NHL DFS (3/11/2025)

The top daily fantasy hockey lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on March 11, 2025. Brandon's NHL DFS goalies, value plays, stacks, and power play picks.

Welcome, RotoBallers! My name is Brandon, and I'll be writing both The First-Serve and The Kick-Off for tennis and soccer. 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 bring my NHL lineup picks, analysis, and advice for NHL DFS contests on DraftKings and FanDuel for Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. EST. Be sure also to check out RotoBaller's 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 X @df_solutions, or in our premium Slack chat. Best of luck!

NHL DFS Analysis and Picks for 3/11/25

Tonight, we have an 11-game slate and two teams playing on a back-to-back: Ottawa and Colorado. Tonight’s slate offers value across the board, offering creativity when building lineups.

The currently live top-3 highest implied team totals are: Nashville with 3.8, Vegas with 3.8, and Washington with 3.6. I will do my best to guide you through this 10-game slate on DraftKings and FanDuel starting at 7:00 p.m. EST. 

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

DraftKings and FanDuel Goalies - NHL DFS Picks

Sam Montembeault - DK $7.4K || FD $7.2K

Opponent - at Vancouver Canucks

There are a few avenues to go down at the goalie position tonight, with Sam Montembeault leading the way. The goaltender has a 4-0-1 record in his last five appearances–not including splits–along with a 2.14 Goals Against Average and a 0.922 Save Percentage. Diving deeper into his previous ten away games, he has a 2.13 Goals Against Average, a 0.87 Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60, and a 0.914 Save Percentage. Montembeault rates as the fourth-best option out of all the goalies on the slate.

The Vancouver Canucks in their last 10 home games compared to their last 25 home games are performing worse by -0.5 Goals Per 60, despite having a positive 0.32 Expected Goals Per 60. Looking at just their last 10 home games in Per 60 metrics, they are a bottom-10 team in every metric, except for Scoring Chances and High-Danger Chances. As long as Montembeault can lock in early, his chances of reaching value are high, especially when Vancouver is the best value option when assessing Shots Per Goal Per 60.                                                                  

Others To Consider (Cash/GPP): 

• Sergei Bobrovsky (DK $8.2K || FD $8.1K) at Boston Bruins
• Connor Hellebuyck (DK $7.9K || FD $8.2K) vs. New York Rangers

Want more NHL DFS tools and content? Our NHL Premium package includes our daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Research Station, Lineup Optimizer, and access to our VIP Discord Chatrooms. Doug Shain (@BanksterDFS) joins the NHL team in 2023 with his proven track record - join in on the winning!

Back-to-back @DraftKings Fantasy Hockey World Championship trips! Let’s get the main prize this year! Thank you to @banksterdfs for the amazing daily fantasy content! @NHL pic.twitter.com/dONSvJMtIR

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

DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NHL DFS Picks

Dawson Mercer - DK $4.5K || FD $4.7K

Opponent - vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

There is value at every corner of this slate tonight, and it is a matter of hitting the correct value plays. Dawson Mercer has the signs for success. The center/winger hybrid has returned to a center role with teammate Jack Hughes done for the season. Mercer has had two goals, six shots, and two blocked shots in the three games since then. His linemates have been upgraded, and his production has seen a positive correlation, as expected.

Columbus may be the ultimate team to target tonight, outside of Nashville. When comparing their last 10 away games to their last 25 away games, they have a positive 0.4 Expected Goals Against Per 60, and they are conceding six more Scoring Chances Against Per 60. This comes full circle when looking at their last 10 away games. In Per 60 metrics against, they are a bottom-10 team in Scoring Chances, Shots, and High-Danger Chances. This game projects to be a potential shootout, and Mercer is expected to see plenty of chances.   

Anze Kopitar - DK $4.4K || FD $5.9K

Opponent - vs. New York Islanders

After a rough run of form for both Anze Kopitar and the Kings as a team, everyone is starting to click. In his last five games, Kopitar has three goals, two assists, 10 shots, and five blocked shots.

The Islanders are improving over their last ten home games compared to their last 25 home games, albeit not by much. In their last 10 home games in Per 60 metrics against, the hosts are still a bottom-10 club in Scoring Chances and High-Danger Chances. Furthermore, in his last 10 home appearances, projected starter Ilya Sorokin has a 3.11 Goals Against Average and a 0.884 Save Percentage. For under $5K on DraftKings, Kopitar offers a potential ceiling performance at an ‘affordable’ salary.        

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP): 

• Pierre-Luc Dubois (DK $6.5K || FD $6.5K) at Anaheim Ducks
• Sam Bennett (DK $5.6K || FD $6.7K) at Boston Bruins

DraftKings and FanDuel Wings - NHL DFS Picks

Connor McMichael - DK $4.8K || FD $6.3K

Opponent - at Anaheim Ducks

Some may argue that Connor McMichael’s salary is justified. Is it? The winger is one of the most consistent players on the Capitals roster, and he is in a prime matchup. Furthermore, over his most recent five games, he has two goals, three assists, 12 shots, and three blocked shots.

The Anaheim Ducks are still underperforming defensively with a positive 0.2 Goals Against Per 60, when comparing their last 10 home games to their last 25 home games. Drop the lense to just their last 10 home games, and they remain a bottom-10 team across the board. Sitting under $5K on DraftKings with his current form, in this matchup, will make McMichael a popular play tonight. 

Mathieu Olivier - DK $2.9K || FD $4.7K

Opponent - at New Jersey Devils

Mathieu Olivier is THE value play of the slate. With his newfound form, the winger has been elevated to a top-6 role. Throughout his last five games, he has two goals, two assists, 11 shots, and one blocked shot.

As mentioned above, this game has shootout written all over it. When comparing the last ten home games to the last 25 home games for the New Jersey Devils, they are conceding 0.77 more Goals Against Per 60, and they also have a positive 0.19 Expected Goals Against Per 60. This is due to the lack of quality goaltending they are currently getting.

Projected starter Jacob Markstrom has been inconsistent since his return. In his last 10 home games–including before the injury–he has a -0.59 Goals Saved Above Expected Per 60, a 2.79 Goals Against Average, and a 0.901 Save Percentage. His numbers are steadily declining, and with Columbus’s current form, that trend is expected to continue tonight.

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP): 

• Alex Ovechkin (DK $8.4K || FD $8.85K) at Anaheim Ducks
• Kyle Connor (DK $7.8K || FD $8.7K) vs. New York Rangers

DraftKings and FanDuel Defensemen - NHL DFS Picks

Seth Jones - DK $4.5K || FD $5.8K

Opponent - at Boston Bruins

When does it become apparent that perhaps it was Seth Jones the entire time and not the Chicago Blackhawks? In his three games since being traded to Florida, Jones has eight shots and four blocked shots. Despite being on the second pairing and second power-play unit, he has yet to make a real impact. Now he is being thrust into the top pairing and top power-play unit with teammate and fellow defender Aaron Ekblad suspended for 22 games after failing a drug test. This will be a make-or-break moment to prove the former’s critics wrong.

The Boston Bruins have been doing no better defensively in their last 10 home games than they did in their last 25 home games. At this point in the season, they are playing strictly for pride and a roster spot for next year. Following the unsurprising firesale at the deadline and their bottom-10 defense, Jones and the Panthers are positioned for success tonight.

Luke Hughes - DK $4.2K || FD $4.9K

Opponent - vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

Luke Hughes used to be untouchable as a fantasy player, relying on points to make face. Now, he is truly stepping onto his skates and climbing to his potential. He has four assists, eight shots, and seven blocked shots throughout his most recent five games. Could the added peripheral production come from his promotion to the top pairing? Could Luke feel he needs to step up with his brother Jack sidelined for the season? Nobody knows, but one apparent thing is his form, salary, and matchup.

As mentioned, Columbus remains a bottom-10 defense, and this game is expected to go north of six goals. For his salary, Hughes could become one of the top value plays of the night.         

Others To Consider (CASH/GPP): 

• Drew Doughty (DK $4.6K || FD $5.3K) vs. New York Islanders
• Filip Hronek (DK $4.8K || FD $5.1K) vs. Montreal Canadiens

NHL DFS Top Power Plays and Stacks

• NSH1
• WAS1
• FLA1
• WPG1
• LA1

NHL DFS Stacks of the Day

Brandon's Stack

• LA: Kuzmenko-Kopitar-Kempe

Chalk Stack

• NSH: Stamkos-O’Reilly-Evangelista

Sneaky Stack

• CBJ: Johnson-Jenner-Olivier

NHL DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis