Welcome to the NHL DFS core plays for the first full daily fantasy hockey slate of the season! You will see three tiered options for Yahoo! DFS, DraftKings, and FanDuel every night that there are three or more games. Otherwise, you are still getting the same great top plays and the Discord chat is still open for all of your questions. Don't forget to check out our NHL daily projections, the NHL DFS lineup generator, today's NHL betting odds, and NHL starting lines. Have fun and let's make some money together tonight!

Buffalo Sabres vs Ottawa Senators

Alright NHL DFS followers let’s start in Ottawa for the core plays today as this is a juicy matchup of poor defenses that could yield some serious points. The Senators are allowing 3.53 goals per game at the Sabres are allowing 3.56 goals per game, that’s very bad! Not only that but the Sabres have allowed 3 or more goals in 11 straight games and Eric Comrie is playing tonight, gross! That being established let’s look at the best options for this game!

At center it’s looking like the two highest price options are the best of between Tage Thompson and Tim Stutzle. Tage has 21 points on the season and has been a freight train in DFS averaging over 20 points on DK over the past 4 games. I think there could also be some value in Ottawa’s Shane Pinto as he has had high ceiling games with 8 goals on the on the season and is just 3.5k. On the wings the choices get even better as Brady, Tkachuk, Alex DeBrincat, Alex Tuch and Jeff Skinner can all be in play. The most consistent of the bunch though is Tkachuk who has gone over double digits in his last 6 games and has posted 5+ SOG as well during that stretch. Mid-price in this one I would take a peak at Drake Batherson at 5.1k or Jeff Skinner at 5.4k. Both are part of the top powerplay unit, and each get a bunch of minutes with the most talent players on the ice. 

On defense, I don’t think there’s any way I afford it given the players tonight, but Rasmus Dahlin is certainly the top choice with 18 points on the season, one of the most among blue liners. I will likely go the direction of Jake Sanderson at the end of the day from this game though with his 7 assists and ability to go 2x or 3x his salary in some games this season. I probably won’t be playing a goaltender from this matchup but if I do, it’ll be Anton Forsberg as the Sabres will be on a back to back and I expect the Senators to win outright. 

St. Louis Blues vs Chicago Blackhawks

On to the next game that isn’t as exciting as the last but there is still loads of potential as its another matchup of defenses that are hot trash. The Blues being the worst of the bunch allowing 3.57 goals per game and the Blackhawks just an even 3.00 goals. It does look though that Binnington and Soderblom will start this evening and they represent the best options in net for their respective teams. 

At center in this game you’re likely opting away but if you need some exposure at salary relief I see two options in this one. The first of which is Ryan O’Reilly who started the season poorly but has since turned things around with 3 double digit efforts in this last 4 games. That is thanks to 4 points over those games but against Chicago he could tack on another. The other option at center is Jonathan Toews but I think he is a bit pricey at 5.5k on DraftKings. This is purely a go against the grain GPP play if you are playing multiple lineups. 

The wingers in this contest are lightyears more interesting than the centers as talent at a discount can be found. There are several options here with Vlad Tarasenko, Patrick Kane, Jordan Kyrou and Pavel Buchnevich that all can get in your lineups but be warned they lack the upside of other wingers on the slate but do get you salary relief with the Oilers on the slate. The dart throw for this game may just be Brandon Saad though as he has 3 goals in 3 straight games while sitting at 3.9k on DK and has a revenge game tonight in Chicago! 

Finally on defense there’s not a ton to love but Torey Krug is cheaper than he has ever been at 4.6k and still commands the power play unit and a ton of minutes. Chicago’s Caleb Jones continues to be an option too at 4.4k as he sits on the top pairing and is also part of the powerplay equation. This matchup is also where I will look to goaltending likely as both offenses are slow and lack teeth. It really comes down to who you think will win but Binnington and Soderblom have played very well recently, and both are worthy, I am leaning Soderblom at his bargain price but I like both. 

Los Angeles Kings vs Edmonton Oilers

Last game of the night and it’s a big one of course as McDavid and Oilers take on the Kings. Much like the other two matchups in the slate the Oilers and Kings are treating defense as optional right now with the Oilers allowing 3.63 goals per game and the Kings sit at 3.5 which are 4th highest and 10th highest in the NHL. Tonight’s DFS slate will likely be one between picking the right stacks between here and the Ottawa-Sabres game so let’s get into the players to plug in here. 

At center it’s Connor McDavid at home until pigs fly and probably still after that. He has 32 career points in 24 games against the Kings including a goal in 7 of their last 9 meetings! He is 9.8k which is the highest I’ve really ever seen a forward this season but if you have him he will produce, he is averaging 22.2 DFS points this season. Then we have the old switch up play to Leon Draisaitl that I always consider. There are a handful of night he outproduces McDavid for around a thousand dollars cheaper so could this be one of those nights? History will tell us not tonight are he has just 23 points over 27 games and given the Oilers get to choose who faces off against Anze Kopitar it will likely be him to free up McDavid. Still worth a look though if he fits into the budget. Kopitar is also in play but has 5.8k I don’t see myself having any room for that. I could however find a way to Philip Danault the second line center for the Kings. Danault has quietly put up 12 points this season with 5 goals on that tally! 

The better of the Kings options come on the wings tonight as Kempe, Fiala and Vilardi are all in spots to potentially score. Kevin Fiala is the hottest of the bunch right now with 3 straight games with a goal and while he sits on the power play one unit his price at 5.2k in worthwhile. On the Oilers side picking the right winger can be tricky but with Evander Kane out Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has done nicely with 17 points and is putting up more shots, he’s also a bit cheaper than Hyman. Other names to watch at a basement price will be Warren Foegelle and Jesse Puljujarvi who get a bunch of ice time on the top two lines and give exposure to the big guns in Edmonton. 

For two teams that score a lot the blue liners aren’t super involved but there are a few that hold value. On the Kings side it’s still Drew Doughty who commands the powerplay but Sean Durzi is also a fine option at 4.7k. On the Edmonton side Darnell Nurse is usually the top dog but his price is high and the production isn’t always there. If you want a defenseman for them look to Evan Bouchard or Tyson Barrie. At goaltender I think there is some merit in starting whoever the Kings put out there, it has not been announced yet. But they will likely face 40+ shots and if they can allow less than 4 that’ll be a big day in DFS. 

 

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