Welcome to the first week of hockey action on the Fantasy Alarm NHL Playbook this Saturday! I am excited to bring this article to you, the reader, once again this season, and can't wait to put together another winning season in betting and daily fantasy. 

If you are new here, then let me say welcome to Fantasy Alarm and thank you for checking out our top-tier NHL coverage! I will also tell you that early season betting in this sport is all about slow rolling and data collecting. Unlike most sports, hockey teams turn over a great deal in the offseason, from coaches to goalies and different forward lines. No one season is the same so when you make your bets to start this opening few weeks of the season keep in mind BANKROLL MANAGEMENT. You will see many bets to start this NHL season are a quarter unit or half unit, that is by design!

This is your one-stop shop for everything DFS-related for tonight's 13-game slate! We are in the first full month of the NHL season, so let's get out there and make it count. There are many games to choose from and many ways to make a winning lineup! We have some very good matchups to cover, so let’s get into the action.

For the NHL Bets, there are plenty of angles to attack on the slate, and some spots might surprise you! Check out the wagers and if you like the rationale, then tail them. You can find all wagers here on the NHL Bet Tracker.

Dominate your NHL DFS contests today with our DFS Playbook,  Player Projections, & Lineup Generator.

  • Season Record: 2-4
  • Season Bankroll: -1.1 Units

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NHL Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today 10/3

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Buffalo Sabres: Saturday, October 3rd

It is of course, extremely early in the NHL season and things can change quickly, but the defense for Chicago looks like a potential disaster already. Through a pair of games, they've allowed 11 total goals and have the second-highest mark in the NHL at 5.92 goals expected against. That means the Sabres are in a prime spot tonight to do some damage. 

Buffalo had a slow start to their season in a 6-3 loss to the Blue Jackets, but its the home opener tonight, and on the heels of a playoff berth, Buffalo will be packed in the stands to welcome back this team. A year ago, the Sabres won 26 games at home, one of the best marks in the NHL, and now hosting a Blackhawks team without Connor Bedard and a defense that is crumbling, I'd wager that they get the win tonight and do so in regulation on the 60-minute Money Line. 

On top of that, I will be backing a prop for Tage Thompson today as he posted four in the season opener, and this Blackhawks team has given up 59 even-strength shots through just a pair of games. Thompson over 3.5 shots on goal is the play for me here; let's watch him stack the stats today. 

 

Best NHL Prop Bets & Other Picks: Today 10/3

 

 

 

Today's NHL DFS Cheat Sheet & Stacks

Goalie of The Day

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, BUF

On the heels of a breakout season, UPL got himself rocked in the opening game of the season. He gave up five goals to a shorthanded Columbus team, and it was ugly, but it's the start of the season; there will be some rust to be had. People this time of year have tremendous recency bias, which works in our favor today as the matchup for Buffalo is a fantastic one. The Blackhawks have an implied goal total of just 2.7 tonight, which is the second-lowest total on the slate. UPL should come through in a bounce-back performance. 

Player of The Day:

Nathan MacKinnon, COL

The Colorado Avalanche are in the best spot on the slate tonight going against the Blues at home, full stop. Their implied goal total of 4 goals is the highest on the slate, and the offense is run through MacKinnon, of course. He's a slate-breaking player every day but especially today; I give him the slightest edge over Connor McDavid, who also has a great matchup against the Kraken. 

Value Play of The Day:

Vasily Podkolzin, EDM

Speaking of the Oilers, let's get us a piece of this matchup against the Kraken tonight. Podkolzin has three goals in two games this season already to match with 11 shots on goal and with Zach Hyman out of the lineup for at least two weeks he is going to continue to play with McDavid on his wing. That kind of exposure at under 6k should be illegal but hey, we will take it. 

Defenseman Play of the Day

Quinn Hughes, MIN

The Wild are in a sneaky good spot today against the Bruins, who have shown some early-season issues on the defensive side, and they played just last night. That means no Swayman for Boston in net, and fire up the Wild, and for sure, Hughes. With Brock Faber out indefinitely, Hughes is going to be pulling 27-28 minutes a game, and he's an electric talent; load him into your lineups, ASAP! 

Top Stack of the Day

Avalanche Line 1

The Avs have the highest implied goal total on the slate, and most of that predictive scoring should come from the top line. MacKinnon is a superstar, Martin Necas is a sleeper for 35-40 goals, and Artturi Lehkonen is a sniper in his own right. This group may combine for a multi-goal night, and I can't miss out on that tonight in a juicy Blues matchup.

 

 

 

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