The 2022-23 NHL regular season kicked off last weekend overseas in Prague, Czech Republic. Nashville and San Jose played a doubleheader in the NHL Global Series, with the Predators getting the best of the Sharks in both games, 4-1 and 3-2, respectively.
It’s been a long offseason with some blockbuster trades, surprise draft picks, and enough movement to notably alter the NHL landscape heading into the new season. The league is slowly rolling out matchups stateside beginning on Tuesday, October 11th. Only two games comprise the first NHL DFS slate. Tampa Bay and the New York Rangers will face each other after the Lightning disposed of the Rangers 4-1 during the Eastern Conference Finals last postseason. The late game will be played between the Vegas Golden Knights and Los Angeles Kings at 10 p.m. ET, featuring two teams looking to improve their outlook in 2023. The Kings did manage to make the playoffs last year, pushing Edmonton to a seven-game series. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights failed to make the playoffs for the first time in its short existence as an NHL franchise.
Let’s get off to a hot start with two matchups that contain plenty of high-value players to target when constructing NHL DFS lineups for Tuesday night’s action!
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Recommended Plays: DraftKings
DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000
Brayden Point (C – TB): $5,700
Brayden Point is Tampa Bay’s first-line center for a reason. The 26-year-old is talented in all phases of the game and is usually matchup-proof. In three games against the Rangers last season, Point racked up two points and eight shots. Injuries kept him at bay for most of the postseason series, but he’s still receiving numerous opportunities to produce points alongside a healthy Nikita Kucherov (RW – TB). Igor Shesterkin (G – NYR) is one of the best goaltenders in the game, winning the Vezina Trophy last year, but Tampa Bay’s first line has too much firepower to ignore. Point is a solid investment in DFS lineups despite the high salary.
Mark Stone (RW – VGK): $5,100
Vegas plays Los Angeles frequently in the Pacific Division but Mark Stone’s injuries held him to only one contest against the Kings last season. It was not a productive outing, as Stone was held without a point early in the season, but he’s going up against an aging veteran netminder. Jonathan Quick (G – LAK) showed that he’s still the top goaltender for the Kings in 2022 but Stone has the quick strike ability skating as the best offensive talent on the Golden Knights’ second attack line. He’s not too expensive, so Stone is worth investing in ahead of Tuesday’s late-night action.
Jacob Trouba (D – NYR): $5,400
The New York Rangers have some of the best defensive players in the league on the same line. Adam Fox (D – NYR) and Jacob Trouba are both explosive on either end of the rink, but Trouba is the cheaper option with a high floor going up against Tama Bay. The 27-year-old defenseman scored one goal and had a plus/minus rating of 3, indicating that he’s a quality player against the Lightning. Trouba racked up nearly 30 assists last season and added 11 goals while recording 177 blocked shots. Invest and watch the high-floor defenseman stack DFS points throughout the night against Tampa Bay.
Igor Shesterkin (G – NYR): $6,900
26-year-old goaltender Igor Shesterkin won the prestigious Vezina Trophy last season, which is awarded to the top goaltender. A scorching .935 save percentage, and 2.07 GAA across 52 starts are eye-popping stats to gravitate toward during Tuesday’s home matchup against a familiar foe. The good news is that Shesterkin held the Lightning to two goals in four of six playoff games during the Eastern Conference Finals. Considering the firepower of Tampa Bay’s offense, Shesterkin played well and should continue to do so in Tuesday night’s marquee matchup.
Recommended Plays: FanDuel
FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000
Vincent Trocheck (C – NYR): $5,600
One of the bigger moves in NHL free agency was the Rangers’ signing of Vincent Trocheck. He earned a huge contract with a new team based on quality performances for Carolina last season, scoring over 20 goals and adding 30 assists to be inside the Hurricanes’ top five point leaders. Being able to play alongside Artemi Panarin (LW – NYR) on New York’s second attack line is added incentive to invest in Trocheck’s upside in a game that has a projected goal total set at 5.5. He’s a good value based on his salary and the talent on his attack line. Trocheck is a sound investment in DFS lineups with his new team.
Viktor Arvidsson (RW – LAK): $5,200
In three games against Vegas last season, Viktor Arvidsson finished with two assists and 13 shots. The 28-year-old left winger was one of only three players for the Kings to score 20 goals last season while finishing with the second-highest number of assists (29) across 66 games played. Arvidsson will face Golden Knights netminder Logan Thompson (G – VGK), who allowed 2.68 GAA in 17 starts for Vegas last year. It’s only Thompson’s third year in the league, meaning Arvidsson should be able to cash in with a point or two on multiple shots. He’s cheap to roster and has appeal against an inexperienced goaltender.
Matt Roy (D – LAK): $4,200
Watching Matt Roy develop as a defenseman in Los Angeles has been fun. The 26-year-old finished 2022 with 19 assists, setting a career-high while skating over 20 minutes of average time on ice (ATOI) for the Kings. Roy racks up blocked shots, finishing with 103 and attempting 153 shots in the offensive zone, which creates a high floor for a cheap prospect. Roy is not the most exciting player on the slate but the production will be there to keep DFS lineups in the green.
Andrei Vasilevskiy (G – TB): $8,300
Tuesday’s early puck drop between Tampa Bay and New York will feature two former Vezina Trophy winners. Andrei Vasilevskiy averaged 2.50 GAA and a .919 save percentage but outplayed Igor Shesterkin during the final four games of the Eastern Conference Finals. Vasilevskiy held the Rangers to one goal to successfully close out the postseason series between these teams in April, utilizing his athleticism and long frame to cover every inch of the crease. Pay up to acquire the most proven goaltender on Tuesday’s slate.
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Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.