There is a six-game Monday night NHL slate on tap from coast to coast. It’s a solid slate for a Monday in the NHL, so let’s dive into some NHL DFS picks from each position as well as some sleeper plays that are worth considering.
NHL DFS Picks for Today | October 24
Goaltender
Scott Wedgewood (Stars vs. Senators): $8,300 FanDuel
The Senators offensive attack is developing nicely as per their fourth-ranked 4.20 goals per game on the season, but likely many other clubs around the league they will see that number regress dramatically moving forward. Early-season hockey yields plenty of offense, but the Stars enter this one as one of the best defensive clubs in the league.
Of course, their 1.60 goals against per game are also unsustainable, but the Stars have passed the eye test at both ends of the ice as they appear to be a team that is ready to sneak up on a lot of clubs. For his part, Wedgewood gets the nod in the first half of his team’s back-to-back and is coming off a strong effort Thursday against a strong Toronto Maple Leafs offense.
The Leafs threw a hefty 43 shots on goal, but Wedgewood was able to turn aside 40 of them while he took a tough-luck overtime loss on a three-on-one. It was his lone start of the season to date, but here’s a guy that should be entering this one with plenty of confidence.
He posted a solid .913 save percentage after coming over to the Stars last season, and with the Sens missing a key offensive player in Josh Norris, Wedgewood should be able to put forth another strong effort against a softened Senators offense tonight.
Defender
Brent Burns (Hurricanes vs. Canucks): $6,200 FanDuel
The Canucks began their season with a winless five-game road trip so getting home for their game against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday should have been an opportunity to get back on the right track. Instead, the Sabres fed the Canucks their lunch in a 5-1 victory, the fifth time in six games the Canucks have allowed at least four goals. They’ve allowed at least three in all six games this season.
Burns has yet to get on the scoreboard this season through five games and 18 shots on goal. However, he still has three helpers while his floor remains solid due to his shot volume. Shooting the puck plenty is optimal against this Canucks back end at the moment.
Burns is the lone defender on the Hurricanes top power-play unit while he’s logging more than 23 minutes of ice time on average. Sure, it’s down from previous seasons but that remains a healthy total on a much better offense than what his former club — the San Jose Sharks — have rolled out of late.
At $6,200, Burns’ price is more than reasonable in this matchup.
Dougie Hamilton (Devils vs. Capitals): $5,600 FanDuel
Hamilton has notched a pair of goals and three points in five games but has averaged more than four shots on goal per game with 21 total in that time. Like Burns, Hamilton also resides as his club’s first-unit power-play quarterback.
The Capitals are another team struggling to keep the puck out of their net. The team ranks 25th with 3.50 goals against per game on the season while their projected starting goaltender is Charlie Lindgren, he of just 30 games of NHL experience entering this one.
The Devils are riding high into this one, having won three straight and scoring 10 total goals over that time. Look for Hamilton to provide plenty of value in this matchup.
Wing
Teuvo Teravainen (Hurricanes vs. Canucks): $6,000 FanDuel
Teravainen is off to a slow start this season with just two assists in five games but is coming off a 65-point season in 77 games despite having zero goals on 14 shots. A playmaker by trade, he still found the back of the net 22 times last season, the third straight campaign he’s netted at least 21 goals and played in minimum of 69 games.
He’s slipped into the second power-play unit, but he’s also still flanking Sebastian Aho on the team’s top line. His 17:31 of average ice time per game is right in line with career norms so it’s not as if he’s in Rod Brind’Amour’s doghouse given the slow start to the season.
He’s going to have a breakout game sooner rather than later.
Chandler Stephenson/Jack Eichel/Mark Stone Stack: $20,400 FanDuel
The Maple Leafs have been an up-and-down team in the early going, but the advanced metrics aren’t high on their defensive work.
Down two top-six blueliners in Jake Muzzin and Timothy Liljegren, the Leafs have given up their fair share of chances. According to Natural Stat Trick, the club ranks 27th in terms of high-danger scoring chances against on the season. Ilya Samsonov has been very good in goal, but his workload has been constant since Matt Murray went down with an injury. The first game of a western road swing can be a tough one to get up for, especially for a goaltender.
Stephenson comes in at a reasonable $5,200 and should be a strong roster consideration as part of the top line alongside a couple of bona fide stars. Both Eichel and Stone have terrorized the Leafs in the past as former Atlantic Division rivals with the Sabres and Senators, respectively.
Vegas has played well in the early going and has the edge on home ice heading into this one tonight.
Sleeper
Rickard Rakell (Penguins vs. Oilers): $4,700 FanDuel
Keep an eye on the status of Jake Guentzel for this one as he missed Saturday’s game in Columbus, but Rakell could very well once again flank Sidney Crosby not only on the team’s top line but also the top power-play unit tonight in Edmonton.
The Oilers aren’t exactly the best defensive team around to begin with, but his spot in the pecking order makes his $4,700 price tag an attractive one. He’s notched two goals in five games but logged a whopping 21:10 of ice time Saturday with Guentzel out of the lineup. He’ll get strong ice time again this evening.
With 19 shots in five games Rakell is giving himself opportunities to score and playing alongside one of the world’s best in all offensive situations doesn’t hurt, either.
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