Saturday’s 12-game NHL DFS slate is loaded with top-tier scorers as the 2023-24 NHL season continues through its opening week. The slate is packed with great matchups and projections for teams like the Edmonton Oilers, Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche and New York Rangers!

 Be sure to check in with our NHL DFS Tools, NHL daily projections, and our NHL DFS lineup generator when building those daily fantasy hockey lineups today to help you decide on which players you should be targeting! As you enjoy tonight's NHL slate, check out these NHL DFS top plays and NHL daily picks on DraftKings and FanDuel for Saturday, October 14th.

 

NHL DFS Playbook October 14

DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts

There’s no question that some of the elite players are going to be chalk, which means we need to find value. There’s also the question of deciding which elite superstar to pay up for. It could be a smart strategy to fade the chalk in a GPP, but you’ll need some exposure to Boston, Edmonton and Toronto in cash games.

Recommended DFS Starting Goalies

Top Options for Saves

Jacob Markstrom vs Pittsburgh Penguins

John Gibson vs Vegas Golden Knights

Elvis Merzlikins vs New York Rangers

Filip Gustavsson vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Best Odds for a Win

Adin Hill vs Anaheim Ducks

Alexandar Georgiev vs San Jose Sharks

Igor Shesterkin vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Stuart Skinner vs Vancouver Canucks

Favorite Goalies to Use for DFS Lineups

Adin Hill, Vegas Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights seem to have picked up where they left off last season after winning the Stanley Cup with a drubbing of the Seattle Kraken in game 1. Tonight's opponent in the Ducks is a great matchup for Vegas and Hill should stand to profit from it. The Ducks will shoot the puck but aren't deep enough to content with Vegas and their blue line. 

Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers

The Blue Jackets are going to be a very bad team this season and the Rangers look ready to roll after winning their opener against the Sabres. Shesterkin is one of the very best goalies in this league and I actually expect him to be under owned today so let's plug him in. 

Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders

Interesting matchup here between the Islanders and Sabres. I don't project the Islanders to very good this season but Sorokin is an fantastic goalie and has done numbers in DFS of the last couple of years. The Sabres love to shoot and play offfense first so the goalie's work is really cut out for him tonight, high upside play. 

Recommended DFS Skaters

Highest Expected Goal Totals 

Edmonton Oilers vs Thatcher Demko (3.73)

Vegas Golden Knights vs John Gibson (3.68)

Colorado Avalanche vs Mackenzie Blackwood (3.63)

Minnesota Wild vs Ilya Samsonov (3.61)

Favorite Skaters to Use for DFS Lineups

Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers

McDavid and company got stifiled in game 1 against the Canucks but they are playing them again tonight and the result will not be the same. If we have McDavid slated for 150+ points this season he needs to get on the horse early and he will do that tonight. 

Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche

MacKinnon is already cooking this young season with a goal and 2 assists from the Colorado win over the LA Kings. Tonight's opponent in the San Jose Sharks is a juicy matchup and one that'll be chalky but the Avs should post 4+ goals in this meeting and MacKinnon is going to have a big night. 

Jared McCann, W, Seattle Kraken

The Kraken have not started this season well with 2 losses in games they should have played competitive but they didn't. The matchup tonight though could turn it all around as the Blues are going to be a very bad team this season and allowed the 5th most DFS points to wingers last season. 

Cole Caufield, W, Montreal Canadiens

I swear and affirm that this player selection in DFS tonight was done on my own volition and Chris Morais had nothing to do with it, although he will be happy. Caufield is going to log big minutes this season and already has a goal on the year, so why not add a couple more tonight against a Chicago team that isn't going to be playing defense all season.  

Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche

See above in the Mackinnon breakdown as the Sharks are bad and the Avalanche are on a revenge tour this season. Makar should have some assists and shots on goal tonight and he is as consistent as they come in the DFS game. Sharks allowed the 5th most DFS points to blue liners last season too. 

Shea Theodore, D, Vegas Golden Knights

Long as Theodore is logging 20+ minutes and sits on the Vegas power play 1 unit I will at least consider playing him in DFS. It's a fantastic matchup tonight too against a Ducks team that allowed the most points to defenseman last season in DFS. 5.8k isn't all that steep either for someone that rarely busts. 

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