DraftKings, FanDuel Daily Fantasy Hockey Picks (10/17/23): Today's Top NHL DFS Lineups

Welcome, RotoBallers! If you do not know me, my name is Brandon and I write both The First-Serve and The Kick-Off for tennis and soccer, respectively. If you have not checked those out, make sure you do! It is the return of the NHL season, which means it's time to sharpen our skills and partake in NHL DFS! As always, I'll give you the best tools to succeed and the info you need to build the best lineups possible for your GPP and cash game NHL contests on both DraftKings and FanDuel.

Today, I'll be bringing you my NHL lineup picks, analysis, and advice for NHL DFS contests on DraftKings and FanDuel on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, at 7:00 PM EDT. Be sure to also check out our awesome NHL tools, including our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, Projections, and DFS Cheat Sheets!

If you have any questions on today's slate, bankroll management, GPP strategy, cash game strategy, or anything else, don’t hesitate to email me at [email protected], via Twitter @df_solutions, or in our premium Slack chat. Good luck, RotoBallers!

NHL DFS Analysis and Picks for 10/17/23

We have finally made it! The 2023-2024 season is upon us and we welcome the next generational talent, Connor Bedard to the front and center! With many big moves over the offseason – Karlsson to Pittsburgh – and many signings during Free Agency, this season will make for yet another interesting race to Lord Stanley!

Tonight we have an 8-game slate and one team playing on a back-to-back, Pittsburgh. Currently, the three highest implied team totals are Carolina with 3.9, Minnesota with 3.6, and Colorado with 3.6. I will do my best to guide you through this eight-game slate on DraftKings and FanDuel starting at 7:00 p.m. EDT.

DISCLOSURE: Make sure to monitor the NHL news feeds for the latest player status and injury news.

DraftKings and FanDuel Goalies - NHL DFS Picks

Cam Talbot - DK $7.3K || FD $7.3K

Opponent - Winnipeg Jets

Talbot is the expected starter for the Kings tonight and he did not have the Best of debuts in a King’s sweater, losing 5-2 to the Colorado Avalanche. Despite the poor performance by the entire team, Talbot will have an optimal matchup to bounce back. The Jets are averaging over 35 shots per game to start the season and are also averaging more than three goals. However, this game is projected to be a low-scoring affair and if Talbot can reach the 35 save mark, he will get the save bonus on DraftKings. As long as Talbot doesn’t concede three or more goals, he will easily reach value.

Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):

Georgiev (DK $8K || FD $8.3K)
Blackwood (DK $6.7K || FD $6.8K)

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— 🇺🇦Shockmain (@Shockmain) January 6, 2023

DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NHL DFS Picks

Connor McDavid - DK $9.8K || FD $10.4K

Opponent - Columbus Blue Jackets

Unsurprisingly, Edmonton at a team level has yet to start the season, dropping both games in a combined score of 4-12. Luckily, McDavid has not been too hindered by his team though, putting together 1 goal, 2 assists, and 10 shots in that window. Nashville is also not on a heater to start the season, conceding 2.6 Goals Against Per 60. Furthermore, last season they were the fifth-worst in both Shots Against Per 60 and Scoring Chances Against Per 60, as well as the ninth-worst in High-Danger Chances Against Per 60. If McDavid and company can solve expected starter Juuse Saros early, they will have every opportunity to break their rut.

Nick Paul - DK $4.4K || FD $4.5K

Opponent - Buffalo Sabres

The entire Tampa Bay Lightning is an option against the lackluster Sabres, although Nick Paul offers some of the best value. The third line center sees time on the top power-play unit with teammates Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov. In three games to start the season, Paul has 2 goals, 1 assist, 8 shots and 3 blocked shots. He has not produced a point since the season opener, however, he does continue to average two shots and one blocked shot per game. He will also go against the middle six of Buffalo who concede Scoring Chances Against willingly. With Tampa Bay expected to be 'chalk' tonight, Paul is a great way to be different and also an optimal one-off.

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):

MacKinnon (DK $9.5K || FD $10.5K)
Dubois (DK $4.4K || FD $5.8K)

DraftKings and FanDuel Wings - NHL DFS Picks

Filip Zadina - DK $3.6K || FD $4.5K

Opponent - Carolina Hurricanes

Despite Mackenzie Blackwood having a career highlight of a night against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, Carolina is still expected to be top of the 'chalk' board tonight. This is a perfect time to play the opposite side of the field as Zadina and the rest of the top line of San Jose expect to line up against Carolina's second line. In the Hurricane's last game, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and company were 2-8 in Scoring Chances Differential and 1-6 in High-Danger Scoring Chances Differential – courtesy of NaturalStatTrick – and he struggles against more physical players, something both Tomas Hertl and Zadina are. In the winger's first two games of the season, he has 1 goal and 7 shots. Whether he can crack open the scoreboard tonight or not, if he continues his shot volume, he will hit value.

Brandon Hagel - DK $5.1K || FD $6.1K

Opponent - Buffalo Sabres

Hopping back in the bottle, Hagel is back on the top line and he is due for a big blow-up game, despite already having 2 goals, 1 assist, 11 shots, and 2 blocked shots in three games. Similar to teammate Nick Paul, Hagel will also see time against Buffalo's middle six, along with the top line. All three lines are conceding Scoring Chances Against and Buffalo's goaltending has been subpar at best. Whether stacking or not, Hagel is one of the top value plays in the $5K range on DraftKings.

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):

Zuccarello (DK $5.8K || FD $6K)
Bunting (DK $5.7K || FD $5.1K)

DraftKings and FanDuel Defensemen - NHL DFS Picks

Brock Faber - DK $3.2K || FD $4.4K

Opponent - Montreal Canadiens

Faber should be a ‘lock’ in every lineup tonight. The rookie defenseman has proved that he is anything but a rookie. In two games to start the season, he has 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 shots, and 3 blocked shots and although there are very few platforms that track +/-, he is a +4 through that window. Considering he is going up against top opposition the majority of the time, this is fairly impressive from such a young player in general. He is also one of the leaders for Minnesota in generating both Scoring Chances For and High-Danger Chances For. Montreal is currently averaging 4 Goals Against Per 60 in this small sample this season and when dating it back to last year, they were the sixth-worst in both Shots Against Per 60 and Goals Against Per 60, as well as being in the bottom three in both Scoring Chances Against Per 60 and High-Danger Chances Against Per 60. On paper Minnesota has a fairly good matchup tonight and Faber is expected to be one of the main contributors, despite not being on the power-play.

Ben Hutton - DK $3.1K || FD $3.8K

Opponent - Dallas Stars

Teammate Alex Pietrangelo was out last game and it won’t be known until after the morning skate if he is back or not. For the time being, he will be considered out for another game which sets up Hutton to quarterback the second power-play unit for Vegas. In the one game without Pietrangelo, Hutton had 2 shots and 2 blocked shots, easily making value. In a game against Dallas that is expected to be back and forth between two Western Conference heavyweights, Hutton will have ample opportunities to reach value without ever needing to score or assist. With plenty of bigger names on the board to choose from tonight, paying down at defense could provide massive benefits.

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):