are playing, get Brent Burns ($8,500) into your lineups. That applies, again, for tonight. Burnsy and the Sharks will be in Buffalo for a favorable match up against the Sabres.
Brent has ten double-digit FanDuel NHL points-per-game over the Sharks last ten games, exceeded 20 points four times, and 30 points once. Burnsy has a very high ceiling and consistently provides top five points among all defenders. Keep rolling with Brent tonight.
Cody Franson ($3,700) is a cheap option playing over 20 minutes per game as a defender on the Buffalo Sabres 2nd regular and power play lines. Cody consistently provides points each game, but isn’t a lock to land you another double-digit FanDuel NHL point play.
However, Franson also has a ceiling around 20 points, which he’s hovered around recently from time to time. This is a value play with high upside.
Next: Top Goalie
Top Goalie
Showing big signs of promise over the last two years, the young 22-year-old Matthew Murray ($9,200) is settling in as the top dog minding the net for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Matt now has two consecutive wins since the all-star break. Also in that time, Murray is averaging over 32 saves per game, leading to an average FanDuel NHL points-per-game of over 25 since the break. The vast majority of Matt’s starts have lead to over 20 points, making Murray a must-have for FanDuel NHL lineups when he’s starting.
Tonight, the Penguins have a favorable match up, in Pittsburgh, against the Calgary Flames. Murray should have a conservative projection of at least 20-25 points for you lineups tonight.
Next: FanDuel NBA Picks & Pivots
Always check NHL lineups throughout the day when playing FanDuel NHL. As a fan, you likely know the league isn’t overly forthcoming with injury news, and players are often scratched at the last-minute with little information. Also, goaltenders are never a sure-thing. Good Luck today FanDuelers!