It’s a huge sports day in North America, and there’s no better way to get involved than by building a DFS hockey lineup in the NHL! There are four early games but this classic $50,000 DraftKings salary roster will consist of the nine late games, which get underway at 7:00 p.m. ET. I’ve also listed the prices for each player at FanDuel. Let’s dive into who I believe will have a great night on the ice.
View daily consensus odds from all major sportsbooks for the NHL at BettingPros
Today’s NHL DFS Picks & Analysis
Lineup below is based on DraftKings, but FanDuel prices are also listed.
C1: Pavel Zacha ($5,300 DK, $5,700 FD)
The Bruins are on fire to start the season, posting a 12-1-2 record over their first 15 games. However, one of those losses came at the hands of the Canadiens in a 3-2 overtime affair last Saturday. Boston returns home to host Montreal this evening, and I think we’ll see the Bruins’ offense go off this time around.
David Pastrnak (11G, 13A) and Brad Marchand (7G, 9A) are a little out of my price range, so I’ll target their linemate, Pavel Zacha. The centerman has racked up 12 points (5G, 7A) and he’s logging the most minutes among the forwards (19:26 TOI/G). Look for Boston’s offense to bounce back against this Montreal side that owns the third-highest expected goals per 60 minutes rate (3.55).
C2: Dylan Strome ($4,300 DK, $5,100 FD)
Washington’s offense is finally coming to life after a slow start. They’re riding a three-game win streak and they’ve managed 11 goals over the three-game sample size (3.67 GPG). Dylan Strome has been the team’s top producer, notching seven goals through 14 games. The Caps will host the Blue Jackets tonight, and they haven’t been great defensively. Columbus is currently 28th in expected goals against per 60 minutes (3.47).
W1: Alex Ovechkin ($7,500 DK, $7,600 FD)
The Great Eight has contributed during the recent winning streak, recording three points (2G, 1A) throughout the stretch. He’s up to 11 points (4G, 7A) on the year, which leads Washington. Alex Ovechkin should be able to record at least one point tonight in this matchup with the Jackets. Columbus has seen six of their seven road games go over the betting total, so we should see a ton of goals.
W2: Chris Kreider ($6,500 DK, $7,500 FD)
Everyone knew entering the year that the Devils’ Achilles heel would be their defense and goaltending. Well, that theory has held true through the first quarter of the season considering New Jersey is 27th in goals against per game (3.33). Enter Chris Kreider, who is on a tear to begin the new campaign. The winger has a team-leading 10 goals, six of which have come on the power play. I like for the Blue Shirts to do some damage tonight, and I think Kreider gets involved offensivel
W3: Jake DeBrusk ($3,900 DK, $4,900 FD)
The other Bruin I want to take a chance with tonight is Jake DeBrusk. The winger hasn’t been dominant to start the season, registering just five points (1G, 4A). However, he hasn’t shied away from shooting the puck, where he’s fourth on the team in shots on goal (30). DeBrusk also gets time on the second power-play unit, so I think he makes a decent depth option for tonight’s game against the Habs.
D1: Ivan Provorov ($4,100 DK, $4,900 FD)
Columbus’ top two scorers this season have been defensemen as Zach Werenski (1G, 9A) and Ivan Provorov (10A) lead the way. Provorov runs point on the top power-play unit, which should find success against a pedestrian Washington PK (83.3%). Five of his 10 assists have come on the man advantage. The defense hasn’t been great for the Capitals this season considering they’re 27th in expected goals against per 60 minutes (3.38). Look for Provorov to have his hand in a goal tonight.
D2: Tony DeAngelo ($4,000 DK, $4,200 FD)
With the strong defensive core of Carolina, Tony DeAngelo has been relegated to the bottom pair. However, the power play specialist is still logging minutes on the top unit, where a majority of his scoring has come. Four of his seven points (1G, 6A) have come on the man advantage. I’ll take a flier on DeAngelo to round out our defensive duo as his Canes take on the Penguins.
G: Jacob Markstrom ($7,900 DK, $7,400 FD)
The Islanders are in shambles right now as they enter tonight’s game against the Flames amid a seven-game losing streak. It has been rough on both ends of the ice, but the offense hasn’t performed. Over the seven-game skid, they’re averaging just 2.14 goals per game. Their season mark in the scoring category is just 2.4 goals per game, which is the second-worst, sitting above only the Sharks. Look for Jacob Markstrom to have a big night in net tonight. The 33-year-old comes in with a 2.66 GAA (17th) and a .906 SV% (25th).
UTIL: Boone Jenner ($6,400 DK, $6,900 FD)
I’ll round out the roster with Boone Jenner as our util man. The centerman leads Columbus in both goals (7) and SOG (54). He’s on the ice for nearly a third of the game, where he logs 19:53 worth of ice time per contest. Good things happen when you’re on the ice, and I think Jenner lights the lamp in this potentially high-scoring matchup against the Capitals.
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