There’s no shortage of wagering opportunities with tonight’s 10-game NHL slate, and that includes heading the DFS route. Below you’ll find the nine-man lineup that I’ve locked in for tonight’s action. This roster is playable in DraftKings’ classic $50,000 salary format, but I’ve also listed each player’s price at FanDuel’s $55,000 salary equivalent. Here’s who I expect to have a big night on the ice.
Today’s NHL DFS Picks & Advice
The lineup below is based on DraftKings, but FanDuel prices are also listed.
C1: Sebastian Aho (C – CAR) ($7,300 DK, $7,500 FD)
My most expensive skater is Carolina’s Sebastian Aho, who has been lighting it up, registering four goals and three assists in his last five games. The centerman is up to 51 points (26th-most), which have come via 17 goals and 34 assists. I think Aho’s primed for a big night, as the Canes host a Blackhawks team that’s allowing 3.7 goals per game over their current 2-4-3 stretch of play.
C2: Marco Rossi (C – MIN) ($5,100 DK, $6,500 FD)
I was between Marco Rossi ($5,100) and Joel Eriksson Ek ($5,900) for this spot, but I think riding with the cheaper Rossi is the better move. Rossi is averaging 0.86 points per game this year, while Eriksson Ek is at 0.62 PPG. Both players are on the top power-play unit, so that’s a wash. The Wild take on the Canadiens tonight, and the Habs are just 29th in GAA (3.16) and 26th in SV% (.887). They’ve also faced the third-most high-danger shots (214) this season.
W1: Tyler Toffoli (RW – SJ) ($5,100 DK, $6,000 FD)
I like San Jose’s Tyler Toffoli tonight. The first-line winger and top-unit power-play contributor leads the team in goals (17) and SOG (140). He’s up to 31 points on the year, five of which (2G, 3A) have come in the last five games. Toffoli gets a decent matchup against a Seattle squad that’s 22nd in GAA (2.92), 25th in SV% (.889), 22nd on the PK (77.39%). They’ve also faced the fourth-most high-danger shots (207), which is music to my ears considering Toffoli’s high-volume shooting approach.
W2: Ivan Barbashev (LW – VGK) ($4,500 DK, $6,500 FD)
Vegas’ top line of Barbashev-Eichel-Stone is finally back together, and it’s been working well, as Ivan Barbashev has three points (3A) across his last four games. He’s up to 33 points (15G, 18A) across 41 games played this year. Vegas welcomes in a Columbus side that’s 30th in both GAA (3.20) and SV% (.885) while having faced the ninth-most high-danger shots (116) during 5-on-5 play. I like Barbashev to make his way onto the scoresheet tonight.
W3: Anthony Duclair (LW -NYI) ($3,800 DK, $4,400 FD)
The Islanders are heating up, as they’ve rattled off five straight victories. Over those five games, second-line winger Anthony Duclair has a pair of points (1G, 1A) and is averaging 1.4 SOG/G. I know that’s probably not convincing anyone to back him from a fantasy perspective. However, at this price, I think it’s worth a flier on Duclair. His shooting percentage is 14.3% and he’ll be firing on a Flyers goaltending group that’s still dead last in SV% (.875). Duclair should get a few good looks tonight, and I think he’s primed to light the lamp.
D1: Moritz Seider (D – DET) ($5,700 DK, $6,200 FD)
I love this matchup for Moritz Seider tonight, as the Red Wings head to Alberta to take on the Oilers. On the offensive side, Seider has 31 points (4G, 27A) across 50 games, and he’s averaging 2.0 SOG/G. Seider quarterbacks Detroit’s top power-play unit, which will be looking to score on Edmonton’s 21st-ranked PK (77.39%). On the defensive side, Seider, who’s 10th in the NHL in blocked shots (112), should have plenty of chances to amass blocked shots against this high-octane Oilers offense.
D2: Mattias Ekholm (D – EDM) ($4,600 DK, $5,300 FD)
Keeping it in the same game, I’ll play Mattias Ekholm to round out my defensive group. For starters, the D-man is listed as day-to-day with an illness, so just be sure to check the lines later tonight to make sure he’s playing. Ekholm has been decent offensively this season, picking up 22 points (7G, 15A) while averaging 2.3 SOG/G. There should be a ton of scoring in this matchup between two upward-trending offenses, and I like for Ekholm to get in on the action.
G: Connor Hellebuyck (G – WPG) ($7,800 DK, $8,400 FD)
It feels like an absolute bargain getting Connor Hellebuyck, the Vezina Trophy frontrunner (-1,000 at DraftKings), at just $7,800. The 31-year-old leads the league in wins (31-7-2), GAA (2.00), SV% (.927), and shutouts (6). Just give him the award already. But, as for tonight’s matchup, he’ll take on a Boston offense that owns the eighth-lowest shooting% (9.93%) and ranks 29th in goals per game (2.7). All things considered, this is excellent value for a guy of Helle’s caliber.
UTIL: Cole Caufield (RW – MTL) ($6,100 DK, $7,600 FD)
Let’s round it out with Montreal’s Cole Caufield, who is a puck-shooting machine. The Habs top-liner is 15th in the NHL in SOG (155), and he’s averaging 3.1 SOG/G. Those are by far the most among his teammates as well. Caufield enters the night with 47 points (25G, 22A) across 50 games played. He’ll be looking to score on Minnesota’s backup netminder, Marc-Andre Fleury (2.76 GAA, .904 SV%). MAF will be celebrated in his final outing in Quebec, but at the end of the night, he still has to play a hockey game and he’s still the secondary netminder for the Wild.