Below are game breakdowns and optimal lineups for tonight’s three-game NHL DFS slate. 

OTT @ CHI

Chicago is a -160 home favorite in a game with an over/under of six (5.5 is the standard over/under), so they’re a chalky play tonight.

Jonathan Toews’ line draws the tougher assignments in home games, which means Patrick Kane and the second line should have the better of the individual matchups. Both Kane and Artem Anisimov are priced better on DK than FD. D-man Brent Seabrook joins the Kane/Anisimov on the PP and is priced fairly on both sites. Third liner Alex Debrincat is a solid value option on DK. Debrincat has five points in his last five including three goals. D-man Jordan Oesterle is a salary relief option on both sites if you need it.

While Chicago is the obvious play here, Ottawa is a good GPP option. The Hawks have the worst goaltender going tonight in Anton Forsberg who ranks 52nd in adjusted save percentage among 62 goalies with at least 500 minutes played at 5v5. Again, the second line is the play as the Kane line is the better matchup for opposing skaters compared to the Toews line. Since plus-minus isn’t a thing we have to worry about any more in NHL DFS, both second lines in this game can be used even though they should match up head-to-head at even strength.

Derrick Brassard centers the second line with Mark Stone and Zack Smith on his wings. Brassard is priced better on DK while Stone and Smith are priced about the same on both sites relative to the cap, so DK would be a better spot for a full line stack. The whole line stays together on the PP, which adds to their stack appeal. D-man Erik Karlsson joins them on the PP, and he’s also priced better on DK than FD.

In net, Forsberg could be a cash option as Chicago is a big home favorite, but it’s tough to go with a guy outside the top 50 in adjusted save percentage in cash games. The only real option in net from this game is Mike Condon in GPPs. The Senators join the Islanders as one of two teams giving up significantly more shot attempts per 60 since Christmas, and the Hawks have taken more shot attempts per 60 since Christmas than any other team. Condon is going to see a ton of rubber, and if he’s on his game or simply catches some breaks, he could have a big fantasy night.

DAL @ ANA

This is the least fantasy-friendly game of the slate. It’s the only game with a standard over/under of 5.5 goals, and both teams play a shot-suppression style of game. Anaheim has allowed the eighth fewest shot attempts per game since Christmas, and the Stars allow the fourth fewest shot attempts for the season. That’s obviously bad for offense, and it’s not great for goalies either as they need to face shots in order get fantasy points for making saves.

When the matchup isn’t an obvious one to pick on and there are no individual matchups to exploit (which is the case for teams facing Dallas), it’s best to focus on value. And Anaheim’s second line is a nice value option. Wingers Jakob Silfverberg and Andrew Cogliano are priced well on both sites, and center Ryan Kesler is priced well on DK. The entire line stays together on the power play, so the line has some stack appeal in GPPS. Cam Fowler is the D-man who should join them on the PP.

For Dallas, the best GPP stack option is the line of Jamie Benn, Alexander Radulov and Devin Shore. Shore works with the top PP unit, so that trio should be together in all situations. Dallas could easily move Benn and Radulov back on Seguin’s wing at some point mid-game, but the stack wouldn’t fall apart since Shore gets that PP1 work. The stack is about the same price-wise on both sites. John Klingberg is the D-man on the top PP unit, so he’s an option to include in the stack.

Ben Bishop isn’t a great option in net given that the Stars suppress shots and the Ducks don’t take a ton of shots, plus the Stars are an underdog on the road. Ryan Miller could be a cash option if Marc-Andre Fleury is too expensive for you. As mentioned, Forsberg is hard to trust, which makes Miller the cheaper cash option to MAF among the favored goalies.

CGY @ VGK

Vegas is the biggest favorite of the night at -170 at home against Calgary, so they’re the chalk along with Chicago.

Of the Flames’ top six lines, their second line is the better defensive unit, so you want exposure to the Vegas line that is going to match up with Calgary’s top line. In Vegas’s last game (also a home game) it was the Erik Haula line that matched up with the opposing top line. Haula isn’t priced that well, but his wingers are the way to get that exposure. David Perron is too expensive on DK but is priced right on FD. Alex Tuch, who has been a Playbook favorite all season, is getting to play up on the second line with James Neal injured. Tuch is priced extremely well on FD as usual, and he’s priced reasonably on DK.

You’ll probably want exposure to Vegas’ top line in cash games as well simply because they’ve been one of the more productive lines in hockey this season. The whole line is priced a bit high on both sites, so go with Jonathan Marchessault, the most productive player on the team thus far this season.

On the blue line, Brad Hunt plays on the power play with Haula/Perron and is priced well on both sites. Colin Miller also plays on that PP unit and is a solid choice if you have the extra money.

In net, Fleury is the obvious cash game choice so long as you can afford him. In GPPs, David Rittich is an option in a slightly above average matchup for goalies against Vegas in terms of upside. And Rittich is certainly a contrarian play with Vegas being the biggest favorite. Rittich is the cheapest of the six probable goalies on DK, while Condon is the cheapest on FD.