This is a strategy guide for NHL DFS on Draftkings and Fanduel, including lineup guidance, contest ideas, selecting top plays, and more. Please join our Discord channel if you have any additional queries.
This NHL DFS strategy guide will not go through the complexities of the NHL in detail, nor will it provide DFS picks. Rather, it’s intended to serve as a high-level strategy road plan for Fanduel and Draftkings slates.
Site rules and scoring
Before you start putting together NHL DFS lineups, you should familiarise yourself with the rules of the NHL Draftkings optimizer sites where you’ll be participating. On the surface, the scoring and roster restrictions on the websites appear to be extremely different, yet the technique to roster formation and stacking is very similar in the end.
Fanduel in particular:
Points: A goal is worth 12 points, while an assist is worth 8 points.
Shots on Goal are worth 1.6 points, and Blocks are worth 1.6 points.
Special Forces Units Bonuses: Power Play Assists and Goals are worth 0.5 points, while Short Handed Assists and Goals are worth 2 points.
Other perks include: None
Goalie: Wins are worth 12 points, shutouts are worth 8 points, saves are worth 0.8 points, and goals against are worth -4 points.
You must have a roster. Two centres, two wings, two defensemen, two utility players, and one goalie.
Each squad can have a maximum of four players. At least three distinct NHL clubs must be used.
Draftkings in particular:
Award: Points A goal is worth 8.5 points, while an assist is worth 5 points.
Statistics on the periphery: Shots on Goal are worth 1.5 points, while Blocks are worth 1.3 points.
2 points for Short Handed Assists and Goals on Special Teams
Bonuses: 1.5 points for shootouts goal, 3 for 3 points or more blocks, another 3 for 5 or more shots, and 3 points for 3 or additional points.
0.70 points for saves, 6 points to win, 4 points for shutouts, -2 points for an overtime loss, 3.5 points for goals against, and 3 points for 35+ saves happen to be presented to goalies.
You must have a roster. Two centres, three wings, two defensemen, one FLEX, and one goalie are on the roster.
Each squad can have a maximum of 6 players. At least three distinct NHL clubs must be used.
The most significant lessons happen to be that Draftkings’ scoring system comprises bonuses for shoots and blocks, whereas Fanduel rewards players who score points.
Due to varying wage floors/ceilings and pricing algorithms, the salary systems can vary greatly between sites, necessitating a slightly different NHL DFS strategy for each.
The procedure
The NHL is a daily sport with the benefit of’morning skates,’ where we can get most of the slate information on expected starting lines, power play units, and starting goalies for the teams on that slate. When skaters are warming up, the remaining “unknowns” that may not be reported are settled 15-20 minutes before the game begins.
From the information obtained in morning skate, you have a huge window of opportunity to develop early draughts of your lineup before lock (3 PM EST – 7 PM EST approximately). Update predicted lines and Vegas lines using the Occupy Model.
Slate size has a number of effects that affect strategy and bankroll allocation. The majority of larger slates (8+ games) with greater prize pools will take place on Tuesday and Thursday, which corresponds to when the NHL schedules the majority of its games. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the slates are usually smaller (6 games or less). Due to fluctuating game start times and competition with other major sports leagues, Saturday and Sunday slates are usually divided up and decreased in contest sizing.
