This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Welcome to 2025. The NHL rings in the new year with… one game. Hey, that's more than zero, and it means you can play some single-game NHL DFS. On DraftKings, that means a salary allotment of $50,000 for six players. One is your Captain, who earns 1.5 times the points, though with an elevated salary.
The Los Angeles Kings host the New Jersey Devils at 6:00 p.m. ET, which means matinee hockey for Angelenos. On paper, that's a fun matchup, but the caveat that drove my roster construction is the fact the Devils played Tuesday. Now, they were in Anaheim, making for a short jaunt through SoCal traffic, but that game was at 8:00 p.m. ET, so this is a quick turnaround. The Devils are a strong offensive team, and offense tends to be hurt less than defense in back-to-back scenarios. However, the Kings have allowed the fewest shots per game in the NHL, so I certainly gave Kings players the edge in setting the lineup I liked best.
CAPTAIN
Kevin Fiala, LAK vs. NJD ($12,900): Slotting in Fiala at center allowed me to save salary without really giving up anything in terms of upside. He's tallied seven goals over his last 14 games, but he's also put 42 shots on net in that time. His 16.7 percent shooting rate in that time is not even unsustainably high because the Swiss wing is often a prolific shooter of the puck. His shots will be directed at Jake Allen tonight, who has a .893 save percentage over the last three seasons.
FLEX
Adrian Kempe, LAK vs. NJD ($9,400): Kempe, along with Fiala, plays on the top power-play unit for the Kings. The Devils have an above-average penalty kill, but they will be on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. Kempe had 75 points in 77 games last season. This year he's tallied 35 points through 36 contests.
Jesper Bratt, NJD at LAK ($9,000): I don't want all Kings, because you never know what might happen in a single-game situation. Bratt has the benefit of spending a lot of time on the power play, which is both conducive to offense and also easier on a skater's legs. The Swede has had over 20 power-play points in each of the last two seasons. He's already up to 18 points with the extra man this season. Oh, and he has 19 points in his last 14 games, so Bratt has been red hot.
Alex Laferriere, LAK vs. NJD ($7,200): As a 21-year-old rookie, Laferriere chipped in 23 points while playing fourth-line minutes. This year, though, he's already hit 26 points in only 36 games in his sophomore campaign. It helps that he's averaged over three minutes more per contest in ice time with a role on the power play. Laferriere has put 21 shots on net over his last six games. That level of activity could pay off big time against Allen and the Devils.
Quinton Byfield, LAK vs. NJD ($6,400): Byfield was struggling early in the season, but he's rounded into form. Over his last seven games, he's tallied eight points and 18 shots on target. Allen has played infrequently this year. In each of his last four starts, he's allowed at least three goals.
Dawson Mercer, NJD at LAK ($5,000): At this salary, Mercer is worth a shot to round out this roster. He has three goals over his last seven games. The 23-year-old has been a 20-goal scorer in each of the last two campaigns. That track record at this salary is not the norm, so I'll roll the dice on Mercer.
