Nick Rodriguez has you covered for tonight’s NHL DFS slate – with his top stacks and goalies for your GPP lineups and cash game core four.
You can keep an eye on late news by looking at my NHL Beat Writers list on Twitter by clicking HERE.
Beyond that, you should also absolutely use Left Wing Lock for lines by clicking HERE and goalie confirmations by clicking HERE.
Cash Game Core Four
Auston Matthews (TOR), Carter Verhaeghe (FLA), Nikolaj Ehlers (WPG), Ryan Ellis (NSH)
Top Stacks Of The Night
FLA 1: Aleksander Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe, Anthony Duclair
Possible Add-On: Aaron Ekblad
I’ve been fortunate enough to watch a lot of Florida Panthers hockey this season and man have I been impressed. Not with the team as a whole, but with the Barkov-Verhaeghe-Duclair line. In 4 games, the trio is boasting a 63.37 CF% to go along with 4 even-strength goals. This line generates a ton of chances and moves the puck extremely well in the offensive zone. Duclair’s speed and ability to quickly get into the offensive zone has allowed Verhaeghe and Barkov to get plenty of opportunities to light the lamp (18 high danger scoring chances this season). Going up against Detroit may not be favorable pace-wise, but the Red Wings have struggled on the penalty kill and allowed an average of 3.63 goals in 8 games.
TOR 1: Mitch Marner, Zach Hyman, Auston Matthews
Possible Add-On: Morgan Rielly
You’ve heard this a million times by now, but Marner and Matthews just have a natural knack for putting the puck in the net. They aren’t in the top 10 of NHL salary earning this season for no reason. In 9 contests, they’ve combined for 22 points and own an impressive 60.50 CF% when on the ice together. This contest has a 6.5 total on the evening and a large part of that is due to Edmonton’s defensive play. Edmonton ranks in the bottom 8 in CF%, xGA, and PK%.
EDM 1: Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jesse Puljujarvi
Possible Add-On: Darnell Nurse
This line has only played 38 minutes of ice time this season but has already recorded 14 high danger scoring chances and a 65.75 CF%. We all know just how talented McDavid and Nugent-Hopkins are, but Puljujarvi brings a lot to the table as well. The former No. 4 overall pick in the 2016 draft is an excellent skater with great stickhandling and speed. He’s able to play at McDavid’s pace which is why this line has generated a ton of scoring opportunities. Despite a 7-2 record, Toronto is sporting a 16.39 xGA and has allowed an average of 8.22 high danger scoring chances per contest.
WPG 2: Nikolaj Ehlers, Andrew Copp, Paul Stastny
Possible Add-On: Josh Morrissey
Ehlers, Copp, and Stastny own a 59.79 CF% and have logged 6 even strength goals in 46 minutes of action. Yes, the Jets have Wheeler, Connor, and many other talented offensive players, but the Jets’ second line is what has impressed me the most. Stastny’s ability to distribute and control the puck, Ehlers speed and ability to score, with Copp’s balanced game has been a thing of beauty to watch. This line will have a nice opportunity to add to their scoring total this season going up against the Canucks which have allowed the most high danger scoring chances on the year.
MTL 2: Josh Anderson, Nick Suzuki, Jonathan Drouin
Possible Add-On: Jeff Petry
Suzuki just continues to amaze me and proves every day that the Pacioretty for Tatar and Suzuki trade was good for both teams. The young two-way centerman has logged a point in every game this season and has been phenomenal setting up an aggressive forward in Anderson and the speedster in Drouin. In 67 minutes of 5v5 ice time, the trio has 5 even strength to go along with a 55.65 CF%. Calgary has allowed an average of 4 goals in their last 2 contests and this trio could take advantage of their recent struggles.
NYR 2: Artemi Panarin, Phillip Di Giuseppe, Ryan Strome
Possible Add-On: Adam Fox
The Strome-Panarin duo has looked great on the ice this season. They have put together a 57.38 CF% in 76 minutes of action to go along with 3 even-strength goals. Strome and Panarin get PP minutes which is huge going up against the Penguins’ 73.1 PK% on the year.
Di Giuseppe will have the opportunity to play on the same line as some of the best offensive weapons for New York. While he has yet to score more than 20 points in an NHL season, he’s recorded 4 points in 6 games and has logged 2 points in 2 games against Pittsburgh. He’s no offensive stud on the wing, but he’s a cheap way to get some type of exposure to this line.
Goaltenders
- Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB (Unconfirmed)
- John Gibson, ANA (Unconfirmed)
- Anton Khudobin, DAL (Unconfirmed)
Cheap One-Offs/Punts
C – Joel Eriksson Ek, MIN
C – Adam Lowry, WPG
W – Carter Verhaeghe, FLA
W – Anthony Duclair, FLA
W – Mikael Granlund, NSH
W – Craig Smith, BOS
D – Justin Schultz, WSH
D – Zdeno Chara, WSH
D – Dylan Demelo, WPG
D – Noah Dobson, PHI
D – Justin Faulk, STL
