FREE 10/11 NHL Cheat Sheet: Top DFS Plays

Tonight’s 14-game slate gives us plenty of options for DFS builds, with most totals sitting at 6.0 and a few dipping to 5.5. The Anaheim-San Jose matchup leads the way at 6.5, making it a prime spot for stacking offense against Yaroslav Askarov in net for the Sharks. We’ve also got solid environments in games like Toronto-Detroit and New Jersey-Tampa Bay, both at 6.0, where the confirmed starters—Anthony Stolarz versus Cam Talbot, and Jacob Markstrom against Andrei Vasilevskiy—could influence how we approach exposure.

Goalie confirmations are mostly straightforward, but keep an eye on spots like Montreal-Chicago with Sam Montembeault facing Spencer Knight, or New York Rangers-Pittsburgh where Igor Shesterkin draws Arturs Silovs. These could open up value on the blue line or in secondary scoring, especially in lower-total games like Ottawa-Florida at 5.5 with Linus Ullmark and Sergei Bobrovsky locked in. Overall, the depth here lets us mix high-upside stacks with some safer cash game plays.

Top Stacks

EDM PP1 ($23,200)

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard

The Edmonton Oilers’ top power-play unit—Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard—stands out as a premium DFS stack at $23,200, delivering exceptional value at 1.98 points per $1,000 that punches well above its salary weight in high-upside builds. With average ownership hovering around 10.9% and an optimal lineup inclusion rate of 9.0%, it’s popular enough to blend into GPPs without fading too aggressively, yet under-the-radar enough to avoid the chalk traps that dilute payouts. Facing a matchup projected for a juicy 6.0 total in a late-night 10:00 PM ET tilt, this trio thrives in Edmonton’s explosive offensive environment, where their combined firepower against a potentially leaky penalty kill could easily translate to multi-goal outbursts and power-play dominance.

MIN PP1 ($20,300)

Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek

The Minnesota Wild’s top power-play unit—Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, and Joel Eriksson Ek—stands out as a sharp DFS stack at just $20,300, delivering an impressive 2.04 points per $1,000 that punches well above its salary weight in a slate where efficiency matters. With average ownership hovering around 8.0% and an optimal lineup inclusion rate of 8.2%, this trio offers a balanced pivot away from the chalkier stacks without fading proven production, especially given their chemistry on PP1 where Kaprizov and Boldy feast on secondary scoring chances. Facing a favorable matchup in a 6.0 total game that kicks off at 8:00 PM ET, the Wild’s explosive offense against a middling penalty kill should unlock multi-point upside, making this a confident play for building balanced lineups.

C Plays

Top Play: Nathan MacKinnon ($8,800)

MacKinnon explodes out of the gate with three points, including a power-play goal, across his first two games while generating six shots on goal and averaging over 21 minutes of ice time per night. Anchoring the top line and power-play unit, he logs nearly seven minutes on the man advantage each outing, where his elite shot volume and playmaking shine against defenses that struggle to contain him. Those point props at -390 reflect his consistent scoring touch, and with Colorado favored at 56.4% implied win probability, his floor remains rock-solid in high-event games.

Tonight’s matchup against Dallas ramps up the upside, as the Stars rank outside the top 10 in chances allowed to opposing centers, giving MacKinnon prime opportunities to exploit his speed and vision on PP1. The 3.75 implied goals and 6.0 over/under point to a goal-heavy environment that plays to his strengths, especially with his shots prop sitting at 3.5—well within his recent pace. At $8,800, he delivers premium 2.0x value without the ownership pitfalls of other stars, making him the clear anchor for any build.

Honorable Mentions

• Connor McDavid ($8,700)
• Auston Matthews ($8,500)

W Plays

Top Play: David Pastrnak ($8,300)

Pastrnak racks up points with 4 (1G-3A) over his last two games, including a goal and two assists on the power play in the season opener against Washington. He generates 6 shots on goal in that span while logging 19:25 of ice time per game on the first line and first power-play unit, where he sees 4:04 of PP time and already has 2 PP points. His shot volume remains elite, pushing the over on his 3.5 shots prop in favorable spots, and at $8,300, he delivers 2.04x value with a -430 point prop underscoring his consistent floor.

Tonight’s matchup against Buffalo offers even odds at 51.8% win probability in a game with a 6.0 total and 3.75 implied goals for Boston, setting up ample scoring chances for Pastrnak’s high-volume role. The Sabres allow bottom-third chances to elite wingers, amplifying his ceiling with power-play exposure and top-line minutes, while his 10.5% ownership provides tournament leverage against the field. This setup makes him the clear premium play for stacking Bruins exposure.

Honorable Mentions

• Leon Draisaitl ($8,200)
• Kirill Kaprizov ($7,900)

D Plays

Top Play: Sean Walker ($3,000)

Sean Walker logs top-pair minutes with 21:14 of ice time per game and anchors the first defensive pairing alongside key forwards. His deployment on PP2 delivers 1:22 of power-play exposure per game, positioning him for assist opportunities in Carolina’s high-powered attack that generates consistent scoring chances. Fresh off a full recovery from his shoulder injury, Walker enters the matchup healthy and motivated, building on last season’s 16 points and 90 blocks across 82 games to contribute in multiple categories.

Tonight’s matchup against Philadelphia offers prime upside as Carolina enters as a 70.8% favorite with 3.75 implied goals in a 6.0 over/under environment ripe for defensive production. The Flyers rank middling in chances allowed to mobile defensemen, amplifying Walker’s shot volume potential—his +1000 goal prop underscores the ceiling for a rare tally while his floor remains solid through hits and blocks. At just $3,000, he delivers 2.39x value with low optimal ownership at 3.35%, making him a tournament differentiator in this favorable spot.

Honorable Mentions

• Cale Makar ($7,800)
• Evan Bouchard ($6,300)

G Plays

Top Play: Thatcher Demko ($7,000)

Demko cruises through his season debut with a .944 save percentage, stopping 17 of 18 shots in a dominant 5-1 win over Calgary. As Vancouver’s clear starter for 2025-26, he logs heavy minutes at nearly 60 per game and faces minimal pressure in favorable spots, setting a high floor for wins and quality starts early in the year.

Tonight’s road test in Edmonton carries high save volume upside with a 6.0 over/under and the Oilers’ potent offense pushing the pace. Vancouver’s implied team total of 2.5 goals keeps Demko’s win probability viable as a slight underdog at 39.4%, while his $7,000 salary delivers 1.9x value in a slate where he projects for top ownership leverage without sacrificing cash game safety.

Honorable Mentions

• Linus Ullmark ($7,300)
• Filip Gustavsson ($7,900)

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