The NHL rolls out an 11-game slate tonight. We have a few pivotal matchups on the schedule. I’m heading the DFS route to get some skin in the game and I’ve compiled this nine-man roster for DraftKings. This lineup is playable for the DraftKings $50,000 salary format. I’ve also listed each player’s price for the $55,000 FanDuel equivalent. Finally, it’s worth noting this lineup is for the games starting at 7:00 p.m. ET or later.
Today’s NHL DFS Picks & Analysis
The lineup below is based on DraftKings, but FanDuel prices are also listed.
C1: Ryan O’Reilly (NAS) | $5,400 DK, $6,700 FD
I have a pair of Predators in my lineup tonight as they take on the Islanders at UBS Arena. First, it’s Ryan O’Reilly, who’s centering Nashville’s top line with Gustav Nyquist and Filip Forsberg. O’Reilly trails those two and Roman Josi for points scored (25G, 38A). He’s coming off a two-assist night against the Blues last time out. Nashville’s playing great hockey and O’Reilly should register a point or two tonight against a mediocre New York squad.
C2: Morgan Frost (PHI) | $4,300 DK, $5,400 FD
I have a few players in my lineup for tonight’s Flyers vs. Blue Jackets contest. Morgan Frost is a great value option at this price, considering he centers the top line alongside Tyson Foerster and Travis Konecny. Frost is the team’s leading scoring centerman, adding 41 points (13G, 28A) over just 66 games. This is a great matchup for Philly to get back in the win column as they take on a Columbus team that’s 30th in overall defense (3.38 GAA).
W1: Jesper Bratt (NJ) | $6,000 DK, $7,700 FD
I don’t know if the oddsmakers can set a total high enough for tonight’s Devils vs. Senators game. These are two of the worst defenses in the league, providing us with an opportunity to lock in a few offensive stars. I’ll take Jesper Bratt, who has been a point-per-game guy this season — 76 points (25G, 51A) over 76 games. He leads New Jersey in scoring and is second in SOG (235). Meanwhile, Ottawa ranks 29th in overall defense (3.36 GAA) and 30th on the PK (73.87%).
W2: Drake Batherson (OTT) | $5,000 DK, $6,200 FD
Keeping it in the same game with Drake Batherson. The winger was blanked last time out against the Panthers but he posted a two-point night (1G, 1A) in his previous game against the Wild. Batherson has nine points (4G, 5A) over his last seven games. He’s Ottawa’s fourth-highest scorer (27G, 33A) and ranks third in SOG (176). I like this matchup against New Jersey’s 24th-ranked defense (3.09 GAA).
W3: Johnny Gaudreau (COL) | $4,500 DK, $5,300 FD
The Flyers made their hay by playing savvy defense this season. However, they’ve fallen apart over the last six games, going 0-4-2. Philadelphia’s allowing 4.5 goals per game over the six-game sample size. I’ll play Johnny Gaudreau as my third winger. He’s leading Columbus in scoring (11G, 45A) this season. The Jackets are a scrappy bunch and they’ll look to kick the Flyers while they’re down. Considering Philly’s current form, I expect Gaudreau to have a big night.
D1: Morgan Rielly (TOR) | $6,000 DK, $4,000 FD
My top defenseman tonight will be Morgan Reilly. He’s leading Toronto’s defensive core in scoring this season, amassing 52 points (7G, 45A) over 66 games. Reilly has six points (6A) in his last six games, one of which has come on the power play. This Toronto offense should find success against Montreal tonight. The Habs are 27th defensively (3.20 GAA) and 23rd on the PK (76.83%).
D2: Mike Matheson (MON) | $5,600 DK, $6,800 FD
Keeping it in the same game, I’ll also play Mike Matheson, Montreal’s top defenseman. Matheson has five points (5A) in his last four games, bringing him to 53 points (10G, 43A) on the year. Toronto’s great offensively, but it’s going to be their defense and goaltending that gets them in trouble in the postseason. They’re a bottom-half defense, ranking 17th in overall defense (2.95 GAA) and 21st on the PK (77.93%). Look for Matheson to have a productive night against this flawed Leafs defense.
G: Cam Talbot (LA) | $8,000 DK, $7,700 FD
Maybe I’m crazy but I’m going to take a crack at fading the Canucks’ offense to get a cheaper option in net. Vancouver’s just 2-3-0 in their last five games, averaging only 2.2 goals per game. Included in that five-game stretch is a 3-2 loss to the Kings. Cam Talbot didn’t play that night. However, he comes in at 24-18-6 with a 2.47 GAA (6th) and .915 SV% (7th). He’s been one of the best goaltenders in the league, leading the fourth-best overall defense of Los Angeles (2.46 GAA).
UTIL: Gustav Nyquist (NAS) | $5,200 DK, $7,000 FD
I’ll round out my lineup with Gustav Nyquist, giving us a chance to double up on scoring since we also have O’Reilly. Nyquist is having a career year playing alongside O’Reilly and Forsberg, racking up 71 points on 22 goals and 49 helpers. The winger picked up three assists last game, which gives him 15 points (5G, 10A) over his last 10 games.
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