This series uses the FantasyLabs Tools to analyze three key NHL players in the day’s slate. The series does not provide play or fade recommendations. It provides analysis.
Shea Weber: Defenseman, Canadiens
Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist exercised his Bell Center demons in Game 1, posting a 31-save shutout against the Canadiens. Five of those shots were credited to Shea Weber, whose shots over the past month have spiked into the 90th percentile. Still, in his first year with the team Weber has underperformed against non-divisional opponents, especially at home and even when the Canadiens are favored (per our Trends tool):
What’s intriguing is that, despite his subpar Plus/Minus and Consistency Rating on DraftKings in this situation, Weber has hit his Upside mark much more at home than on the road (16 percent vs. zero) as a non-divisional favorite. Weber may not be a top option in cash games, but if negative recency bias surrounding Montreal depresses his ownership then he could be an intriguing option for guaranteed prize pools with his shot volume and upside. He’s currently one of our highest-rated players. (Pro subscribers can review the rest of our ratings in the Player Models.)
Vladimir Sobotka: Winger, Blues
In the first playoff slate (April 12), sharp high-stakes GPP players targeted two punt forwards on the Blues (per our DFS Ownership Dashboard) — Ivan Barbashev nor Vladimir Sobotka:
With our Lineup Builder, it’s easy to incorporate stacks into DFS rosters. While neither Barbashev nor Sobotka has elite peripheral stats, Sobotka warrants more stacking consideration in GPPs with his power play linemates Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz. This season the Wild surrendered 2.65 power plays per game — the fourth-highest mark in the league.
Marc-André Fleury: Goalie, Penguins
Matt Murray remains sidelined with a lower body injury sustained in warmups, so Marc-André Fleury is the starting goalie for Pittsburgh. While Fleury doesn’t engender much confidence, at least Pittsburgh is the second-largest favorite on the slate (per our Vegas Dashboard):
Despite being the second-most expensive DraftKings goalie, Fleury is probably one of the best options on situation alone. This season, the Penguins allowed 32.6 shots per game — the fourth-highest total in the league. He might not carry as much upside as Murray, but Fleury has been lights out at home this year at roughly half the ownership, with an absurd DraftKings Plus/Minus of +1.4 and 80 percent Consistency Rating.
Firmly in play for cash games, Fleury is also intriguing for GPPs: The Blue Jackets were a top-10 team this season in shots on goal, so even if the Penguins lose Fleury has the chance to accumulate saves.
Good luck, and be sure to watch our FREE Eastern Conference and Western Conference editions of Inside the Lab on our Premium Content Portal!
