Written by LineStar Fantasy Life Coach @ZeroInDenver.

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Welcome to the NHL Hat Trick.

ICYMI - The NHL Season Preview & Strategy guide goes over the basics of NHL DFS and what I look for when researching players.

Final week of the regular season. After today, the final newsletter of the 2021 season will be Wednesday (no newsletters on slates smaller than 4 games).

I'd like to take a minute to thank everyone that took the time to read these newsletters and participate in the LineStar chat. Hopefully, this was a good season for you. I'd also like to remind everyone to write down your process. I always feel like I learn a little bit more each year and keep refining my process. So make sure you don't forget everything you learned when it's time for NHL DFS again in the fall.

That said, we have 9 games on tap tonight!

LETSSSSSSSSSSGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tonight's Slate

Here's numbers on the teams from their past 10 games. Generally, I start my research by looking for teams in good spots. For example, teams that score goals (GF60) that are facing teams that give up goals (GA60). I also look at teams that shoot a lot (CF60) that are facing teams that give up a lot of shots (CA60).

Line Stacks

Boston is scoring 3.7 goals a game but faces an Islanders team that is allowing only 1.8 goals a game. Still, I like Boston tonight but would prefer to save roughly $6000 in salary and drop down to the second line.

If you want to spend up, I'd look at WPG1 who faces a Vancouver team that is allowing 3.8 goals a game over their last 10.

Another top stack for tonight: Carolina 1. The Canes are an automatic stack for me most nights. I don't love their matchup tonight, but Carolina takes a lot of shots and Nashville allows a lot of shots so a few could hit the back of the net.

Biscuit Stack

I know that some people like to do a lot of in-depth analytics, but sometimes we make DFS too hard. Instead, I'm going to refer back to the famous DFS proverb "what's supposed to happen usually don't" and pick a line facing a higher-owned goalie for tonight.

Goaltender Rankings

How to Read This: 

I'm giving you a comparison of LineStar projections vs the average fantasy points scored over their last 10 games. I've also given you their save percentage (over 0.910 is ideal), goals allowed (lower is better), saves per game (more is better), GAA (Goals Saved Above Average), and my projected upside for each goalie.

Generally, if I'm stacking a team, I'll correlate a goalie if I can. In GPPs, I may not have the salary to make this work. In this case, I usually spend down on someone that I expect will take a lot of shots and could pick up the W.

As always - double-check that your goalie is starting before the game starts.

My Favorites:

CASH: Mike Smith - EDM (DK: $7500, FD: $8100)

GPP: Collin Delia - CHI (DK: $6600, FD:7000)

Forwards and Defensemen Rankings

Here are my overall rankings on the top 15 skaters on the main slate. These are players that I would look to insert into my lineups as one-offs or lineup fillers if I'm stacking or double-stacking lines.

My Favorites

Again, single-entry lineup tonight. Here are the players I'm trying to squeeze in:

Craig Smith - BOS - DK: $4400 | FD: $4700

I mentioned my interest in BOS2 earlier, and Craig Smith is my favorite for value on that line. He has good shot volume and I don't mind him as a one-off tonight.

Brock Boeser - VAN - DK: $5600 | FD: $7000

I don't have a lot of interest in Vancouver tonight, but if their offense does anything, Boeser is usually involved.

Joe Pavelski - DAL - DK: $5800 | FD: $7800

The Stars have a great matchup against a Chicago team allowing 4.2 goals a game, and Pavelski is a huge part of that offense. Love him as a one-off tonight.

Cale Makar - COL - DK: $6800 | FD: $5900

Low-owned homer call of the night. I expect this game to be low scoring, but.... Makar gets over 24 minutes of ice time and will get you exposure to the top power play unit for Colorado.

Bottom of the Barrel

Here are my cheap calls for a skater to pick up a goal or assist.

Gabriel Vilardi: LAK - C - DK: $3500 | FD: $3600

Owen Tippett: FLA - W - DK: $3200 | FD: $3400

Ryan Murray: NJD - D - DK: $2800 | FD: $3500

Disclaimer: Keep in mind, plays and thoughts listed are my own. You should all do your own research and you might (and probably should) disagree with me in some spots. Don't be afraid to go your own way.

Good luck today! Tag me in the LineStar Chat @ZeroInDenver if you have any questions or feedback. Follow me on Twitter @ZeroInDenver.

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