NHL DraftKings and FanDuel DFS Primer: Tuesday (10/25)

Tuesday greets us with a full 10-game slate in the NHL. This is the most fun to compete in NHL DFS because the players are so cheap on a double-digit slate, creating opportunities for a great value. Conversely, a lot of high-salaried players will not hit their projected threshold and fail to generate a return on investment, which is a risk that is always baked into any player in DFS.

Friday’s recommended picks were a mixed bag of results. The light three-game schedule limited the number of different lineup builds to create, adding emphasis to roster the top performers, which Matthew Tkachuk (LW – FLA) did during his two-point (one goal, one assist) outing in a 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. Florida defenseman Gustav Forsling (D – FLA) managed an assist, as did Detroit defenseman Olli Maatta (D – DET), but two potent offensive players, Andre Burakovsky (LW – SEA) and Nathan MacKinnon (C – COL) failed to finish with a point. Jonathan Toews (C – CHI) was held without a point, while Ville Husso (G – DET) wound up sitting against Chicago. Sergei Bobrovsky (G – FLA) saved 29 shots but allowed three goals in a one-goal loss to the Lightning. To summarize, Matthew Tkachuk and the defensemen were the only valuable commodities to roster this past Friday.

Here are my favorite players to target on DraftKings and FanDuel during Tuesday’s jam-packed ten-game slate.

Check out today’s One-Timer contest from FanDuel

Recommended Plays: DraftKings

DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000

Sidney Crosby (C – PIT): $7,800
Pittsburgh is currently sitting atop the Metropolitan division at 4-1 and star veteran Sidney Crosby has been a significant contributor during this early run. The 35-year-old first-line center has scored four points across his previous two games against Columbus and Edmonton, averaging between three to five shots on goal per game. Crosby and the Pens will travel to Calgary to face Jacob Markstrom (G – CGY) in the crease. With the total goal line set at 6.5 and sportsbooks favoring the over, I expect Crosby to continue his multi-point rampage in a matchup with plenty of goals to go around.

Artemi Panarin (LW – NYR): $7,200
Artemi Panarin has been busy in the offensive zone, scoring goals in four of six games, while adding eight assists. The talented winger has two four-point games this season, which is the type of production that wins contests in DFS. The New York Rangers have scored 20 goals and are 3-2-1, so they’ll be looking to bounce back against Colorado on Tuesday. The Avs have allowed 18 goals in six games played, so there is plenty of opportunity for Panarin to continue producing at an elite level.

Ben Chiarot (D – DET): $5,100
After spending a few seasons in Montreal, defenseman Ben Chiarot has bounced around a couple of times recently, signing with Detroit during free agency after a brief stint with the Florida Panthers last season. The 31-year-old defenseman only recorded a couple of blocked shots during his last game against Anaheim, but he typically takes a few shots on goal and racks up a couple of blocked shots per game, creating a decent floor in relation to his cheap salary. There are better defensemen to roster but this is a good salary to get Chiarot into lineups in a good matchup against New Jersey on Tuesday night.

Jake Oettinger (G – DAL): $7,400
Jake Oettinger has been red hot to start the 2023 NHL season. The 23-year-old netminder has four wins as a starter for Dallas, allowing one goal in each of his three previous starts. Oettinger faces around 30 shots per game, allowing him to rack up DFS points due to the save volume. He will be tested on Tuesday night on the road against Boston, but Oettinger just recorded consecutive wins against a good Nashville team, so he shouldn’t be phased. Pay up to build your foundation with Oettinger as the goaltender.

Recommended Plays: FanDuel

FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000

Nazem Kadri (C – CGY): $7,600
After helping Colorado toward hoisting the Stanley Cup in the postseason, Nazem Kadri cashed out and signed a huge contract with Calgary. The Flames are 4-1 and have a plus-two goal differential, watching Kadri steadily deliver a point in all five games this season. Kadri is as steady and reliable as they come for DFS purposes. Against Pittsburgh goaltender Casey DeSmith (G – PIT), who allowed three goals in an overtime loss to Montreal during his only start this season, Kadri is positioned for another high-floor outing with a point nearly guaranteed.

Jonathan Marchessault (RW – VGK): $6,800
Vegas is 5-2 and sits atop the Pacific division entering Tuesday’s matchup against San Jose. Veteran winger Jonathan Marchessault has been busy with goals, scoring five this season, while attempting three shots on goal in most outings. Marchessault has seen his shots on goal steadily drop but he’s still scoring when given the opportunity. A point-less outing against Toronto on Monday dropped his salary below $7,000 on FanDuel, so take advantage of entering a plus-matchup against San Jose’s goaltender James Reimer (G – SJ), who is 2-3 as a starter this season.

Rasmus Dahlin (D – BUF): $7,100
We saw spurts of greatness out of Rasmus Dahlin last season but he’s really taken his scoring talents to the next level to begin this season. Buffalo’s young defenseman has a goal in all five games played this season, including three multi-point outings, proving that he’s a huge asset in the offensive zone for the Sabres. It’s expensive to plug Dahlin into DFS lineups at the moment due to this heightened production, but he’ll likely face Seattle netminder Martin Jones (G – SEA), who just allowed five goals in a loss to Chicago a couple of days ago.

Eric Comrie (G – BUF): $8,500
Staying with Buffalo, I like the outlook for 27-year-old netminder Eric Comrie against Seattle on Tuesday night. Comrie has only logged three starts in the crease this season but he has faced a ton of volume, which is a good thing if the goaltender can stop most of the shots. He’s 2-1 with a recent loss against Florida, but he’s won games for the Sabres by recording a combined 86 saves during his first two starts this season. Comrie has played for five teams in his seven-year career but he’s been impressive to begin his tenure in Buffalo, so add him into lineups in a plus-matchup.