FREE 02/07 NHL Cheat Sheet: Top DFS Plays

Tonight’s 5-game NHL slate offers a mix of tight matchups and potential high-scoring environments, giving DFS players plenty to consider. The Avalanche-Oilers game leads the way with a 6.5 total, and with Stuart Skinner and Scott Wedgewood confirmed in net, it could turn into a shootout. Meanwhile, the Penguins-Rangers matchup (6.0 total) features Igor Shesterkin at home against Alex Nedeljkovic, putting New York in a strong position as a potential stacking option.

On the other end of the spectrum, lower-total games like Islanders-Jets (5.5) and Stars-Kings (5.5) highlight elite goaltending matchups that could limit offensive upside. Ilya Sorokin faces Connor Hellebuyck in Winnipeg, while Jake Oettinger takes on David Rittich in Los Angeles. These spots may not be ideal for full stacks but could offer value for one-off plays or contrarian lineups. Keep an eye on team power-play opportunities and pace of play when building your lineups tonight!

Top Stacks

EDM PP1 ($24,500)

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard

The EDM PP1 stack of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard is a high-upside option with a projected point total of 45.9 and a solid value of 1.87 pts/$1000 on its $24,500 salary. Its average ownership is 14.8%, making it moderately popular, but its optimal lineup rate of 18.8% indicates it is slightly underutilized relative to its potential to appear in the best lineups. This combination of strong projection, decent value, and positive leverage (optimal rate exceeding ownership) makes this stack a compelling choice for DFS lineups despite its premium salary requirement.

COL PP1 ($21,900)

Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Martin Necas

The COL PP1 stack of Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Martin Necas carries a total salary of $21,900 and is projected for 42.6 points, resulting in a solid value of 1.94 pts/$1000. With an average ownership of 18.2%, this stack is relatively popular, but its optimal lineup rate of 14.8% indicates it may be slightly over-owned compared to its chances of being the best option. While the raw point ceiling is high given the elite talent on this power-play unit, the ownership-to-optimal rate disparity suggests it may not be as efficient in tournaments where leverage is critical. This makes it a strong but potentially over-utilized option in DFS lineups depending on contest size and field dynamics.

WPG PP1 ($18,900)

Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers

The WPG PP1 stack of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Nikolaj Ehlers offers a solid combination of projected points and value for its $18,900 total salary. With a projection of 34.8 points, the stack delivers a value of 1.84 pts/$1000, making it an efficient option relative to cost. Its average ownership of 13.0% aligns closely with its optimal lineup rate of 13.3%, indicating that the stack is appropriately leveraged in terms of risk versus reward. This balance between ownership and optimal rate suggests the stack is neither overly chalky nor underutilized, providing a viable option for DFS lineups seeking strong production without excessive crowding.

C Plays

Top Play: Nathan MacKinnon ($8,400)

Nathan MacKinnon is a top-tier play tonight, and the numbers back it up. His $8,400 salary is steep, but his 17.1 DK-point projection, 2.03x value, and appearance in 24.6% of optimal lineups make him a cornerstone for both cash games and tournaments. The matchup against Edmonton should be fast-paced, with plenty of scoring chances on both sides. MacKinnon’s elite shot volume (220 shots in 56 games) gives him a stable floor, while his role as Colorado’s offensive engine provides massive upside in this high-event environment.

At 28.3% projected ownership, MacKinnon will be one of the most popular plays on the slate, but the chalk feels justified given his consistency and ceiling potential. He has points in eight of his last ten games and just reclaimed the NHL lead in scoring with 83 points on the season. While fading him could create leverage in tournaments, it’s a risky proposition considering he ranks first in tournament projections and has one of the safest floors at center tonight. If you’re building around chalk, MacKinnon is an excellent starting point.

Honorable Mentions

• Connor McDavid ($9,200)
• Leon Draisaitl ($8,500)
• Mark Scheifele ($5,800)

W Plays

Top Play: Jeff Skinner ($4,000)

Jeff Skinner ($4,000) stands out as a strong tournament option tonight against Colorado. Slotted alongside Leon Draisaitl on Edmonton’s second line, Skinner has shown recent offensive momentum with three goals and an assist in his last five games. His 15:27 of ice time in his most recent outing was his highest in two months, signaling increased opportunity. At this salary, Skinner offers excellent value (1.91x) and projects for 7.64 DK points while appearing in 15.1% of optimal lineups—a notable mark for his price range.

With projected ownership at just 5.9%, Skinner provides moderate leverage in GPPs without being overly contrarian. Colorado is a tough matchup on paper, but their penalty kill has been inconsistent, which could benefit Skinner given Edmonton’s potent power play. His combination of rising role, reasonable ownership, and strong value makes him an appealing mid-range wing to help balance your lineups while offering upside in tournaments.

Honorable Mentions

• Kyle Connor ($7,300)
• Filip Forsberg ($8,900)
• Zach Hyman ($6,500)

D Plays

Top Play: Roman Josi ($7,300)

Roman Josi ($7,300) stands out as a strong DFS option tonight in a favorable matchup against Chicago. The Blackhawks rank near the bottom of the league in most defensive metrics, making this an ideal spot for the high-volume blueliner to generate offense. Despite a somewhat underwhelming season by his standards, Josi’s peripherals remain elite, with 142 shots and 82 blocks through 48 games. His power-play role adds additional upside against Chicago’s subpar penalty kill. At $7,300, he carries both a solid floor and ceiling, projecting for 13.82 DK points with strong value at 1.89x.

The main question here is whether his high ownership (23.8%) is worth eating in tournaments. While chalky defensemen can sometimes be avoided for leverage, Josi’s optimal lineup rate of 15.4% suggests he’s still one of the better plays at his position tonight. If you’re building around popular stacks or already leaning into chalky forwards, pivoting off Josi might make sense in GPPs to differentiate your lineup. However, his combination of matchup, ice time, and consistent shot/block production makes him tough to fade entirely on this slate.

Honorable Mentions

• Evan Bouchard ($6,800)
• Cale Makar ($7,100)
• Seth Jones ($5,400)

G Plays

Top Play: Igor Shesterkin ($8,300)

Igor Shesterkin ($8,300) is in an intriguing spot for DFS contests against the Penguins. While his season has been inconsistent by his standards (2.86 GAA, .906 save percentage), he’s coming off a confidence-boosting win over Boston and remains the top-ranked goalie in tournament settings. Pittsburgh’s offense is middle of the pack, averaging 2.87 goals per game (17th in the NHL), which makes this matchup less daunting than it might initially seem. Shesterkin’s projected 13.42 DK points and 1.62x value are strong for his salary, and he appears in 12.8% of optimal lineups, reinforcing his upside potential.

At 13.7% expected ownership, Shesterkin will be one of the chalkier goalie options on this slate, but that doesn’t necessarily make him a fade. His combination of elite talent and favorable game environment at home gives him a solid floor with upside for tournaments. However, given his recent inconsistency and relatively high ownership compared to the field average (4.8%), there’s merit to considering other goaltenders for leverage in large-field GPPs if you’re chasing lower-owned pivots. Still, Shesterkin is a justifiable play in all formats given his price point and ceiling in this spot.

Honorable Mentions

• Connor Hellebuyck ($8,100)
• Jake Oettinger ($7,900)
• Stuart Skinner ($8,000)

Good luck today! Make sure to check the Lineup Optimizer for latest updates before lock. Visit DFS Hero for our full suite of DFS tools including the Lineup Optimizer, Contest Simulator, Player Projections, and Ownership Projections. Use code HEROPLAY15 to get 15% off your first month!