Welcome, RotoBallers! My name is Brandon, and I'll be writing both The First-Serve and The Kick-Off for tennis and soccer. 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 for Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Be sure to also check out RotoBaller's 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/X @df_solutions or in our premium Slack chat. Best of luck!
NHL DFS Analysis and Picks for 10/24/24
We have finally made it! The 2024-2024 NHL Season has BEGUN!! Can Florida and Edmonton repeat in the Stanley Cup Finals? Will Utah rise to the occasion, playing in front of a new crowd and a new barn?
Tonight, we have a nine-game slate and no teams playing on a back-to-back. There will be a few different ways to build lineups, and paying up at the goalie position is an optimal path tonight due to the excess of value players.
The currently live top-three highest implied team totals are Toronto with 4, Los Angeles with 3.7, and New Jersey with 3.7. I will do my best to guide you through this nine-game slate on DraftKings and FanDuel starting at 7:00 p.m. EDT.
DISCLOSURE: Make sure to monitor the NHL news feeds for the latest player status and injury news.
DraftKings and FanDuel Goalies - NHL DFS Picks
Daniel Vladar - DK $7.5K || FD $7.7K
Opponent - Carolina Hurricanes
Pinpointing value at the goalie position tonight will be more ‘difficult’ than usual, thanks to the lack of value teams in Shots Per Goal Per 60. The Carolina Hurricanes offer the best Saves Per Goal Per 60 on the slate. As of Monday, they were the best in Shots Per 60 and just outside the league's bottom half in Goals Per 60.
Dan Vladar was also in the top ten in Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60. As the seventh-most ‘affordable’ goalie on the slate and projected to make 30 or more saves, Vladar will have every opportunity to maintain and exceed value. In his three starts this season, he has a 2-0-1 record with a 2.63 Goals Against Average and a 0.890 Save Percentage.
Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):
- Stolarz (DK $8.4K || FD $8.2K)
- Hellebuyck (DK $7.8K || FD $8.3K)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NHL DFS Picks
Jack Hughes - DK $8.4K || FD $8.5K
Opponent - Detroit Red Wings
Unsurprisingly, Jack Hughes is carrying most of the offense for the Devils with two goals, four assists, 12 shots, and four blocked shots in his last five games. Detroit is the sixth-worst in Scoring Chances Against Per 60 and High Danger Chances Against Per 60. They are also the fifth-worst in Shots Against Per 60.
Hughes and company are expected to see Detroit's second line most of the game, setting up the center to produce double-digit fantasy points. Hughes is expected to exceed value in this matchup despite the' expensive' salary.
Max Domi - DK $3.3K || FD $5K
Opponent - St. Louis Blues
Max Domi makes back-to-back articles despite a poor performance in the 6-2 loss in Columbus. In his most recent five performances, he has five assists, four shots, and one blocked shot. The Blues’ second line is their worst defensive line and one of the worst defensive lines in the league. They will also be without a few players, notably Robert Thomas, due to injuries that limit their capabilities.
They are currently in the bottom 10 in Scoring Chances Against Per 60, High Danger Chances Against Per 60, and Shots Against Per 60. With multiple ‘elite’ players on the slate to pay up for, Domi offers the optimal ‘punt’ play in a prime matchup.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- MacKinnon (DK $9.8K || FD $9.4K)
- Turcotte (DK $2.6K || FD $3.8K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Wings - NHL DFS Picks
Kevin Fiala - DK $6.7K || FD $7.4K
Opponent - San Jose Sharks
Kevin Fiala and the Los Angeles Kings have played seven matches to start the season, not a single one at home. However, they have the luxury of hosting the San Jose Sharks for their season home debut. In Per 60 stats, the Sharks are in the bottom ten in Scoring Chances Against, High Danger Chances Against, and Shots Against.
In Fiala’s last five outings, he has four goals and 20 shots, averaging four shots per game. Fiala is expected to see San Jose’s third-pairing–worst defensive pairing– and their top nine. He is safe to see north of 40 percent ownership in most contests.
Matthew Knies - DK $4K || FD $4.3K
Opponent - St. Louis Blues
Like teammate and center Max Domi, Matthew Knies also made back-to-back articles and did not disappoint in the 6-2 loss to Columbus. The winger managed one goal and five shots. In his recent five-game stretch, he has three goals, one assist, 12 shots, and one blocked shot. As mentioned Tuesday, Knies offers the ability to play a one-off from the top line in Toronto with an optimal floor and ceiling.
Knies and the Leafs' top line is projected to see the St. Louis Blues' top line. This line is missing their key defensive forward, Robert Thomas, which could lead to more opportunities than normal for Knies and company.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Colton (DK $5.4K || FD $6.8K)
- Palat (DK $2.9K || FD $3.4K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Defensemen - NHL DFS Picks
Shayne Gostisbehere - DK $4.5K || FD $6K
Opponent - Calgary Flames
This is the best start to a season that Shayne Gostisbehere has had since his early days in Philadelphia. The offensive defenseman has four goals, one assist, 13 shots, and three blocked shots. Calgary is playing inconsistent defense and is being saved by above-average goaltending, something they are not known for.
If Carolina can get ahead early, ‘Ghost’ will have the opportunity to produce his best game so far in the early season. As the quarterback on the top powerplay unit and a go-to at the point, in a prime matchup, Gostisbehere is expected to see north of 20 percent ownership.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson - DK $4.2K || FD $4.8K
Opponent - St. Louis Blues
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, or ‘OEL,’ makes it back into the article with a premium matchup against St. Louis. The offensive defenseman has three assists, 13 shots, and four blocked shots to start the season. His veteran experience has landed him the quarterbacking job on the top power-play unit for the Maple Leafs. This has helped him in his hot start.
As mentioned, the St. Louis Blues will be without key players and are playing some of the worst defense in the league. Given his role and matchup for OEL, he is expected to exceed value.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Clarke (DK $4.4K || FD $5.6K)
- Pesce (DK $2.5K || FD $3.5K)
NHL DFS Top Power Plays and Stacks
- TOR1
- LA1
- COL1
- NJ1
NHL DFS Stacks of the Day
Brandon's Stack
- TOR: McCabe-Domi-Nylander
Chalk Stack
- TOR: Knies-Matthews-Marner
Sneaky Stack
- LA: Foegele-Turcotte-Laferriere
NHL DFS News and Injury Alerts
More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis