This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
We have a busy night ahead of us with nine games on the docket. That gives us plenty of options to choose from, so here are my FanDuel DFS lineup recommendations to help you narrow down the list.
SLATE PREVIEW
Philadelphia and Vancouver played Wednesday, so fatigue might be an issue for those squads. The Blue Jackets are rested, but this has been a challenging stretch for Columbus, which has lost eight of its past nine games.
GOALIES
Jacob Markstrom, NJD at CBJ ($8,400): Markstrom is on his best stretch so far this campaign, posting a 5-0-1 record across his past six starts while saving 118 out of 126 shots (.937 save percentage). He's improved to 16-6-2 with a 2.29 GAA and .909 save percentage in 24 outings overall. The Devils have to be happy with their decision to acquire him from Calgary over the summer.
Darcy Kuemper, LAK at PHI ($7,800): Kuemper missed time due to an undisclosed injury, but he has a 3-0-1 record, 1.49 GAA and .943 save percentage across four starts since returning. That gives him a 7-2-4 record, 2.32 GAA and .912 save percentage over 14 outings in 2024-25. Meanwhile, the Flyers haven't been anything special this campaign with a 14-14-4 record and ranking 20th in goals per game with 2.94.
Linus Ullmark, OTT at CGY ($7,600): Ullmark had a rocky start to his tenure with the Senators, but he's turned a corner, winning his past six starts while allowing just five goals on 178 shots (.972 save percentage). Thanks to his recent play, he's 11-7-2 with a 2.39 GAA and .915 save percentage through 21 appearances this campaign. The Flames rank 26th in goals per game with 2.63.
VALUE PLAYS
Teuvo Teravainen, CHI vs. SEA ($4,900): Teravainen had 25 goals and 53 points in 76 appearances this season, marking the fifth time in seven campaigns he exceeded the 50-point milestone. This campaign has been a mixed bag, though, especially because of a stretch from October 19 to November 16 in which he had just one point (a goal) across 13 outings. By contrast, he couldn't be hotter right now after recording a goal and six points over his past two appearances.
Michael Bunting, PIT at NAS ($4,700): Bunting has been on quite the roll lately, supplying three goals and nine points over his past eight outings. It helps that the 29-year-old is projected to play on the second line alongside Evgeni Malkin as well as the top power-play unit.
Ondrej Palat, NJD at CBJ ($4,700): Palat has found the back of the net in three of the Devils' past four games. He's got a great opportunity to keep that run going against the Blue Jackets, who rank 30th in goals allowed per game with 3.63.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Oilers vs. Bruins
Connor McDavid (C - $8,800), Zach Hyman (W - $5,700), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (W - $5,000)*
The asterisk is there because if you can make it work I recommend subbing out Nugent-Hopkins for Leon Draisaitl (C - $8,600). It's nothing against Nugent-Hopkins, who has two goals and three points across his past three games, but Draisaitl has been unbelievable with six goals and 15 points over his last six appearances.
I considered recommending Draisaitl's line, but Kasperi Kapanen (W - $3,500) and Vasily Podkolzin (W - $3,600) aren't projected to offer much beyond their bottom barrel pricing. By contrast, Hyman is a nice grab in his own right after scoring seven goals over his past six appearances. McDavid is also nearly as hot as Draisaitl, collecting two goals and 13 points over the past six outings, so if you can't fit both Draisaitl and McDavid, taking the latter due to his superior linemates makes more sense.
Avalanche at Sharks
Nathan MacKinnon (C - $8,900), Mikko Rantanen (W - $8,200), Artturi Lehkonen (W - $6,300)
MacKinnon is well on his way to comfortably surpassing the century mark for the third straight campaign. He's leading the league with 50 points (13 goals) through 33 appearances. Linemate Rantanen is one of his main competitors in the scoring race with 47 points (18 markers). Rantanen will enter tonight's action on a six-game point streak (three goals, nine assists).
Lehkonen is a step below his elite linemates, but he still provides value with 10 goals and 15 points in 21 outings in 2024-25. The 29-year-old forward has tallied seven goals over his last 10 appearances.
DEFENSEMEN
Cale Makar, COL at SJS ($7,600): Early in the campaign, I recommended Makar frequently because he was playing so well – he had five goals and 23 points across his opening 13 appearances. He hasn't matched that level of insane production since, but Makar is still one of the league's top blueliners. I like him against the Sharks, who rank 29th in goals allowed per game with 3.47.
Shea Theodore, VGK vs. VAN ($6,200): Theodore has enjoyed four multi-point outings over Vegas' past five games, supplying a total of three goals and eight points in that span. He's in a good position to extend his recent success against a tired opponent in the Canucks.
Luke Hughes, NJD at CBJ ($4,400): Hughes doesn't have the first power-play role he did last year, but he's still provided a goal and nine points across his past 12 appearances. For a defenseman at his price point, that's pretty good, especially when he's up against a team that's struggled defensively like the Blue Jackets.
