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Get today's top DraftKings daily fantasy hockey lineup picks for October 25, 2025. Doug's expert NHL DFS goalies picks, value plays, stacks, and power play picks.
DraftKings is so weird with its NHL content. For some reason, they have decided that the four games at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. should be included in the main slate rather than just running the seven games at 7 p.m. On the plus side, this will allow us to use players from the fantasy carnival that should take place between Anaheim and Tampa Bay, so I guess I shouldn’t complain too much.
Also featured in the four-game early window will be great spots for Minnesota and Toronto. Later in the slate, Columbus and Pittsburgh could match the fireworks that we will see in Tampa Bay. Closing out the night will be the Edmonton Oilers heading to Seattle, in a game that starts two hours after the next latest game. As I alluded to earlier, this is a weirdly scheduled slate.
I aim to help you narrow your plays to get the most bang for your DFS buck. NHL Premium members can find members of the RotoBaller NHL family on Discord, where our chat is always active. I'll bring my NHL lineup picks, analysis, and advice for NHL DFS contests on DraftKings for Saturday, October 25, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. ET. Be sure also to check out RotoBaller's awesome NHL tools, including our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, and Heat Map.
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NHL DFS Analysis And Picks For 10/25/25
Tampa Bay Lightning (TB1 - Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point; $23100 DK)
Defensive Addition: Victor Hedman ($6200 DK)
Although both teams should be able to run wild in this game, the Tampa Bay Lightning have the edge and make for the best fantasy stack on the slate. After a lot of early-season shuffling, their top line features the best combination of talent, with Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Jake Guentzel finally back together.
The trio has underwhelmed thus far in 2025, combining to average just over 30 DraftKings points per game. That’s over 25% fewer points than this line averaged last season, but it’s only a matter of time before they break out, and this is the matchup where we should see it happen.
Anaheim has been truly awful defensively on the road this year. They have allowed an average of 2.92 even-strength goals and 12.89 high-danger chances per 60 minutes. The defensive pairing that will face Tampa’s top line, Drew Helleson and Jackson LaCombe, has given up 3.61 expected goals, 13.08 high-danger chances, and 34.33 scoring chances per 60 minutes on the road. Goalie Lukas Dostal has saved just 76% of the high-danger shots he’s faced on the road.
The Lightning are the most expensive stack on the slate tonight, but don’t let that deter you. The high price should keep their ownership down. There are more than enough value stacks you can pair with them without sacrificing upside, most specifically the second line from the Penguins.
⚡️ Jake Guentzel (#59) tips it home for his 2nd goal of the season! Ryan McDonagh (#27) and Nikita Kucherov (#86) pick up the assists. #GoBolts
pic.twitter.com/kyMfqaEDGE— Future Bolts (@LightningProsp1) October 24, 2025
Minnesota Wild (MIN1 - Matt Boldy, Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek; $21900 DK)
Defensive Addition: Zeev Buium ($4200 DK)
The Minnesota Wild have yet to score an even-strength goal at home this season. Advanced data suggests they should have averaged 2.51 goals, meaning a massive positive regression is headed their way. Their offensive aggression will serve them well, as they have averaged over 14 high-danger chances per 60 minutes at home.
Opposing goalie Karel Vejmelka has been stellar when facing high-danger shots, but he’s been slowly starting to show signs of a production dip lately. Over his prior three starts, he has allowed a total of 10 goals; at least three in each game. What’s worse is that he’s done this despite seeing fewer than 25 shots on goal per game. The Wild have averaged nearly 30 shots on goal per game this season, and feature one of the best snipers in the league in Kirill Kaprizov.
Despite playing just two home games, compared to six on the road, Kaprizov has scored more goals at home while averaging 6.5 shots on goal per game. Linemate Matt Boldy is less dependent on home games for success, as he’s had three of his four biggest games of the year on the road. Still, his best game came at home when he combined for three goals and assists with five shots on goal.
Rounding out your Wild stack is Joel Eriksson Ek, who has had his two best games of the season at home. All of these factors point to a monster game from Minnesota as they return home after a five-game road swing.
All the #mnwild offense currently runs through Matt Boldy who’s been dominating in all situations.
He’s 2nd among all Wild forwards with a 57.7% xGF and ranks Top 12 in the NHL in the following stats:
Goals: T-8th (5)
Assists: T-12th (6)
Points: T-5th (11)
Shots: 2nd (33)…— Brett Marshall (@B_Marsh92) October 24, 2025
Washington Capitals (WSH2 - Connor McMichael, Tom Wilson, Hendrix Lapierre; $11400 DK)
Defensive Addition: Jakob Chychrun ($5500 DK)
Alexander Ovechkin gets all the publicity, but the second line for the Washington Capitals can be a productive little bunch. Tom Wilson is the star of the line, averaging a team-leading 14.2 DraftKings points per game. He’s failed to record a goal or assist only one time all year. Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre started the year slowly, but last night they combined for two goals, one assist, and seven shots on goal.
Given how inexpensive this line is, it makes sense to include defenseman Jakob Chychrun, who is averaging four shots on goal per game over his previous five starts. He’s one of the most offensive-minded defenders in the league and will help differentiate your lineup from other Washington stacks.
Ottawa heads into the nation’s capital tonight to try to slow down Washington, but they’ve allowed three even-strength goals per 60 minutes on the road this year, so that seems rather unlikely. Their defensive pairing of Nick Jensen and Thomas Chabot has been particularly generous, allowing 4.15 goals, 16.34 high-danger chances, and 35.4 scoring chances per 60 minutes on the road this season.
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— 🇺🇦Shockmain (@Shockmain) January 6, 2023
NHL DFS Value Stack of the Night
Pittsburgh Penguins (PIT2 - Evgeni Malkin, Justin Brazeau, Anthony Mantha; $11800 DK)
The Penguins' second line has been a revelation this year. Youngsters Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha have combined for 14 goals and assists while averaging 21.7 DraftKings points per game. Their combined $6,700 cost is a joke compared to how well the duo has played.
They are individually averaging more fantasy points than multiple players who cost twice what they do. Veteran Evgeni Malkin continues to dazzle, recording multiple goals and assists in half of his games this season, and has scored at least 10 DraftKings points in four straight games.
Tonight, they are going to face a Columbus defense that has vastly overachieved this season, allowing nearly two fewer even-strength goals per 60 minutes on the road than expected. The goalie combination of Jet Greaves and Elvis Merzlikins, who will start tonight, cannot continue to bail the defense out as frequently as they have.
At some point, Merzlikins is going to come back to reality and get blown up. We want to be on the right side of that regression, and to do so with a stack that fits so nicely with the Lightning’s top line is kismet.
NHL DFS Goalie to Target
Arturs Silovs (PIT - $7900 DK)
Has any goalie been a more pleasant surprise this year than Arturs Silovs? The Vancouver castoff has started the year with a bang, scoring 18.6 or more DraftKings points and allowing two or fewer goals in three of his four starts. He’s been imposing when under pressure, saving 84% of the high-danger shots he’s faced.
Tonight, he faces a Blue Jackets squad on the second night of a back-to-back after getting smacked by the Capitals at home last night. Columbus has been lucky in its road games, scoring 1.1 goals per 60 minutes above expectations, so negative regression should be on the way.
Couple this with how well Silovs has been playing, and you’ve got the recipe for a tournament-winning goalie who should come in at a low roster percentage. Given how well he’s played, Silovs is fine for cash games if you’re not comfortable paying over $8,000 for your netminder.
Others in consideration: Filipp Gustavsson (MIN), Thatcher Demko (VAN), Joey Daccord (SEA)
NHL DFS News and Injury Alerts
More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis
