Lineups were posted around 3:15 PM ET. Please be sure to check back before roster lock in case changes are made to the lineups. 

Tonight, we have a four game DFS NHL slate that has a roster lock of 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT. It should be noted of the eight teams in action will be playing without rest.

Again, with four games available, tonight’s lineups will be focused on cash games, but I am going to continue with my new format where I include projected lines for each team in order to help with GPP lineup construction. My favorite line stacks of the night will be in GREEN. Secondary stacks in GOLD. Contrarian stacks will be in BLUE. Players who will be on the POWER-PLAY are going to be in BOLD CAPS. 

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS at PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (PIT -145 favorites; 5.5 O/U o130)

Starting Goalies: Matt Murray (Confirmed) vs. Steve Mason (Confirmed)

 

Pittsburgh Projected Lines (Updated: 2:45 PM ET)

 

PIT1: GUENTZEL - CROSBY - SHEARY

PIT2: KUNITZ - MALKIN - KESSEL

PIT3: Wilson - BONINO - Rowney

PIT4: Kuhnkackl - Cullen - Sundqvist

 

PITD1: Cole- SCHULTZ

PITD2: STREIT - RUHWEDEL

PITD3:  Dumoulin - Hainsey

 

PITPP1: Kunitz/Crosby/Kessel/Malkin/Schultz

PITPP2: Guentzel/Bonino/Sheary/Streit/Ruhwedel

 

Philadelphia Projected Lines (Updated: 6:25 PM ET)

 

PHI1: COUSINS - GIROUX - SIMMONDS

PHI2: KONECNY - FILPPULA - VORACEK 

PHI3: SCHENN  - COUTURIER - Read

PHI4: VandeVelde - Bellemare - Lyubimov

 

PHID1: Provorov - MacDonald

PHID2: DEL ZOTTO - Gudas

PHID3: GOSTISBEHERE - Shultz

 

PHIPP1: Schenn/Giroux/Simmonds/Provorov/Gostisbehere

PHIPP2: Voracek/Couturier/Konecny/Filppula/Del Zotto

 

It didn’t take long, but Sidney Crosby is definitely back in sync with Conor Sheary, and with the addition of Jake Guentzel to their line, Crosby is in the best shape he’s been all season. You also can’t ignore Evgeni Malkin, who you could argue, has consistently been Pittsburgh’s best player on the ice over the last few weeks. 

As per usual, anyone playing on the power-play for the Penguins is going to be in play. Plus, on the shorter slates, I’m even willing to take a flier on one of their cheap defenseman like Chad Ruhwedel if necessary. Then again, it’s hard to ignore Mark Streit, who has that narrative going for him considering he’s going to be making his return to Philadelphia for the first time since being traded at the trade deadline. 

The Flyers are just a tough sell for anything other than GPP tournaments. Not only have they only defeated the Penguins ONCE over their last six meetings dating back to 1/21/16, but they’re on a rough three game skid where they’ve combined to score just six goals while allowing 11. I suppose it’s okay to sprinkle in a Flyer or two given the short slate in cash games, but it’s difficult because their most reliable options are going to be Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds, and there’s a good chance they’re going to have a tougher matchup trying to contain Crosby or Malkin’s line. 

BOSTON BRUINS at CALGARY FLAMES (Vegas has the game as a PICK EM; 5.5 O/U u120)

Starting Goalies: Anton Khudobin (Confirmed) vs. Chad Johnson (Confirmed)

 

Boston Projected Lines (Subject to Change)

 

BOS1: MARCHAND - BERGERON - BACKES // slightly prefer BOS1 if you're going with the stack

BOS2: PASTRNAK - KREJCI - STAFFORD

BOS3: VATRANO - SPOONER - Hayes

BOS4: Beleskey - Moore - Nash

 

BOSD1: Chara - Carlo // would go Chara with BOS1 or BOSPP2

BOSD2: KRUG - McQuaid // would go Krug with BOS2 or BOSPP1

BOSD3: C. MILLER - K. Miller // can go Miller instead of Chara if matching with PP2 guys

 

BOSPP1: Marchand/Bergeron/Pastrnak/Spooner/Krug

BOSPP2: Vatrano/Backes/Stafford/Krejci/Miller

 

Calgary Projected Lines (Subject to Change)

 

CGY1: Ferland - MONAHAN - GAUDREAU

CGY2: TKACHUK - BACKLUND - FROLIK // I would target any of these guys as one off GPP plays rather than stacking them

CGY3: VERSTEEG - Bennett - BROUWER

CGY4: Bouma - Stajan - Chiasson

 

CGYD1: GIORDANO - HAMILTON

CGYD2: BRODIE - Engelland

CGYD3: Wideman - Bartkowski

 

CGYPP1: Versteeg/Monahan/Brouwer/Gaudreau/Brodie

CGYPP2: Tkachuk/Backlund/Frolik/Hamilton/Giordano

 

The Bruins/Flames matchup is definitely going to be an interesting one with both team’s playing very good hockey, but it’ll also feature Calgary facing Boston’s backup goaltender in Anton Khudobin. Khudobin is a considerable downgrade from their starting goaltender, Tuukka Rask. 

There’s a lot to like about both teams, but the goaltender issue is enough for me to favor targeting Flames instead of Bruins. With that said, it’s going to be tougher for Mikael Backlund’s line to contain and score on the Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron combo than it will be for the Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau combo to do something against David Krejci and David Pastrnak. In all honesty, it could very well be a trap to begin with, but the fact that the Flames will be facing Khudobin, it’ll definitely help limit the risk.

Brian Elliott probably won’t be as highly owned as he should be thanks to the 50/50 Vegas line. The Flames have a 10 game winning streak, largely because of the steady play from Elliott, and they certainly have a good chance to continue this with a meeting with Khudobin. Even with Khudobin in net, the Bruins are more than likely going to have a high shot volume. 

UPDATE: Brian Elliott is going to sit this one out and Chad Johnson is in. This game is officially completely up for grabs. 

DETROIT RED WINGS at COLORADO AVALANCHE (DET -165 favorites; 5 O/U o130)

Starting Goalies: Jimmy Howard (Confirmed) vs. Calvin Pickard (Confirmed)

 

Detroit Projected Lines (Updated: 2:50 PM ET)

 

DET1: TATAR - ZETTERBERG - NYQUIST

DET2: Mantha - NIELSEN - Helm

DET3: ATHANASIOU - LARKIN - ABDELKADER

DET4: Miller - SHEAHAN - Glendening

 

DETD1: DeKeyser - Jensen
DETD2: KRONWALL - GREEN

DETD3: Ouellet - Russo

 

DETPP1: Nyquist/Nielsen/Abdelkader/Zetterberg/Kronwall

DETPP2: Tatar/Larkin/Sheahan/Athanasiou/Green

 

Colorado Projected Lines (Subject to Change)

 

COL1: ANDRIGHETTO - MACKINNON - RANTANEN
COL2: LANDESKOG - DUCHENE - BOURQUE

COL3: COMPHER - Soderberg - Colborne

COL4: Comeau - Mitchell - Nieto

 

COLD1: JOHNSON - BARBERIO

COLD2: Tyutin - BARRIE 

COLD3: Lindholm - Beauchemin

 

COLPP1: Landeskog/MacKinnon/Compher/Barberio/Barrie

COLPP2: Bourque/Duchene/Rantanen/Andrighetto/Johnson

 

It’s just a shame how bad Colorado is at this point because they actually have talented players scattered throughout their lineup. Their biggest problem is just being able to muster enough motivation to put up 60 minutes of effort. 

I’ve heard a few times now that their goaltending has let them down more than anything. I don’t think this assessment is accurate. Their goaltending can only do so much with a terrible defense running in front of them. 

You have the usual suspects who qualify as “good players” with lots of “talent” in Matt Duchene, Nathan MacKinnon, and Tyson Barrie who are going to be in play, but they are not consistent enough to be able to roster comfortably in cash games. They’re cheap enough to take a chance on, but I think there may be better options available. 

For instance, there’s the Henrik Zetterberg top line that has constantly performed well at both ends of the ice. They had a bit of a hiccup against the Rangers, but I can safely say that any Colorado line is going to be a better matchup for them than Derek Stepan’s top line. Zetteberg along with Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist are very safe plays, and I would even be willing to take a chance on a Dylan Larkin or Andreas Athanasiou who are priced incredibly well and have put together a few quality games in a row. 

ST. LOUIS BLUES at ANAHEIM DUCKS (ANA -135 favorites; 5 O/U o125)

Starting Goalies: Jake Allen (Likely) vs. Jonathan Bernier (Confirmed)

 

St. Louis Projected Lines (Subject to Change)

 

STL1: SCHWARTZ - STASTNY - TARASENKO

STL2: STEEN - BERGLUND - PERRON

STL3: PAAJARVI - BARBASHEV - Jaskin

STL4: Reaves - Brodziak - Upshall

 

STLD1: Bouwmeester - PIETRANGELO

STLD2: Edmundson - PARAYKO

STLD3: Gunnarsson - Bortuzzo

 

STLPP1: Schwartz/Stastny/Tarasenko/Steen/Pietrangelo

STLPP2: Paajarvi/Berglund/Barbashev/Perron/Parayko

 

Anaheim Projected Lines (Subject to Change)

 

ANA1: Cogliano - KESLER - Silfverberg // Silfverberg is not getting any power-play time (insert angry face at Randy Carlyle)

ANA2: RAKELL - GETZLAF - EAVES

ANA3: Ritchie - VERMETTE - PERRY

ANA4: Kase - Thompson - Shaw

 

ANAD1: LINDHOLM - Bieksa

ANAD2: FOWLER - Bieksa

ANAD3: MONTOUR - VATANEN

 

ANAPP1: Getzlaf/Kesler/Eaves/Vatanen/Fowler

ANAPP2: Rakell/Vermette/Perry/Lindholm/Montour

 

This Kings fan actually was impressed by the Ducks this past Sunday night against the Capitals. They played a pretty complete game and their studs are finally playing up to their capabilities. With that said, I’m still not the biggest Corey Perry fan, and think he was just at the right place at the right time in both of his goals (though his pass to Getzlaf on the 5-on-3 was pretty good). On the other hand, I am thoroughly impressed by the play of Ryan Getzlaf, and I think his linemates Rickard Rakell and Patrick Eaves are both very good fits for his line. It’s also a shame that Jakob Silfverberg isn’t getting time on the power-play thanks to the return of Antoine Vermette because it basically makes him unplayable outside of GPPs. 

With that said, they’re going to have a tough test against the St. Louis Blues, who defeated the Ducks this past Friday at Scottrade Center. The team scored FOUR even strength goals and ALL FOUR goals were from the Vladimir Tarasenko, Jaden Schwartz, and Paul Stastny line. In general, they split their time between Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler’s respective lines, and scored two goals a piece; however, they were contained throughout the night by Kesler’s line and they actually scored goals on their ONLY TWO shot attempts while matched up against Kesler. Let’s just say that John Gibson did not do the Ducks any favors with his performance. 

In general, Vegas thinks this game is going to be low scoring, and it’s difficult for me to argue against that.