NHL DFS Man Advantage 10/14 – Showdown and Main Slate

Welcome to NHL DFS Man Advantage for Sunday October 14. I know Sunday is meant for football but I wanted to give you guys a little something for Sunday. I am going to give you something different and breakdown the 1pm eastern NHL Showdown game for DraftKings and then breakdown the two night games for Sunday night as well. 

First we have a DraftKings NHL DFS Showdown game between the San Jose Sharks at New Jersey Devils. If you have played the Showdown contests on other sports then you know what these are about, if not I will tell you a brief rundown of what it is. Showdown is a one game slate where there are no position designations but instead 6 flex positions and you need to build a roster within the $50K salary. You get points for the same categories as a normal Classic NHL contests but you also get points for faceoff wins, because of this having a couple of centers could be more beneficial.

NHL DFS Showdown 

San Jose Sharks @ New Jersey Devils

Kevin Labanc is the Sharks leading scorer on the season so far with 1 goal and 4 assists. He will only cost you $6.8K in this contest and will give you the ability to roster 1 or 2 big money stars.  Labanc’s line mate, Evander Kane is second with 4 goals, but will cost you $11.6K. You will have to decide if you think Kane is worth spending up for on Sunday. Since scoring in the first to games of the season, Kane has only scored 2 times in the same game (8-2 blowout win in Philadelphia). Joe Pavelski ($10.3K) is another high-priced option, but only has 2 points (2 goals in the same Philly game) in 5 games. Pavelski does play center so he will get you the bonus faceoff win points. There isn’t much I like about San Jose right now, they have scored 15 goals in 5 games, but take out the 8 goal outburst against the Flyers, they are averaging less than 2 goals per game. Since they are struggling to score Keith Kinkaid ($8K) is a good option if he starts for the Devils.

In Just 2 games the Devils have scored 11 goals which is why I prefer to stack 3 -4 Devils and Kinkaid in this game. Kyle Palmieri ($11K) has 4 goals in 2 games for the Devils and is my favorite Devil to use today. Taylor Hall is also a great option as he plays with Palmieri on the first line and first PP unit. Will Butcher has 2 assists in 2 games and also plays on the first PP unit with Hall and Palmieri. I don’t recommend playing 2 defenseman, but Mirco Mueller ($3.8K) is also a good cheap option in place of Butcher on defense. He doesn’t play PP minutes but does play on the first d pair with Sami  Vatanen. Mueller is avg the second most minutes per game behind only Vatanen. If you go cheap with Mueller you then have salary to fit in centers Tomas Hertl or Travis Zajac.  Both Hertl and  Zajac have 2 goals this season.

NHL DFS Main Slate Game Breakdowns

Anaheim @ St. Louis

This matchup will most likely feature both back up goaltenders. We know Chad Johnson is starting for the Blues and after playing in Dallas on Saturday night I think this is a spot where the Ducks finally give John Gibson a rest and let Ryan Miller finally start. Neither goalie has started yet this season, but I prefer Johnson in this game since the Blues are at home and have the better chance at winning. Anaheim’s Jakob Silfverberg has been their best player so far early in the season with 2 goals and 4 assists. He is playing on the first line with Maxime Comtois  who has 4 points in 5 games and Adam Henrique, 2 goals and 2 assists.

Outside of the top line only Rickard Rakell (1 goal 2 assists) is the only player on the Ducks playing well enough for me to consider for DFS. On defense Hampus Lindholm is the best option with 1 goal and 3 assists through the first 5 games. St Louis’ offense has been production from both of their top scoring lines ,unlike Anaheim. It has been the Blues second line that has been the most productive though, after their game on Saturday the line combo of Sammy Blais / Brayden Schenn / David Perron have combined for 6 goals and 3 assists ( Blais is pointless though). I would prefer a mini stack of Schenn and Perron at $10.5K combined on DraftKings. Vladimir Tarasenko has 2 goals and an assist and 27 shots in 4 games. On the point for the Blues Colton Parayko has 1 goal and an assist on 8 shots on the season and also plays on the first PP unit with Tarasenko. Alex Pietrangelo has yet to record a point but does have 7 shots on goal and 3 blocked shots. Pietrangelo plays on the second PP unit with Schenn and Perron.

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Carolina Hurricanes @ Winnipeg Jets

Neither team has announced a starter for Sunday nights game, but since Winnipeg didn’t play on Saturday I would assume they start Connor Hellebuyck. If he does start Hellebuyck is the best goaltender on the slate but he is facing the hottest offense on the slate as well. Carolina did play on Saturday and start Curtis Mcelhinney so it is likely the Canes start Petr Mrazek. I really don’t like any of the goaltenders or matchups on the this slate, but since we have to pick I will probably either roster Johnson or Hellebuyck because I feel they have the best chances at the win. Carolina has one of the hottest offenses in the league right now. Carolina’s first line is where I will start any build involving them. Sebastian Aho added 2 goals ans 2 assists on Saturday giving him a season total 4 goals 6 assists on the season now. On the first line with Aho, Teuvo Teravainen has a goal and 5 assists and Michael Ferland has 2 goals 3 assists to go along with 19 shots on goal. If you are looking for a mini stack, veterans Jordan Staal (4 g 2 a) and Justin Williams (1 g 6 a) are another option besides the first line. On the blue line Justin Faulk ( 4 a, 8 shots on goal) and Jacob Slavin ( 3 a, and 15 shots on goal).

Winnipeg has only scored 8 goals in 4 games this season but could add to that total on Sunday if Mrazek is in net. Kyle Connor / Mark Scheifele / Blake Wheeler have been the Jets best line with 5 goals and 5 assists and make for a good line stack against the Hurricanes. For secondary scoring you can look at Patrick Laine who has really yet to get going but will definitely get going soon, as well as Jack Roslovic who centers the Jets 3rd line and 2nd PP unit. Josh Morrisey and Jacob Trouba are the Jets top d pair and both have 2 assists each on the season. Dustin Byfuglien plays on the second d pair and  first PP unit.

Stay tuned to Fantasy CPR for all the latest NHL DFS news and Fantasy Hockey analysis all season long!