NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Monday 3/15/21

Hockey is officially back! NHL DFS is similar to MLB in terms of how you build lineups, how you view stacking, and how to value players.

Two main points to always focus on in NHL DFS are what lines the players are on and making sure the goalies you are rostering are confirmed as the starters. Two of the best resources for that are LeftWingLock.com or DailyFaceOff.com. That is where you can find updated forward and power-play lines for each team, along with which goalies are confirmed as the starters.

Let's jump in to take a look at today's slate and some players to consider for your lineups.

Goalie to Target

Marc-Andre Fleury ($8,400): The Vegas Golden Knights are the largest favorites (-270) on the slate and that means we should be looking towards Fleury in net tonight. Fleury is the most expensive goalie on the slate, but he is the clear option for cash games. He will be up against the San Jose Sharks, who come in with a slate-low 2.57 implied goal total, and that is for good reasons.

The Golden Knights are allowing 2.07 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the seventh-lowest in the league. They've had a strong defense all season and that is shown by the fact they are allowing a 51.69 Corsi Against (Shot Attempts Allowed) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the 11th-best in the league. Ride with Fleury in net tonight for cash games.

High-Salaried Skaters

Leon Draisaitl ($8,500): When Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are on the type of streak they have going right now, you want to be rostering them every night. Over the last 10 games, Draisaitl has 15 NHL points and 36 shots on goal, while McDavid has 15 NHL points and 41 shots on goal. Whew, buddy. Pay up for one or both of them tonight and move on. This is a nine-game slate and there are plenty of value options out there to allow you the salary flexibility to afford both.

The Edmonton Oilers are scoring 2.71 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the fifth-best rate in the league, along with holding the 10th-best (55.32) Corsi For (Shot Attempts Created). They come in with a 3.14 implied goal total -- which seems a bit low -- against the Calgary Flames, where the over/under is sitting at 6.5. Since Draisaitl and McDavid have full ice-time correlation from the first forward line onto the first power-play unit, they are worth every bit of your salary tonight.

J.T. Miller ($6,000): With a 3.62 implied goal total tonight, the Vancouver Canucks should be a popular team in all formats. They are on the road to take on the Ottawa Senators, who hold the second-worst (58.62) Corsi Against and allow a league-worst 3.52 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. The Senators have the worst defense in the league, which isn't anything new, and that means you should stack against them at every opportunity.

With Elias Pettersson out for the Canucks, Miller is now at center on the second forward line while remaining on the first power-play unit. He has been hot as of late with 10 NHL points and 22 shots on goal over his last 10 games, a level of production that should only continue given his soft matchup versus the Senators.

Value Skaters

Drake Batherson ($4,500): While the Senators have a bad defense -- noted above -- they have a good matchup versus the Canucks, who are also bad on defense this year. The Canucks are allowing the fourth-most (2.81) goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations this season, giving us a matchup of two bottom-four defenses tonight. It could end up being a sloppy, high-scoring game, but that just means plenty of fantasy production. This is where Batherson comes into play, since he is under $5,000 and seeing time on the Senators' first power-play unit. A strong 9 NHL points and 21 shots over his last 10 games should also continue trending upward tonight.

Rasmus Andersson ($4,100): The Flames hold a 3.36 implied goal total tonight and you want to get some exposure to their first power-play unit. All four forwards on the power-play unit are $6,000 or more, while defender Rasmus Andersson is only $4,100. He presents a cheaper way to get exposure and upside to this power-play, which should have ample opportunities tonight. The Oilers have taken the third-most (70) penalties this season, putting the Flames' power-play units in a spot to rack up some easy fantasy points. He is also a low-end cash game option tonight with 17 shots on goal and 10 blocked shots in his last 10 games.