Why miss out on the fun of doing fantasy picks daily?
With hockey, skates are hitting the ice every night with constant matchups. Yup, you can practice being an NHL coach by mocking up your own ideal daily fantasy lineup within the cap space.
NHL DFS Lineup: february 22
Our Thursday night NHL daily fantasy lineup is going to have the classic nine-player bench of 2 C, 3 W, 2 D, a goalie and a utility spot within a $50,000 budget.
NHL Daily fantasy Lineup: february 22
Here's our NHL Daily Fantasy Lineup for this Thursday's slate:
C: wyatt johnston
$4,700
C: auston matthews
$10,000
W: seth jarvis
$5,000
W: arturri lehkonen
$5,000
W: bryan rust
$5,900
D: timothy Liljegren
$3,900
D: devon toews
$4,200
G: Juuse Saros
$7,100
UTIL: mason marchment
$4,200
c: wyatt johnston vs ottawa
The second-year center has taken huge strides this season to solidify one of the deepest forward groups in the league. The 20-year-old currently has 39 points, putting him on pace for 56 which is a 15-point improvement from his rookie campaign last year.
Johnston also gets some touches on the team's second powerplay unit as the middle man. The Canadian is also riding hot, with six points in his last four games. On the year, Johnston averages a respectable 9.3 fantasy points per game.
C: auston matthews vs vegas
51 goals in 54 games to start the season -- that is ridiculous in today's NHL. This guy just can’t stop scoring with 13 goals in his last 10 games and an unbelievable nine in the last four. Matthews is also on pace to shatter his career-high by being on pace for 113. The 26-year-old is obviously on the Leafs' first powerplay unit, where he has been unleashing his lightning quick one-timer all year. Matthews will break the bank a bit, coming in at $10,000 but he’s worth the investment racking up an average 20.6 fantasy points per game.
AUSTON MATTHEWS HAS 50 GOALS IN 54 GAMES! 🚨
— NHL (@NHL) February 22, 2024
We are truly witnessing something special. pic.twitter.com/gyPVh75eQ5
W: seth jarvis vs florida
With 12 points in his last 10 games, the third-year winger has been dynamic for the surging Canes. Skating alongside veterans Staal and Martinook, Jarvis has flourished and is developing.
On the season, Jarvis currently has 46 points in 55 games which puts him on pace to set a career-high this year with 69 points. The Canadian is getting an opportunity on the Canes powerplay, where he is positioned in the middle slot. Moving the puck around with Aho and Svechnikov, it’s only a matter of when Jarvis will put the powerplay points up. Right now Jarvis goes for a cap-friendly $5,000 and pays you back with 10.3 fantasy points per game.
W: arturri lehkonen vs detroit
A depth forward who’s been dynamic ever since coming to the Avs, Lehkonen is an all-around player who gets the job done at both ends of the rink. Lehkonen currently has 16 points in 22 games after missing 35 games due to a neck injury. That injury hasn’t slowed him down as the Finn has collected seven points in his last four games.
Good news for Colorado, a team in need of depth scoring to take the load off the big two forwards, MacKinnon and Rantanen. Lehkonen is slotted in on the teams' second line and is lucky enough to be featured on the dangerous first powerplay unit. Lehkonen won’t break your bank at $5,000 to the cap and he rewards you with around 9.5 fantasy points per game. But, in his last four games, Lehkonen has averaged 17.3 fantasy points per game.
W: bryan rust vs montreal
One of Crosby’s favorite linemates through the years, Rust is simply known as a workhorse. Missing a chunk of the season due to an upper-body injury, the Pens missed Rust in their lineup tremendously. A player whose motor never seems to run out with 32 points in 40 games this year. The 31-year-old is on pace for 55 points, which would just be three points shy of his career high of 58 that was set two years ago.
Currently, Rust costs a solid $5,900 and in return will average around 11.7 fantasy points per game.
d: timothy liljegren vs vegas
With the five-game suspension of Morgan Rielly, the question was who would step up on the Leafs d-corps? The answer is Liljegren. In those five games, Liljegren notched seven points and took over Rielly’s quarterback position on the team's first powerplay. With his elevated role, the Swede stepped up and showed that he could be a top defenceman for the Leafs if given the opportunity.
Timothy Liljegren is up to 16 points this season.
— Kevin Papetti (@KPapetti) February 22, 2024
7 of those 16 have come after Rielly was suspended.
With Rielly returning tonight, Liljegren will be shuffled through the lineup again but one thing that's clear is that his game will still be elevated. Liljegren is a steal right now considering his recent form, only going for $3,900 against the cap.
D: devon toews vs detroit
On the offensive side or the defensive side, Toews is reliable. Skating on the team's first d-pairing with Makar, Toews gets major minutes upwards of 25-plus per game. With those big minutes, the 30-year-old has plenty of time to blocks shots, make hits and get points. Toews costs a reasonable $4,200 towards the cap and will get you on average around 9.3 fantasy points per game.
G: jusse saros vs lA
Saros, the 5-foot-10 goalie who is one of the smallest in the NHL, makes up for his height with his huge work ethic and effort. The backbone of the Predators, the Finn is sporting a 21-21-2 record with a 3.02 GAA and a .902SV%. To go along with those numbers, Saros also has two shutouts on the year.
UTIL: Mason marchment vs ottawa
One of the best bang for your buck players in this fantasy is Marchment. At only $4,200 Marchment has 46 points on the year and will average you around nine fantasy points per game. Showing physicality every night, the 28-year-old makes sure his presence is known to the opposing team. To go along with his physical play, Marchment is great on the forecheck and in the corners. The Canadian also gets a look on the Stars' second powerplay unit, planted in front of the net.
