This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Although there are nine games scheduled tonight, only eight will appear on DraftKings' main slate. Philadelphia will host Vancouver starting at 6:00 p.m. ET, so that contest has been excluded. If you're interested in a late start, there are also three games beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET or later.
SLATE PREVIEW
The Lightning-Sabres game has the potential to be the highest scoring of the night. Buffalo ranked third offensively last year (3.57 goals per game) but was 26th defensively (3.62 goals allowed per game). Meanwhile, Tampa Bay has allowed a staggering 14 goals over its first three games this year, due in no small part to the absence of goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (back), but the Lightning's offense remains as potent as ever.
GOALIES
Ilya Sorokin, NYI vs. ARI ($8,400): Arizona is a rebuilding team playing on the road in the second half of a back-to-back, so this is about as favorable a scenario as Sorokin could hope for. The Islanders goaltender has been among the league's best since he entered the NHL in 2020-21, posting a career 71-46-18 record, 2.34 GAA and .924 save percentage in 137 contests. He started this season by saving 26 of 28 shots in a 3-2 win against the Sabres on Saturday.
Jake Oettinger, DAL at VGK ($7,500): I am a little hesitant making this recommendation. Vegas is 3-0-0 while scoring 12 goals over that span. Still, Oettinger is one of the few goaltenders I'd consider starting against the Golden Knights. He had a 2.37 GAA and a .919 save percentage in 62 contests last year and got off to a strong start in 2023-24 by saving 23 of 24 shots in a 2-1 shootout win over St. Louis. Oettinger did have mixed results against Vegas in the 2023 Western Conference Finals, but he has a strong track record against the Golden Knights in the regular season, posting a 4-0-0 record, 1.18 GAA and .960 save percentage in four career starts.
VALUE PLAYS
Cody Glass, NAS vs. EDM ($3,300): While Glass hasn't recorded a point yet this season, it's rare to get a top-six forward playing on the first power-play unit at this price. Edmonton's goaltending has struggled out of the gate with the Oilers allowing 12 goals over their first two games. Between the Oilers' recent woes and Glass' favorable position in Nashville's lineup, it wouldn't be surprising to see him end up on the scoresheet for the first time this campaign.
Gustav Nyquist, NAS vs. EDM ($3,100): Another cheap option facing the struggling Oilers, Nyquist has gotten off to a solid start, scoring a goal and an assist. He's serving on the second line and has averaged a respectable 2:40 power-play ice time so far this year. Nyquist was limited to 27 points in 51 contests between Columbus and Minnesota last season, but prior to that he recorded 155 points in 233 outings from 2018-19 through 2021-22, so he's a solid bounce-back candidate.
Zach Benson, BUF vs. TBL ($2,500): If you're looking for someone really cheap with a decent chance of ending up on the scoresheet, taking Benson is the play. The 18-year-old rookie forward registered two assists versus the Islanders on Saturday and has averaged a decent 14:52 of ice time over his first two contests. With Tampa Bay missing Vasilevskiy, this is a good day to take Sabres forwards, making Benson all the more appealing at his bargain bin price.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Islanders vs. Coyotes
Bo Horvat (C - $6,100), Mathew Barzal (W - $5,300), Simon Holmstrom (W - $3,500)
Facing the tired Coyotes, the stage is set for the Islanders' top line to shine. None of the three forwards is particularly expensive, which makes it viable to grab all three. Of course, the reason for that affordability is none of them are superstars, but Barzal's been solid for years and Horvat has surpassed the 30-goal milestone in each of his last two campaigns, so they're more than capable of taking advantage of a rebuilding team that's playing in the second half of a back-to-back.
Sabres vs. Lightning
Dylan Cozens (C - $5,400), Victor Olofsson (W - $3,900), John-Jason Peterka (W - $3,100)
As noted in the slate preview, this should be a high-scoring game, with Buffalo's top-tier offense set to face the Lightning minus Vasilevskiy. Buffalo's first line of Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Jeff Skinner is a great option too, but if you're looking for a cheaper point of entry, then Buffalo's second unit serves that function.
Cozens is the most expensive of them, but after scoring 31 goals and 68 points in 81 contests last season, the 22-year-old center will also provide the most value relative to his price point. Olofsson is no slouch either after scoring 28 markers last year. Meanwhile, Peterka is the least established of the three, having recorded 12 goals and 32 points in 77 outings as a rookie last season while serving primarily in a bottom-six capacity, but now on the second line and with a year's worth of NHL experience under his belt, the 21-year-old should take a step forward this season.
It is worth warning that the trio was quiet offensively over Buffalo's first two games, but the Sabres were facing two of the league's top goaltenders in the Islanders' Sorokin and the Rangers' Igor Shesterkin. Tampa Bay's Jonas Johansson is a significant step down.
DEFENSEMEN
Roman Josi, NAS vs. EDM ($7,400): Expensive, but worth it, especially when facing the Oilers while their goaltenders are struggling. Josi has just one assist in three games this season, but he's one of the league's top offensive defensemen, having recorded an incredible 253 points (65 goals) in 264 contests from 2019-20 through 2022-23.
Rasmus Dahlin, BUF vs. TBL ($6,500): As long as we're piling on against the Lightning goaltending, we may as well throw Dahlin into the mix. Dahlin provided 15 goals and 73 points in 78 contests last season to firmly establish himself among the league's best offensive defensemen. He has chipped in an assist in two outings in 2023-24.
Brock Faber, MIN at MON ($3,200): The 21-year-old rookie is off to a great start, scoring a goal and an assist over his first two contests this season. Faber hasn't been getting power-play ice time, which is unfortunate, but he's still averaging 22:58 overall. At his low price point, he's worth taking a chance on while he's hot.
