Sunday gives us three games on the DraftKings main slate, so we build heavier stacks and pick a goalie who fits next to them. Seattle at Washington and Vancouver at the Rangers share the top total of 6.5. We build around the Rangers top power play unit (NYR PP1). Dylan Garand is the goalie we trust, because he is the only favorite with a confirmed start this morning.
Slate Overview
| Game | Total | Favorite | Implied goals | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEA @ WSH | 6.5 | WSH -215 | SEA 2.72, WSH 3.66 | WSH PP vs 30th ranked PK |
| VAN @ NYR | 6.5 | NYR -265 | VAN 2.52, NYR 3.72 | VAN on a back-to-back after travel |
| CAR @ PHI | 5.5 | CAR -210 | CAR 3.28, PHI 2.43 | Both teams on a back-to-back after travel |
The Rangers have the widest power play edge of the night at 17.7 percentage points, and Vancouver's penalty kill ranks 32nd at 65.9% in a blend that still leans on last season. Lines move all day, so check the NHL odds comparison before lock.
High Impact Injuries
| Player (team, pos) | Status | Impact (1-10) | Who benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seth Jarvis (CAR, C) | Injured Reserve | 9 | Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, William Carrier |
| Rasmus Sandin (WSH, D) | Injured Reserve | 6 | Martin Fehervary, Timothy Liljegren, Vincent Desharnais |
| Thatcher Demko (VAN, G) | Injured Reserve | 6 | Kevin Lankinen |
| Igor Shesterkin (NYR, G) | Injured Reserve | 6 | Dylan Garand |
| Joonas Korpisalo (NYR, G) | Injured Reserve | 6 | Dylan Garand |
Full report, updated all day: NHL injury report for DFS
Starting Goalies
Dylan Garand (NYR, $8,400), cash
Garand is confirmed, and the Rangers are -265 favorites with a 69.6% win chance, the biggest price on the slate. We project 21.5 saves against a Vancouver team implied for 2.52 goals on the second night of a back-to-back. The Canucks own a 45.7% blended 5v5 shot share, so the save volume is modest and the win bonus carries the floor. Shesterkin and Korpisalo are both on injured reserve, which leaves no goalie question in New York.
Logan Thompson (WSH, $8,200), GPP
Thompson is expected to start, not yet confirmed. Washington wins 65.3% of the time at the market price, and Seattle is implied for 2.72 goals with a 45.2% blended shot share. His 9.5% shutout chance ranks third on the slate, and he pairs cleanly with the Washington power play stack below. If Washington turns to its backup, move to Garand.
Skip Kevin Lankinen ($7,000) even at the lowest goalie price on the board. He is confirmed, but he faces a Rangers team implied for 3.72 goals, and his save percentage sits at .796 through four games this season.
Morning skate notes and status changes: today's NHL starting goalies
Stacks to Target
NYR PP1: Mika Zibanejad, Pavel Dorofeyev, Alexis Lafreniere, J.T. Miller, Adam Fox
New York has the top implied total at 3.72 goals against Lankinen. The Rangers forwards carry a SMASH tag in the NHL Elo ratings, and Zibanejad and Dorofeyev drive the top line (NYR1) at a 50.5% shot share. This unit gets the 17.7 point power play edge against the 32nd ranked kill, and Vancouver plays its third game in four nights. Its 90th percentile of 90.3 DK points and correlation lift of 9.4 both lead the slate. It works in cash and GPP. Expect it to be chalk, so build the rest of the roster to be different.
WSH PP1: Alex Ovechkin, Alex Tuch, Dylan Strome, Jakob Chychrun, Pierre-Luc Dubois
Washington is implied for 3.66 goals against Joey Daccord, who is expected to start but not confirmed. The forward matchup grades EVEN, but Seattle's penalty kill ranks 30th at 73.2%. Chychrun quarterbacks the unit and plays 23.3 minutes on the top pair (WSH D1). Tuch and Dubois skate on a second line that drives a 50.8% shot share. The stack's 90th percentile is 87.1 at $30,200. Dubois is day-to-day with an illness, so watch line rushes. This is our GPP stack with Thompson in net.
CAR PP1: Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Jackson Blake, Nikolaj Ehlers, Shayne Gostisbehere
This is the contrarian build. Carolina is implied for 3.28 goals against Joseph Woll, who is expected to start but not confirmed. The Hurricanes forwards carry a SMASH tag, and the Aho and Svechnikov top line (CAR1) posts a 60.8% shot share against a Philadelphia team at 45.1%. Philadelphia's kill ranks 25th, and Jarvis on injured reserve pushes more power play time to Aho and Svechnikov. Carolina plays the second night of a back-to-back after travel, which is a downgrade. Its 90th percentile of 77.9 comes at far lower ownership than the two stacks above. GPP only.
Full units and PP roles: NHL line combinations and PP1 stacks
Value Stack
NYR PP2: Gabe Perreault, Will Cuylle, Eeli Tolvanen, Sean Durzi, Oliver Bjorkstrand ($16,200 total)
You get five skaters for $16,200 with a 90th percentile of 56.1 DK points, 11th of 36 stacks, against the same last ranked Vancouver kill. Perreault makes it work: he plays on NYR1 for $3,200. The Cuylle and Tolvanen line sits at a 44% shot share, so this stack needs power play time to hit. At this price it fits beside the Washington or Carolina PP1 and still leaves money for a real defenseman.
Chalk and Pivots
Chalk stack: NYR PP1. Pivot: CAR PP1. The Carolina unit costs $1,800 more, owns the best shot share matchup of the night and draws far less ownership. It gives up some ceiling for leverage.
Chalk goalie: Logan Thompson. Pivot: Joseph Woll. Goalie ownership is flat across all six starters, so the pivot comes down to price and ceiling. Woll costs $7,300, projects for 28.5 saves, has a 13.3% chance at 35 or more saves and the top goalie ceiling on the slate. Philadelphia is on a back-to-back after travel, so he needs a confirmation, and he does not pair with the Carolina stack.
Skaters
Centers
Elias Pettersson ($5,300): cash
He centers Vancouver's top line, runs PP2 and projects for 19.2 minutes, the most of any forward between $5,000 and $6,000. His 0.95 projected blocked shots protect the floor. He is the one skater we allow against Garand, and he is low-owned in single entry.
Logan Stankoven ($5,800): GPP
Stankoven centers Carolina's second line (CAR2) and plays PP2. That line posts a 59.9% shot share, and he projects for 2.37 shots with an 18 point ceiling. Few people will click him with the Carolina top unit on the board.
Wingers
Tom Wilson ($5,600): cash
Wilson plays on Washington's second line and stays on PP2 for 18.2 projected minutes. He projects for 9.67 DK points with a 2.8 point floor, and 0.72 blocked shots add a little more. He will be popular in small fields for good reason.
Bobby McMann ($5,700): GPP
McMann skates on Seattle's second line and PP2. He projects for 2.65 shots and has a 14.2% chance at five or more shots, the third best mark of any skater tonight. He stays low-owned, and he is the only Seattle skater we pair with Thompson.
Defensemen
Vladislav Gavrikov ($3,500): cash
Gavrikov plays on the top pair with Fox (NYR D1) for 22.4 minutes, without power play time. That pair drives a 52% shot share, and he projects for 1.6 shots and 1.19 blocked shots. How he is still priced at $3,500 on the biggest favorite of the night is a mystery.
Sean Walker ($4,400): GPP
Carolina's second pair and PP2 give Walker 21.3 minutes. His pair posts a 60.1% shot share, and he projects for 1.66 shots and 1.39 blocked shots. He gives you a low-owned path into the Carolina game. Team and line shot share sit on the NHL Corsi page.
Value Plays
Christian Dvorak (PHI C, $3,300): Dvorak centers Philadelphia's top line, plays PP2 and projects for 18 minutes. Travis Konecny is day-to-day, which keeps that line on top of the depth chart.
Jamie Drysdale (PHI D, $3,300): Drysdale plays on the top pair and quarterbacks PP1 for 23 projected minutes, with Rasmus Ristolainen on injured reserve and Cam York day-to-day. Expect him to be popular.
Anthony Beauvillier (WSH W, $2,800): For $2,800 you get a top line winger next to Ovechkin and Strome for 15.2 minutes. If Dubois sits, he is the first name the injury report lists to gain work.
Blocks Floor
Nick Seeler (PHI D, $3,200): Seeler projects for 2.26 blocked shots and a 39.2% chance at the three block bonus, the best on the slate. He plays on the second pair with David Jiricek and has no power play role. Carolina's shot volume feeds him.
Martin Fehervary (WSH D, $3,400): Fehervary projects for 2.01 blocked shots and a 31.9% chance at the bonus. He plays on the second pair with Vincent Desharnais, has no power play role and picks up minutes with Sandin out. Both are cash and floor plays, not ceiling plays.
Props to Watch
Taylor Hall over 1.5 shots on goal (-148): we project 2.14 shots, the widest gap to a line on the slate.
Mackie Samoskevich over 1.5 shots on goal (-176): he projects for 2.09 shots on Seattle's top line, though the price is steep.
Treat both as small leans, not locks.
Not financial advice. These are model leans, not guarantees. Only bet what you can afford to lose. 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Before Lock
- Thompson, Daccord, Woll and Pyotr Kochetkov are expected to start, not yet confirmed. If a team turns to its backup, adjust your goalie and any skaters you run against him.
- Vancouver, Carolina and Philadelphia play the second night of a back-to-back after travel. Watch the Philadelphia and Carolina nets most closely for a backup start.
- Pierre-Luc Dubois is day-to-day with an illness. Watch Washington's line rushes, because the PP1 stack and Beauvillier depend on it.
- Travis Konecny and Cam York are day-to-day for Philadelphia. A return cuts into Dvorak and Drysdale.
- Garand and Lankinen are confirmed.
Final Thoughts
For cash, put Garand in net and pair two or three pieces of NYR PP1 with Pettersson and Gavrikov for floor. For GPP, run Washington PP1 with Thompson, or take Carolina PP1 at low ownership with Garand behind it. Check the NHL DFS projections after the morning skates, since the goalie news in Philadelphia can change the whole Carolina build.
NHL DFS FAQ
When are NHL starting goalies confirmed?
Most teams tip their starter at the morning skate, where the first goalie off the ice usually gets the net, and more confirmations come through the afternoon. Today Garand and Lankinen are confirmed, and Lankinen was the first Vancouver goalie off the ice this morning. The other four are expected starters, so keep an eye on the back-to-back teams until warmups.
What is the difference between a cash and a GPP NHL lineup?
A cash lineup chases floor from confirmed goalies and skaters with big minutes on PP1. A GPP lineup chases ceiling and leverage with correlated stacks and lower owned pieces. Tonight NYR PP1 fits both, while Carolina PP1 is a GPP only call.
Tools used for this slate
Every number in this playbook comes off the BankrollSZN NHL tools: today's NHL DFS projections, the NHL lineup optimizer, NHL line combinations and PP1 stacks, today's NHL starting goalies, and NHL odds and player props.