NHL DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Wednesday, January 17

NHL DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Wednesday, January 17

This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.

There were originally three games scheduled tonight, but Chicago versus Buffalo has been postponed to Thursday because of the weather, so your choices are now even more limited. It'll be hard to find worthwhile options, but here are some recommendations to make things easier.

SLATE PREVIEW

Chicago would have been playing in the second half of a back-to-back tonight, so they'll get a bit of a breather due to the game's postponement. The four teams still competing Wednesday are rested, but Montreal will play again Thursday, so the Canadiens might make lineup decisions to reflect the quick turnaround.

GOALIES

Nico Daws, NJD vs. MON ($7,900): Goaltending has been an ongoing issue for the Devils this season, but the 23-year-old Daws might be the solution. He has a 3-2-0 record, 2.64 GAA and .922 save percentage in five contests since being summoned from AHL Utica. Montreal ranks 28th offensively with 2.70 goals per game, making this a favorable matchup for Daws.

Alex Lyon, DET at FLA ($7,600): Lyon has been solid this year with a 9-4-1 record, 2.58 GAA and .922 save percentage in 14 outings in 2023-24. Florida is having a strong campaign with a 27-13-3 record, but its offense is middling — tied for 15th with 3.16 goals per game — and Detroit has won five of its last six contests. That adds up to make Lyon an interesting, affordable option on a day when there's not much to choose from.

VALUE PLAY

David Perron, DET at FLA ($4,700): Perron has a so-so nine goals and 19 points across 39 outings in 2023-24, but he's on a roll with two goals and six points over his last seven appearances. He's projected to serve on Detroit's top line and first power-play unit Wednesday, so Perron is in a good position to extend his hot streak.

FORWARD LINE STACK

Devils vs. Canadiens

Nico Hischier (C - $6,800), Jesper Bratt (W - $8,700), Tyler Toffoli (W - $6,400)

Originally, I was going to recommend Buffalo's top line tonight, but with that game postponed, I now believe the Devils' top unit is your best bet.

There's a lot to like about this line. Hischier is enjoying a good stretch, contributing four goals and seven points over his last eight appearances while Bratt has provided great value all campaign with 16 goals and 46 points in 41 outings. Toffoli has taken a significant step back from his 73-point 2022-23 season, but he's still at least decent with 16 goals and 29 points in 41 outings this year.

Montreal is tied for 24th defensively with 3.35 goals per game, so this should be a good night for the Devils' forwards.

DEFENSEMAN

Luke Hughes, NJD vs. MON ($5,200): Hughes has been held off the scoresheet over his last three outings, but the rookie defenseman is still having a strong season overall with seven goals and 23 points in 41 contests. He's also maintained a spot on the Devils' top power-play unit, and the Canadiens have an abysmal penalty kill, ranking 28th with a 73.3 percent success rate. Given the lack of options, Hughes is my favorite choice among the cheaper defensemen.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Ryan Dadoun plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: Terakai, DraftKings: BTerran, Yahoo: Ryan-SPJ9H.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ryan Dadoun
Ryan Dadoun is a veteran hockey analyst with roughly 15 years of experience in the field. He previously served as a writer and editor for the NHL Department of NBC Sports Edge.
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