This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
It's a lighter Saturday for the NHL than usual, paving the way for a busier Sunday than usual, but fret not. There are still seven games on the slate starting at 7:00 p.m. ET or later. It's the first day of February. Let's start it on a high note. Here are my NHL DFS recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Several teams are on the first leg of a back-to-back, but only one team is on the second leg. That would be Nashville, who is visiting Pittsburgh.
GOALIES
Frederik Andersen, CAR vs. LAK ($8,300): Don't expect many goals in this game. Both of these teams are in the top eight in GAA and penalty-kill percentage, and they are first and second in shots on net allowed per game. However, the Hurricanes are first in that last category, and also first in terms of killing penalties. They are also at home, so that bodes well for Andersen, who has only gotten to play in seven games this season but is coming off a shutout.
Cam Talbot, DET at CGY ($7,400): The Flames recently made a deal with the Flyers seemingly designed to bolster the offense, though perhaps with a bit of a longer-term look. Fixing this season's offense will be tough, given that they are in the bottom five in goals per game. Talbot has had an up-and-down campaign, but he has a 2.44 GAA and .915 save percentage over his last eight outings.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Jake Guentzel, TBL vs. NYI ($7,500): Guentzel has excelled in his first season with the Lightning – 50 points in 49 games. That includes 17 points with the extra man, 12 of them goals. That's key because the Islanders are tied with the Red Wings for the worst penalty kill in the league.
Fedor Svechkov, NSH at PIT ($3,000): Hopefully the 21-year-old legs of rookie Svechkov will have life left in them on the second night of a back-to-back. He's only played in 21 games this season, but the first-round pick from the 2021 NHL Draft has seven points in his last 11 outings. Though Nashville is on a back-to-back, the Penguins have a 3.57 GAA, so this is still a fine matchup to target.
FORWARD LINE STACKS TO CONSIDER
Penguins vs. Predators
Sidney Crosby (C - $7,200), Bryan Rust (W - $6,300), Rickard Rakell (W - $6,200)
With Evgeni Malkin out, the Penguins only have one viable line. Shelling out salary to stack this trio could pay off, though. The Predators are the only team on the second day of a back-to-back, after all. Plus, Nashville is down in the bottom 10 in GAA.
Crosby has at least one point in five of his last six games, giving him 55 points on the season. His 10.8 shooting percentage is also low for him. Maybe that's age, or maybe his puck luck is primed to improve. With 19 goals through 45 games, Rust is all but guaranteed to hit 20 goals for the sixth season in a row. Playing with Crosby helps on that front, as does the fact he's averaged 2:47 per game on the power play. Rakell has already gotten to 20 goals – he has 23 – and with the way he's been shooting, lighting the lamp should remain no issue. He's put 44 shots on net over his last 14 outings.
Red Wings at Flames
Dylan Larkin (C $6,200), Lucas Raymond (W - $5,600), Marco Kasper (W - $3,100)
I wanted to offer up two stacks, given that there are seven games on the slate, but it was not easy. In addition to Kings-Hurricanes, we have a Jets-Capitals game. Do you want to stack against Connor Hellebuyck or Logan Thompson? Good luck. The Flames are in the bottom 10 on the penalty kill and shots on net allowed per game. Dustin Wolf has been quite good for a rookie goalie, so he's not a goalie to target in and of himself. However, maybe on the first leg of a back-to-back, the Wings get lucky and catch Dan Vladar instead? If that happens, this stack goes from "solid" to "quite enticing." These three are thriving under Todd McLellan.
McLellan has unleashed Larkin, who is shooting an incredible amount. In his 17 games under his new head coach, the Michigan native has 80 shots on goal and 22 points. Raymond has 23 points over these 17 games, but he's also been massive on the power play all season. Through 51 games, he has 25 points with the extra man. Kasper, the eighth overall pick in 2022, is only 20, and he was drafted to be a center. He's taking off as the wing on this line, though. The Austrian has tallied 12 points over his last 11 games.
DEFENSEMEN
Jake Sanderson, OTT vs. MIN ($5,100): I considered stacking Ottawa's top line because all three guys play on the first power-play unit. That's entirely viable, but won't be easy on your salary cap. Thus, I eschewed that trio, but I do want Sanderson. He's averaged 3:21 per contest on the power play and has 18 points with the extra man. Even with Filip Gustavsson, the Wild rank 30th on the penalty kill.
Matt Grzelcyk, PIT vs. NSH ($3,500): I've been turning to Grzelcyk recently to save salary while getting a piece of the Pittsburgh blue line, and he's rewarded that strategy quite often recently. He has 15 points over his last 23 games, and he's picked up an assist in each of his last two outings. Given that the Predators are visiting Saturday after playing Friday, Grzelcyk could extend that to three games in a row.
