Welcome, RotoBallers! If you do not know me, my name is Brandon and I write both The First-Serve and The Kick-Off for tennis and soccer, respectively. If you have not checked those out, make sure you do! It is the return of the NHL season, which means it's time to sharpen our skills and partake in NHL DFS! As always, I'll give you the best tools to succeed and the info you need to build the best lineups possible for your GPP and cash game NHL contests on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Today, I'll be bringing you my NHL lineup picks, analysis, and advice for NHL DFS contests on DraftKings and FanDuel on Tuesday, October, 10, 2023, at 5:30 PM EDT. Be sure to also check out our awesome NHL tools, including our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, Projections, and DFS Cheat Sheets!
If you have any questions on today's slate, bankroll management, GPP strategy, cash game strategy, or anything else, don’t hesitate to email me at [email protected], via Twitter @df_solutions, or in our premium Slack chat. Good luck, RotoBallers!
NHL DFS Analysis and Picks for 10/10/23
We have finally made it! The 2023-2024 season is upon us and we welcome the next generational talent, Connor Bedard to the front and center! With many big moves over the offseason – Karlsson to Pittsburgh – and many signings during Free Agency, this season will make for yet another interesting race to Lord Stanley!
Tonight we have a 3-game slate and no teams playing on a back-to-back. I will do my best to guide you through this three-game slate on DraftKings and FanDuel starting at 5:30 p.m. EDT.
DISCLOSURE: Make sure to monitor the NHL news feeds for latest player status and injury news.
DraftKings and FanDuel Goalies - NHL DFS Picks
Jonas Johansson - DK $8.1K || FD $8.2K
Opponent - Nashville Predators
Yes, it is Preseason and the majority of the matches can be taken lightly. However, Nashville won just one match out of six played in a 5-1 victory over Carolina. There were a few games where they rostered if not their NHL starting, pretty close to it and easily got shut down.
Things are not looking so great heading into the first season with Barry Trotz as GM, despite having a clear picture as to what the team should look like and its strengths and weaknesses. Talking about weaknesses. The Lightning are down starter Andrei Vasilveskiy as most know after having successful back surgery. This immediately catapulted Johansson into the starter’s crease. Again, albeit it being Preseason, Johansson performed admirably.
The netminder posted two shutouts en route to averaging a 0.977 Save Percentage in three contests. He also did well in his three games last season with the Colorado Avalanche where he possessed a 1.09 Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60.
With Nashville struggling in the Preseason and the roster not changing heading into their 23-24 season debut, expect Johansson to maintain value in his first official start as a Tampa Bay Lightning.
Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):
- Hill (DK $8.2K || FD $7.8K)
- Saros (DK $7.3K || FD $7.4K)
Want more NHL DFS tools and content? Our NHL Premium package includes our daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Research Station, Lineup Optimizer and access to our VIP Discord Chatrooms. Doug Shain (@BanksterDFS) joins the NHL team in 2023 with his proven track record - join in on the winning!
Back to back @DraftKings Fantasy Hockey World Championship trips! Let’s get the main prize this year! Thank you to @banksterdfs for the amazing daily fantasy content! @NHL pic.twitter.com/dONSvJMtIR
— 🇺🇦Shockmain (@Shockmain) January 6, 2023
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NHL DFS Picks
Evgeni Malkin - DK $6.6K || FD $6.9K
Opponent - Chicago Blackhawks
With everyone focused on Crosby versus Bedard in Bedard’s NHL debut, Evgeni Malkin may have just as high of a ceiling, if not higher at a fraction of the ownership and cost.
Across the circle, will be youngster Lukas Reichel, whose Offensive Rating from last season was just a tick above 0, compared to the 2.96 that Malkin had. Chicago also plans to roll out Petr Mrazek to start in the team’s 23-24 season debut and last season, he posted a -0.39 Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60, as well as a 3.45 Goals Against Average.
In 82 games last season, Malkin posted 27 goals and 56 assists, while averaging 12 Fantasy Points Per Game. A similar outing is expected in his season debut against the Blackhawks.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Eichel (DK $7.6K || FD $7.5K)
- Cirelli (DK $4.3K || FD $5K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Wings - NHL DFS Picks
Conor Sheary - DK $3.5K || FD $4.3K
Opponent - Nashville Predators
Sheary makes his way to his fourth hockey club since entering the league with his draft team, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Since leaving Pittsburgh, the winger has yet to find the same success he had playing alongside Sidney Crosby, although, now he gets another crack on dynamic Tampa Bay Lightning roster.
Furthermore, Sheary is in line to play on the second line and also see time on the second Power-Play unit. This is incredible value for under $4K on DraftKings. In an opening night where the options will be limited, Sheary may turn into a MUST. Over 82 games last season with the Washington Capitals, he had 15 goals, 22 assists, 154 shots and a 9.7 Shooting Percentage.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Stone (DK $6.1K || FD $5.9K)
- Hall (DK $4.9K || FD $6K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Defensemen - NHL DFS Picks
Darren Raddysh - DK $2.8K || FD $3.6K
Opponent - Nashville Predators
Depending on the roster construction, it may be a requirement to pay down somewhere to fit the big guns. Darren Raddysh is the perfect spot to do just that. The defenseman always carries sneaky offensive potential, built as a defensive-defender, his playstyle more so suits a two-way defender, dating back to his days with the Erie Otters in the OHL.
In 17 games played last season with the Lightning, the defenseman had 1 goal, 2 assists, 25 shots and a 4.0 Shooting Percentage. For almost minimum salary on DraftKings, Raddysh holds a high ceiling and a valuable floor thanks to his peripherals.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Karlsson (DK $7.1K || FD $7.1K)
- Dunn (DK $4.6K || FD $5.5K)
NHL DFS Top Power Plays and Stacks
- PIT1
- VGK1
- TB1
NHL DFS Stacks of the Day
Brandon's Stack
- TB: Sheary-Cirelli-Stamkos
Chalk Stack
- PIT: Malkin-Crosby-Karlsson
Sneaky Stack
- SEA: Schwartz-Burakovsky-Schultz
NHL DFS News and Injury Alerts
More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis