This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
There are just two games on the schedule tonight. The Sabres will host the Rangers, starting at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Ducks play in Ottawa, beginning at 7:30. Here are my FanDuel recommendations from those limited options.
SLATE PREVIEW
The pressure is on the Rangers right now after dropping eight of their past 10 games, reducing their record to 14-12-1. New York, which reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022 and 2024, entered the campaign amid high expectations, which only grew after the squad's 12-4-1 start. The recent slump has led to plenty of second-guessing, though. Meanwhile, Buffalo is looking to dig itself out of a hole after dropping its past seven games. The Sabres didn't enter the campaign with nearly as high expectations, but the hope in Buffalo is that the team will manage to win a playoff spot for the first time since 2011. The Sabres aren't looking good in that race due to their prolonged slump, but plenty of time remains in the campaign.
GOALIE
Linus Ullmark, OTT vs. ANA ($8,000): Ullmark has had a rough time in his first campaign with Ottawa, posting a 7-7-2 record, 2.81 GAA and .898 save percentage in 17 outings. He's done well recently, though, winning his past two starts while stopping 55 out of 57 shots (.965 save percentage). Anaheim ranks 30th in goals per game with 2.42, so this is also a favorable matchup.
VALUE PLAYS
Adam Gaudette, OTT vs. ANA ($5,000): The 28-year-old typically isn't much of an offensive force, but he's managed to score six goals and seven points across his past nine appearances. That won't last, but he hasn't slowed yet. Instead, Gaudette found the back of the net in Ottawa's 4-2 loss to the Islanders on Sunday. He also logged a season-high 17:06 of ice time in that game – well above his season average of 10:52. Gaudette is projected to serve on the second line and second power-play unit, so he might get substantial minutes again tonight.
Zach Benson, BUF vs. NYR ($4,500): One of the bright spots during Buffalo's recent slump has been the success of Benson. The 19-year-old has supplied a goal and five points across his past six outings. He still has just nine points (four goals) in 22 outings overall, but the No. 13 overall pick from the 2023 NHL Draft has plenty of upside, as he's previewed lately.
FORWARD LINE STACK
Senators vs. Ducks
Josh Norris (C - $5,800), Brady Tkachuk (W - $8,200), Drake Batherson (W - $6,700)
Tkachuk is having another fantastic campaign with 13 goals and 29 points through 27 appearances. One of the nice things about Tkachuk is that he fires a ton of shots – he ranks third with 117 this season – so even on nights where he doesn't record a point, he often still makes at least a decent contribution in terms of FanDuel points.
Batherson hasn't accumulated nearly as many shots this season (59), but he's giving fans nothing to complain about with his nine goals and 28 points through 27 outings. He's been a steady presence recently, recording at least one point in 13 of his past 15 appearances (four goals, 16 points).
Norris is the cheapest member of this line for a reason. His 18 points in 27 outings isn't quite as impressive, but he does have 12 goals this year, including three markers over his past three outings. Depending on your budget space, you could swap Norris for Tim Stutzle (C - $7,500), who has 10 goals and 34 points across 27 appearances. Stutzle collected two assists in each of Ottawa's past two games.
DEFENSEMEN
Adam Fox, NYR at BUF ($5,900): Fox has recorded over 70 points in each of his previous three campaigns, so his price point is rather low given his potential. The 2024-25 campaign hasn't been bad either – 22 points through 27 outings. The downside is he still hasn't found the back of the net after setting a career-high with 17 markers last campaign. He's fired just 40 shots, dropping him to 3.9 shots per 60 minutes compared to his 2023-24 finish of 4.9. Still, due to a lack of options, I think it's fine to take him tonight.
Owen Power, BUF vs. NYR ($5,800): There aren't any blue-liners who jump out as great picks tonight, but Power is at least an interesting one. Rasmus Dahlin's absence (back) means Power is on the first power-play unit, which gives him more offensive potential. The 22-year-old Power has three goals and 17 points across 28 outings in 2024-25. He's collected an assist in each of his past two appearances.
