NHL Daily Fantasy Helper: Thursday 11/4/21

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

Jeremy Swayman ($7,800): The Boston Bruins are the largest (-275) home favorites on tonight's nine-game slate. They are taking on the Detroit Red Wings, who come in with a 50.37 Corsi For (Total Shot Attempts Created) per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the fourth-lowest in the league. The Red Wings are also only generating the ninth-fewest (9.5) High Danger Scoring Chances per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. Their offense is not one you should be worried about, and it puts Swayman in a good spot to come away with the win.

High-Priced Skaters

Sean Couturier ($7,800): It's a battle of the Keystone State tonight and the Philadelphia Flyers are going to dominate the Pittsburgh Penguins. It comes down to the simple fact the Penguins have too many players out right now. Whether it's due to injuries or the league's COVID protocol, they are missing Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Bryan Rust, among others. To say the Penguins are skating with a team that's suboptimal would be putting it nicely. We've seen them struggle to start the season, and it has led to them allowing 2.46 goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the 10th worst in the league.

That means you should be looking to Couturier and the fully-correlated first forward line for the Flyers -- Claude Giroux ($6,400) and Travis Konecny ($5,500) -- who are all also on the first power-play together. Couturier comes in with 11 NHL points and 21 shots on goal in his eight games this season, numbers which should all increase after an easy matchup tonight.

Aaron Ekblad ($7,000): With an exciting matchup versus the Washington Capitals, turn to Ekblad tonight for plenty of consistency. The Florida Panthers are hosting the Capitals tonight in what should be an amazing game between two of the best teams in the league, and it offers plenty of fantasy value. Ekblad is the Panthers' top defender and in for plenty of ice time to match Alex Ovechkin on the other side.

We also see Ekblad on the first power-play unit for the Panthers, granting him a ceiling of points to reach for, which could be in play given the fact this game has a high 6.0 over/under. Ekblad does a bit of everything for the Panthers and has piled up 9 NHL points, 29 shots on goal, and 9 blocked shots to start the season. He's a great option for all formats with his high floor and ceiling potential.

Value Skaters

Jordan Eberle ($4,600): Eberle is shaping up to be a consistent player for the Seattle Kraken, and we can turn to him in DFS on a nightly basis. Eberle is skating on the third forward line, which isn't ideal overall, but he is on the first power-play unit. With his salary being under $5,000, that's something we absolutely want to jump on as a solid value option. He's posted two goals in his last four games and has posted three shots on goal or more in four of his last five games. He's a solid option for his salary and in a good matchup against the Buffalo Sabres.

Blake Coleman ($4,700): The Calgary Flames have a solid 2.98 implied goal total tonight and a sneaky good matchup versus the Dallas Stars. Over the past few seasons, the Stars have been known as a strong defensive team and not one you normally want to attack in NHL DFS. However, the Stars are in the bottom half of the league in Corsi Against (Total Shot Attempts Allowed). The Flames on the other side are top five in Corsi For (62.72), enabling them to generate plenty of offensive chances. Coleman has a solid role on the second forward line and has already piled up 30 shots on goal this season.