NHL DFS Playbook November 27: Top DraftKings and FanDuel Picks
Published: Nov 27, 2023
Monday's six-game NHL slate is loaded with top-tier scorers featuring a great matchup as Chris Kreider and the New York Rangers face Rasmus Dahlin and the Buffalo Sabres. We should expect lots of tight games with some great matchups out there, but expect some of the top scorers to shine through still. So, be sure to check in with our NHL DFS Tools, with the daily NHL projections, and our NHL lineup generator when building those lineups today to help you decide which players you should be targeting!
NHL DFS Playbook November 27th
DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts
This should be an interesting slate. There are some really good matchups where there could be high-scoring games. The Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals and the New York Rangers are likely to get a lot of player's attention with their matchups, but I wouldn't want to lose sight of the Colorado Avalanche and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Both teams are in the top four in goals per game over the last two weeks. The Lightning are coming off an eight-goal outburst against Carolina, and The Avs have scored five goals or more in four of their last seven games.
Recommended DFS Starting Goalies
Top Options for Saves
Jacob Markstrom vs Vegas Golden Knights
Devon Levi vs New York Rangers
Sergei Bobrovsky vs Ottawa Senators
Best Odds for a Win
Jeremy Swaymen vs Columbus Blue Jackets
Igor Shesterkin vs Buffalo Sabres
Darcy Kuemper vs San Jose Sharks
Favorite Goalies to Use for DFS Lineups
Igor Shesterkin, G, New York Rangers
In cash games today Shesterkin would be my pick. I think many people will go to Jeremy Swayman, but Shesterkin has just as good of a matchup against a Sabres team that has struggled to score goals without Tage Thompson. Darcy Kuemper is also viable in cash games as the Sharks don't have much bite these days, but he isn't the same calibre of goalie as Shesterkin or Swayman right now.
Joonas Korpisalo, G, Ottawa Senators
Korpisalo has won three straight starts for the Sens, and he could see enough shots from the Panthers today for him to get to the save bonus. He is a GPP play, however as I wouldn't want to take on the risk in cash games.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, Tampa Bay Lightning
In a GPP I don't mind taking a gamble on Vasilsvskiy. He looked good against Carolina, and maybe the rest from his surgery will help him regain his form as the top goalie in the world.
Recommended DFS Skaters
Highest Expected Goal Totals
Boston Bruins vs Spencer Martin (4.1)
New York Rangers vs Devon Levi (4.0)
Washington Capitals vs Mackenzie Blackwood (3.9)
Favorite Skaters to Use for DFS Lineups
Evgeny Kuznetsov, C, Washington Capitals
With how bad the Sharks are, I am amazed to see Kuznetsov's price as low as it is. He hasn't been good this season, but he gets the best minutes to create offence alongside Alex Ovechkin and he is going against a team that gives up a lot of goals.
Chris Kreider, W, New York Rangers
Kreider has five points in his two games. He has been shooting more, and that should lead to success against a struggling Sabres team.
David Pastrnak, W, Boston Bruins
The issue with Pasta today is being able to fit him in. He has 21 shots in his last four games and he will be facing a goalie today in Spencer Martin who has given up four goals or more in each of his last three starts. I would be doing my best to get Pasta into any cash lineups I could, and I would consider him in GPP's as well if you can find enough value plays.
Aaron Ekblad, D, Florida Panthers
With the Senators putting 32 shots on goal per game on average, I expect Ekblad will be able to get three blocked shots, and he has upside with points and shots as well which could make him a real bargain on today's slate.
Player Pool
| $ Tier | C | W | D | G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High |  Nathan MacKinnon  $10,200 |  David Pastrnak $10,400 | Cale Makar $8,400 | Jeremy Swayman $8,600 |
| Medium |  Mika Zibanejad $5,700 | Chris Kreider $7,800 |  John Carlson $6,000 | Igor Shesterkin $8,400 |
| Low |  Evgeny Kuznetsov $5,300 | Blake Wheeler $4,300 |  Aaron Ekblad $4,900 |  Andrei Vasilevskiy $7,900 |
Stacks
| Rangers | Mika Zibanejad | Chris Kreider | Jacob Trouba |
 DraftKings | 6800 | 6500 | 5800 |
| Fanduel | 5700 | 7800 | 6000 |
| Capitals | Alex Ovechkin | John Carlson | Evgeny Kuznetsov |
| DraftKings | 7500 | 6300 | 4200 |
| Fanduel | 7700 | 6000 | 5300 |
| Lightning | Brayden Point | Nikita Kucherov | Mikhail Sergachev |
| DraftKings | 7300 | 9200 | 4500 |
| Fanduel | 9400 | 10200 | 6200 |
Player News
Dolphins signed No. 13 overall pick DT Kenneth Grant to a four-year contract.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Grant will sign his contract today. The former Michigan defensive tackle is expected to fill a major void left by Christian Wilkins, who left for the Raiders in the 2024 offseason. Grant totaled 32 tackles, three sacks, and seven TFLs in his final season at Michigan and excelled at stopping the run while also generating 27 pressures in his final season, per PFF.
Daulton Varsho picked up three hits, three RBI and a homer in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Varsho has only played in seven games this year, but they’ve been seven good ones. He’s homered three times already, and his slugging percentage is a remarkable — and entirely unsustainable — .727 over 22 at-bats. Varsho has been a mediocre offensive player in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, but it’s possible at the age of 28 he’s having a breakout campaign. Far from a guarantee, but possible.
Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer in a loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Ward, 31, gave the Angels a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the first inning. He’s now gone deep in two of his last three games, and it ‘improves’ his slash to .181/.224/.391. Ward has been one of the most hot/cold players players in the sport over the last few years, so fantasy managers who can afford to make some roster moves may want to look at Ward while the going is good.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. picked up three hits and scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Angels on Thursday.
Guerrero also drew a walk. It gives the first baseman multiple hits in back-to-back games, and it’s the third time in May that he’s reached that mark. That’s helped raise his average from .268 to .295, and the only thing fantasy managers can be disappointed with is his .432 slugging percentage. That number should continue to climb as the season unfolds, but Vladdy Jr. has had some inconsistent seasons when it comes to power production.
Chad Green picked up his first save of 2025 with a scoreless ninth against the Angels on Thursday.
Green got the save after Jeff Hoffman worked in back-to-back games — and struggled — in the first two contests against the Angels. He struck out two and looked the part while needing just nine pitches to get through the inning. Hoffman should remain the closer, but Green is on his tail if the struggles were to continue.
Chris Bassitt allowed five runs — four earned — while working six-plus innings against the Angels on Thursday while picking up a win.
Bassitt allowed three runs over the first two innings on a pair of homers, but settled down over his next four frames. He came out to work the seventh, but ended up being charged for two more runs after leaving the contest. The 36-year-old veteran has forged a 3.35 ERA and outstanding 49/8 K/BB ratio over the first quarter of the season, but this wasn’t him at his best. He’ll get the Rays next week if the rotation order stays the same for Toronto.