5 Underdog Fantasy Picks for Today’s Western Conference NHL Slate

Tonight’s NHL slate features two very different matchups but they’re loaded with some good picks — one between a powerhouse and a struggling team, and another that should be a tight, hard-fought battle between playoff contenders.

The Winnipeg Jets will host the terrible San Jose Sharks, while the Vegas Golden Knights face off against the Los Angeles Kings in a matchup of Western Conference playoff contenders.

With these 2 games on deck for tonight, we’ve put together 5 Underdog Fantasy picks that are undoubtedly plays based on recent trends, matchups, and player performance.

Mark Scheifele HIGHER than 1.5 Points

• Pick ‘em Payout: 1.27x

Mark Scheifele has been on a roll as of late, and this is the perfect matchup to keep it going.

He has 12 points in his last 10 games and has 3 multi-point games in his last 5 alone. The Jets have owned the Sharks this season, outscoring them 12-6 in their previous 2 games, and San Jose’s defense has been one of the worst in the NHL, allowing a staggering 3.71 goals per game.

With Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers back in the lineup, Scheifele has even more playmakers around him which means he will set them up or they’ll set him up. On top of that, he’s been a point machine against weaker teams like the Kings all season, so expecting him to rack up at least 2 points in a game where Winnipeg could easily put up 5+ goals makes a lot of sense. 

With a 1.27x payout, that’s not a bad deal.

Connor Hellebuyck LESS than 22.5 Saves

• Pick ‘em Payout: 1.2x

This play is all about game script and has nothing to do with Hellebuyck not being able to stop shots.

Winnipeg is one of the stingiest defensive teams in the NHL with tons of hits and blocks, and San Jose simply does not generate enough shots to push Hellebuyck over this total.

The Sharks rank 31st in the NHL with just 27.2 shots per game, and they’re facing a Jets team that dominates possession and limits opponents’ chances. To put it in perspective, Hellebuyck got only 25 saves against a dominant Capitals team.

In their last meeting, Hellebuyck only faced 21 shots while giving up 2 goals. With Winnipeg expected to control the play and tempo and keep the puck out of their defensive zone, we think that less than 22.5 saves is the smarter play here.

Kyle Connor HIGHER than 3.5 Shots

• Pick ‘em Payout: 1.15x

Kyle Connor has been a shooting machine all season and he’s averaging 3.8 shots per game. He has hit 4+ shots in 5 of his last 7 games. To top that off, he had 10 SOG in his last game against St. Louis. Since Winnipeg’s offense runs through him and they’re going up against a San Jose team allowing 34.5 shots per game which is good for 28th in the NHL, he should have plenty of chances to fire away.

With the Jets expected to dominate time of possession and the game flow, we feel that Connor should easily clear this number. At a decent 1.15x, this is a fairly solid pick.

Adrian Kempe HIGHER than 0.5 Assists

• Pick ‘em Payout: 1.5x

Adrian Kempe has been one of the Kings’ most consistent offensive playmakers and there’s no denying that. He enters tonight’s game with an assist in 5 of his last 6 matchups against Vegas.

To add onto that, the Golden Knights have a mediocre 77.1% penalty kill, and Kempe’s ability to set up his teammates on the power play gives him a solid shot at picking up at least one assist.

With Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala as his linemates and both on the power play unit, Kempe should have plenty of opportunities to set up some big scoring chances.

Given the 1.5x payout on this play, it’s one that we just can’t pass up.

Jack Eichel HIGHER than 0.5 Goals

• Pick ‘em Payout: 1.31x

Jack Eichel has been heating up for Vegas. He’s scored 3 goals in his last 5 games, and he’s easily their most dangerous scoring threat. 

Of course, the Kings have been solid defensively all season, but Eichel has found success against them time and time again — including a goal in their last matchup.

With Vegas needing offense to stay competitive in this matchup if they want to overtake the Kings, Eichel should be heavily involved, whether it’s on the power play or at even strength. He’s definitely going to get the minutes in this game.

At a 1.31x payout, this is a solid pick for a player who leads his team in scoring and is looking great lately.

Make These Picks at Underdog Fantasy

Tonight’s slate gives us 2 very different games — one where Winnipeg should dominate from start to finish, and another where Vegas and LA battle it out in a tight contest — but that doesn’t mean there is any shortage of excellent Underdog picks for tonight.

The pick’ems we’ve found take advantage of expected game flow and recent trends with both teams and players which gives us a strong mix of over and under picks.

If you’re heading over to Underdog Fantasy tonight to make some picks, these 5 look like some of the best plays on the board.