This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
There are nine games on the docket, and the schedule skews toward the earlier time zones. Seven matches will begin at 7:00 or 7:30 p.m. ET and the final two will start at 9:00. Here are my lineup recommendations for FanDuel.
SLATE PREVIEW
The Sharks are typically a team you want to bet against, but San Jose has now won three straight and four of its past five, so while the Lightning are still the favorite in tonight's matchup against the Sharks, some caution is warranted. At the other end of the spectrum, Winnipeg had a fantastic 15-1-0 start to 2024-25 but has lost four straight and seven of its last 10. The Jets' scoring has been a problem, managing just 2.20 goals per game over that 10-game stretch.
GOALIES
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, BUF vs. WPG ($7,700): This is a risky selection, but, as noted above, the Jets' offense has been extremely cold recently. Luukkonen isn't a top-tier netminder, but he's holding his own with a record of 8-6-2 as well as a 2.69 GAA and a .906 save percentage through 17 outings.
Joey Daccord, SEA at NYI ($7,600): Daccord is having a strong campaign with an 11-6-1 record, 2.53 GAA and .912 save percentage across 18 outings. The Islanders are a somewhat favorable opponent, too, as they're tied for 29th in goals per game with 2.50. New York has also been in freefall, dropping nine of its past 12 outings.
Sam Montembeault, MON vs. NAS ($7,100): Montembeault is an interesting discount option. It's not hard to guess why he's so cheap given his 7-10-2 record, 2.99 GAA and .901 save percentage across 19 appearances this season. Still, he's coming off a strong win Tuesday in which he stopped 30 out of 31 shots en route to a 2-1 overtime victory against the Islanders. He's up against Nashville tonight, who rank last in goals per game (2.31).
VALUE PLAYS
Morgan Frost, PHI vs. FLA ($4,800): Frost is enjoying his first significant hot streak of the campaign, collecting two goals and four points across his past four outings. The 25-year-old hasn't demonstrated he can be a reliable source of offense, but he's a fine option while he's on a roll. That's particularly true against a team like Florida, which is strong overall but ranks 26th in terms of goals allowed per game with 3.27.
Dylan Holloway, STL at CAL ($4,800): Holloway is entering tonight's action amidst a four-game scoring streak in which he's supplied four goals and seven points. The 23-year-old has been hot and cold, but there's no question he's displayed some great scoring potential in his first campaign as a member of the Blues.
Yanni Gourde, SEA at NYI ($4,700): Gourde endured a 10-game scoring drought from October 19 to November 8, but he's been a steady producer since with four goals and nine points across his past 11 outings. You might want to consider pairing him with his linemate, Jaden Schwartz ($5,000), who is on a three-game scoring streak (two goals, four points) as a discount forward line stack.
Will Smith, SJS at TBL ($4,000): The 19-year-old Smith is in the shadow of Macklin Celebrini (who will be featured soon), but Smith has been another part of the Sharks' recent success with three goals and seven points across his past five outings. Smith got off to a slow start this campaign, but he was taken with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and scored an unreal 71 points (25 goals) across 41 outings with Boston College last year, so there's no question he has a ton of offensive upside.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Sharks at Lightning
Macklin Celebrini (C - $7,000), Fabian Zetterlund (W - $5,900), William Eklund (W - $5,500)
Missing 12 games from October 12 to November 2 due to a lower-body injury temporarily parked the hype train for the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, but Celebrini's recent play has put him back in the headlines. He has four goals and 10 points across his past seven appearances, bringing him up to eight goals and 15 points through 16 outings overall. At the age of 18, he's still a risk, but that's balanced by his price point being on the low end for someone with his scoring capabilities.
The 22-year-old Eklund looks like a good linemate for him. After establishing himself with 45 points in 2023-24, Eklund has taken a step up in 2024-25 with five goals and 23 points across 27 appearances, including three markers and 14 points over his past 12 outings.
Zetterlund isn't as impressive, but he's not bad with nine goals and 19 points over 28 outings. You could consider swapping him out with Smith, though. As noted above, Smith is a cheaper alternative and is hotter than Zetterlund. The downside is Smith isn't projected to share the ice with Celebrini at even strength or the power play.
Red Wings at Senators
Dylan Larkin (C - $6,400), Lucas Raymond (W - $6,400), Michael Rasmussen (W - $3,900)
The Red Wings rank 25th in goals per game with 2.60, so their offense has something left to be desired, but Raymond has been the exception. The 22-year-old has nine goals and 27 points across 25 outings in 2024-25. He's riding an eight-game scoring streak in which he's provided seven goals and 11 points.
Larkin is having a solid campaign as well, especially relative to his price point, providing 12 goals and 20 points in 25 appearances. Larkin recorded at least 30 goals and 69 points in each of his previous three campaigns, so his current offensive pace is reasonable, even if his shooting percentage is high at 18.5 percent compared to his average of 14.2 percent from 2021-22 through 2023-24.
By contrast to his linemates, Rasmussen typically doesn't provide much offense. He has four goals and eight points through 24 outings in 2024-25. However, he has recorded a goal and three points across his past four games, including two points with the man advantage, so he's not a bad pick at his price point.
DEFENSEMEN
Jake Walman, SJS at TBL ($6,300): Walman has benefited from the Sharks' surge in offense, collecting three goals and 10 points over his past 10 outings. He set a career-high with 21 points in 2023-24. He's already approaching that mark after providing 19 points (four goals) through 23 appearances this campaign.
Shayne Gostisbehere, CAR vs. COL ($5,700): A power-play specialist, Gostisbehere has a goal and 11 points across his past 11 outings, including nine points with the man advantage. That hot streak has brought him up to five goals and 20 points in 25 appearances this season.
Aaron Ekblad, FLA at PHI ($5,200): Ekblad was quiet to start the campaign, contributing just six assists through 17 outings. Lately, though, he's been far more productive. Across his past nine appearances, Ekblad has a goal and eight points.
