FREE 1/24 NHL Cheat Sheet: Top DFS Plays

Tonight’s 4-game NHL slate offers a mix of intriguing matchups and noteworthy goaltending duels that DFS players should carefully consider. Key games to target include the Golden Knights at Stars and Lightning at Blackhawks, both featuring over/under totals of 6.0 or higher, indicating potential for high-scoring affairs. Goalies Adin Hill and Jake Oettinger in the Vegas-Dallas game, along with Andrei Vasilevskiy and Arvid Soderblom in the Tampa Bay-Chicago matchup, will have significant impacts on their team’s defensive fortitude and should be analyzed for their recent performances and potential to rack up DFS points through saves or shutouts. Given the slate size, diversifying player exposure across these high-total games while paying close attention to starting goalies can provide a strategic edge, especially in tournaments where variance plays a crucial role.

Top Stacks

TBL PP1 ($24,100)

Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Jake Guentzel

The TBL PP1 stack consisting of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Jake Guentzel presents a high-upside option in NHL DFS tournaments, underscored by their combined projected points of 41.6 and a solid value of 1.73 pts/$1000 against their total salary of $24,100. The optimal rate at 20.1% exceeds the average ownership of 17.2%, suggesting an edge in leveraging this stack for tournament play due to its slightly lower-than-expected utilization by the field. This discrepancy between optimal rate and ownership underscores its tournament viability, indicating that it could provide leverage against the competition. Furthermore, considering the correlation among these players—especially given their roles on the power play unit (PP1)—enhances the potential for scoring opportunities to be concentrated within this group, thereby increasing the stack’s ceiling. The game environment also plays a crucial role; matchups against teams with weaker penalty kills or those prone to taking penalties can further amplify this stack’s upside. Overall, the TBL PP1 stack offers a compelling blend of high upside and positive game environment correlation, making it a potent choice for DFS tournaments seeking differentiation without significantly deviating from projected optimal lineups.

WPG PP1 ($20,600)

Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey

The Winnipeg Jets’ PP1 stack, consisting of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Josh Morrissey, presents a strong upside in NHL DFS tournaments, primarily due to its high correlation and concentrated point production on the power play. With a total salary of $20,600 and projected points at 37.1, this stack offers a value of 1.80 pts/$1000, indicating significant efficiency in terms of cost-to-point ratio. The average ownership rate of 20.9% suggests it’s a popular choice among DFS players; however, its optimal rate at 17.9% points to slightly less utility in maximizing lineup differentiation for tournament play. This discrepancy implies that while the stack has high potential for point accumulation—especially in matchups favoring Winnipeg’s power-play unit—it may not provide the unique leverage sought after in large field tournaments due to its popularity. Nonetheless, the game environment—such as facing teams with weaker penalty kill units—could further elevate this stack’s tournament viability by increasing scoring opportunities during power plays.

NYI PP1 ($17,300)

Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, Brock Nelson

This NYI PP1 stack, comprising Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, and Brock Nelson, presents a significant upside in terms of its potential for point generation within the NHL DFS landscape, marked by a projected 33.2 points at a combined salary of $17,300. The stack’s value ratio of 1.92 pts/$1000 underscores its efficiency in leveraging cost against expected performance output. With an average ownership of 20.6%, this trio strikes a balance between popularity and the opportunity for differentiation in tournament play, supported by an optimal rate of 17.6% which indicates a solid fit within winning lineup constructions at their price points. The correlation aspect is strong due to their shared involvement in the NYI’s first power-play unit, suggesting that any special teams’ success is likely to be highly concentrated among these players, thereby enhancing the stack’s overall scoring potential in favorable game environments. Given these factors, this PP1 stack from the Islanders demonstrates considerable tournament viability, especially in matchups that hint at high power-play opportunities against teams with weaker penalty kill units.

C Plays

Top Play: Bo Horvat ($5,700)

Bo Horvat’s recent performance for the New York Islanders has been commendable, showcasing his ability to significantly impact the game’s outcome. With six goals and two assists in the last eight games of January 2025, Horvat has been on a hot streak, including a notable performance against the Flyers where he notched a goal and an assist, both on the power play. His ability to contribute on both even strength and special teams, evidenced by his tally of five power play points this season, underlines his integral role in the Islanders’ offensive setup. Furthermore, his two-goal outing, accompanied by a physical presence of five hits and two blocked shots in the recent win over the Blue Jackets, highlights his multi-dimensional contributions across the board.

Facing the Flyers again presents a favorable matchup for Horvat, considering his success against them earlier in the month. The game environment suggests potential for high scoring, and Horvat’s recent uptick in power play production could be particularly advantageous against a Flyers team that he has already found success against. Priced at $5,700 with a projection of 11.5 DK points and a strong value at 2.0x, Horvat offers significant upside for DFS tonight. Despite an expected high ownership of 26.4%, his appearance in 20.7% of optimal lineups underscores his potential as a solid tournament play. The combination of his recent form, the matchup, and his DFS value makes Horvat a compelling pick for DFS players looking to capitalize on a player with high scoring potential in tonight’s slate.

Honorable Mentions

• Mark Scheifele ($6,700)
• Jack Eichel ($8,400)
• Wyatt Johnston ($5,900)

W Plays

Top Play: Nikita Kucherov ($8,800)

Nikita Kucherov’s recent performances have solidified his status as an elite DFS option, with a point streak extending to 10 games, including a goal in his last outing against the Canadiens. He has been exceptionally active in shooting, accumulating 37 shots over this streak, which underscores not only his scoring ability but also his consistency in generating fantasy points through volume shooting. This level of engagement and output positions him as a high-floor option, with the added upside of his proven scoring touch. Furthermore, his knack for finding the scoresheet is underscored by his contribution of an even-strength goal and two power-play assists in a recent game against Detroit, highlighting his multifaceted role in Tampa Bay’s offense.

Facing the Chicago Blackhawks, a matchup that historically favors high-scoring games, Kucherov is poised to exploit a team that often struggles defensively. This game environment, coupled with his salary of $8,800, which reflects strong value at a 2.0x projection, makes him a particularly attractive DFS play. Despite a projected high ownership of 32.6%, his consistent production and the favorable matchup justify the popularity, making him a solid tournament play. His ability to outperform expectations, as indicated by a Hero GPP Rank of 2 and appearing in 30.2% of optimal lineups, highlights his upside in GPP formats. Given these factors, Kucherov represents a blend of reliability and high ceiling, making him a top-tier selection for tonight’s slate.

Honorable Mentions

• Brandon Hagel ($6,900)
• Mathew Barzal ($6,100)
• Kyle Connor ($8,200)

D Plays

Top Play: Victor Hedman ($6,500)

Victor Hedman enters tonight’s DFS slate as a compelling option, courtesy of his recent uptrend in performance. Over the last seven games, Hedman has accumulated nine points (two goals, seven assists), including a notable contribution on the power play with one goal and 14 assists over the season contributing to his total of 38 points in 43 games. His ability to consistently contribute offensively, especially with the man advantage, underscores his reliability and potential for high DFS output. The fact that Hedman is on a point streak adds an element of momentum, making him an attractive pick for those looking to capitalize on current form.

The matchup against Chicago tonight positions Hedman favorably within the game environment. Considering the Lightning’s need for key performances to maintain their standing in the Atlantic Division, Hedman’s role becomes even more critical, potentially leading to increased ice time and opportunities to contribute on the score sheet. Priced at $6,500 and projected for 11.8 DK points with a strong value at 1.8x, Hedman presents a solid value proposition. His projected ownership at 15.8% coupled with an appearance in 18.6% of optimal lineups indicates a balanced level of popularity among DFS players. Given his recent performance, crucial role in his team’s dynamics, and the matchup against Chicago, Hedman emerges as a strong tournament play for tonight’s slate, offering both a floor and ceiling that can differentiate lineups in GPP formats.

Honorable Mentions

• Josh Morrissey ($5,700)
• Miro Heiskanen ($5,200)
• Darren Raddysh ($3,500)

G Plays

Top Play: Ilya Sorokin ($7,800)

Ilya Sorokin presents a compelling case for inclusion in DFS lineups tonight, particularly in GPP tournaments. His recent performances have been a mixed bag, with a notable dip against the Flyers on January 16, where he allowed four goals on 23 shots, marking a less-than-ideal outing. However, Sorokin showcased resilience and skill in his subsequent game against Columbus, conceding just one goal on 26 shots, pointing towards a potential bounce-back scenario. With a season record of 14-14-4, a 2.81 GAA, and a .902 save percentage over 32 starts, Sorokin’s performance has been inconsistent. Yet, his ability to rebound after tough games should not be overlooked, especially considering the Flyers’ recent 6-1 defeat to the Rangers and their average scoring rate of 2.98 goals in the 2024-25 season, suggesting a favorable matchup for Sorokin.

From a DFS standpoint, Sorokin’s salary of $7,800 positions him as a strong value play, boasting a 1.6x value with a projection of 12.7 DK points. His appearance in 27.1% of optimal lineups against an expected ownership of 15.8% underscores a potentially advantageous leverage opportunity in tournaments. The matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers, especially following their recent heavy loss, could present a conducive game environment for Sorokin to secure a win and possibly exceed his projections, making him an attractive tournament option. Considering his Hero GPP Rank of 1, Sorokin’s potential for a high-scoring performance, combined with his recent rebound and the favorable matchup, makes him a solid DFS play for tonight’s slate.

Honorable Mentions

• Connor Hellebuyck ($8,200)
• Adin Hill ($7,400)
• Andrei Vasilevskiy ($8,400)