This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are seven games in the NHL on Thursday. The Rangers travel to Buffalo, Columbus hosts Philadelphia, Detroit is in New Jersey, Dallas is home to St. Louis, Florida faces the Wild in Minnesota, Seattle visits Nashville and Vegas travels to San Jose. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Jake Oettinger, DAL vs. STL ($8,300): Oettinger may be the best goalkeeper in the NHL this season and gets a nice matchup Opening Night as he takes on the Blues. Oettinger was 37-11-11 with a 2.37 GAA and .919 save percentage in 2022-23, stopping all 25 shots versus the Blues in a 1-0 win on the final night of the 2022-23 regular season. It was his only matchup against St. Louis last season and you should look for a similar type performance Thursday. Oettinger got off to a great start last season as he was 5-1-0 in his first six games, giving up only seven goals on 176 shots.
Igor Shesterkin, NYR at BUF ($8,000): Shesterkin had a solid 2022-23 campaign as he was 37-13-8 with a 2.48 GAA and .916 save percentage. But it was a comedown from the previous season when he went 36-13-4 with a sparkling 2.08 GAA as well as an eye-popping .935 save percentage. Shesterkin has a tough matchup versus the high-scoring Sabres on Thursday but it will be the Rangers opener and Shesterkin should be at his best on Opening Night.
VALUE PLAYS
Sean Couturier, PHI at CLS ($4,300): Couturier missed all of 2022-23 with back woes. He managed only 29 games the previous season but he is expected to regain his role as the top center on the Flyers. Couturier has had a pair of 30-goal seasons as well as two straight seasons starting in 2017-18 where he registered 76 points. While Couturier may not return to those high standards, he is capable of a big game versus Columbus.
Thomas Novak, NSH vs. SEA ($4,800): Novak had 17 goals and 43 points in 51 games last season and got his 2023-24 season off to a great start Tuesday with a power-play goal in a 5-3 loss to the Lightning. Novak is expected to center the third line versus Seattle but he also sees ample time on the first power play.
Lucas Raymond, DET at NJ ($4,200): After an excellent rookie season in 2021-22 when he had 23 goals and 57 points in 82 games, Raymond regressed in 2022-23, scoring 17 times while adding 28 helpers in 74 contests. Expect the 21-year-old to return to form and hit the 60-point mark this season. Raymond had a goal and two assists in three games versus the Devils last season, so look for him to have a big game Opening Night.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Devils vs. Red Wings
Jack Hughes (C-$9,700), Tyler Toffoli (W-$6,800), Jesper Bratt (W-$5,600)
This could be a top-three line in the NHL this season as Toffoli comes over from Calgary where he had a career year in 2022-23, scoring 34 goals and adding 39 assists in 82 games. He will have Hughes as his center. Hughes came into his own last season, finding the back of the net on 43 occasions while adding 56 assists in 78 games. He was tied for 12th in NHL scoring and the 22-year-old could easily be a top-three scorer in the league this season. Bratt has had back-to-back 73-point seasons for the Devils and is nicely priced in FanDuel on Thursday. Hughes had two goals and four points in three games versus the Red Wings last season while Bratt had two goals and three assists.
Blue Jackets vs. Flyers
Johnny Gaudreau (W - $6,300), Patrik Laine (C -$6,300), Kirill Marchenko (W - $4,500)
Gaudreau and Laine were supposed to lead the Blue Jackets in a big way last season and while Gaudreau led the team with 74 points, it was well below the 115 points in had for the Flames in 2021-22. Laine had 52 points in 55 games last season, including 22 goals. Both players should have better campaigns in 2023-24 as they are expected to bounce back. Marchenko had 21 goals but only four assists in 59 games. All three are on the top power play while Gaudreau and Laine are expected to start the season with Cole Sillinger on their wing. You are getting a great price on the trio as they face lowly Philadelphia on Opening Night.
DEFENSEMEN
Miro Heiskanen, DAL vs. STL ($6,400): Heiskanen finally showed off his outstanding offensive skills last season, scoring 11 times while adding 62 assists in 79 games. His previous career high came the year before when he had 36 points in 70 games. The 24-year-old Heiskanen quarterbacks the top-notch Dallas power play and had two assists in a pair of games versus St. Louis last season.
Zach Werenski, CLS vs. PHI ($4,600): Werenski is coming off a tough 2022-23 campaign as he suffered a shoulder injury in early November that required surgery, limiting him to just 13 games as he needed rehab and was out for the rest of the season. Werenski did manage three goals and eight points last season. He has had a 20-goal season and had a career-best 48 points in 68 games in 2021-22. Werenski is just 26 and is coming into his prime years. He quarterbacks the Columbus power play and is expected to have a big season in 2023-24. Werenski had a goal and an assist in just 6:03 of action before he was injured in his only game against the Flyers last season.
Luke Hughes, NJ vs. DET ($3,800): Hughes enters his rookie season as one of the favorites for the Calder Trophy. He managed two assists in three playoff games versus the Hurricanes last season, as well as picking up a goal and an assist in only two regular-season contests in 2022-23. He has sublime offensive skills and should be a big point-getter this season. He has a nice matchup Thursday versus the Red Wings.
