Allan Fabrykant Hey everyone, hope your opening night was successful. We are back with another edition of the Daily Hot Shot. Tonight we have an eight-game slate to dig into with the first set of games beginning at 7 p.m. ET with the final puck drop set for 10 p.m. ET.
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10/3 NHL DFS Centers
Tyler Johnson – This one has a very simple explanation. Johnson will be centering a line alongside the league’s reigning MVP Nikita Kucherov and All-Star Steven Stamkos while Brayden Point is out with an injury. Stacking him will be a little difficult but it can be done. Even if you choose to play Johnson as a one-off, that is still a strong option.
Nazem Kadri – Kadri is set to begin his first season in Colorado after being traded from Toronto during the offseason. He has already made a positive impression, notching a goal in his last preseason appearance in the lead up to opening night.
Despite having a slight off season last year, Kadri is still capable of scoring 30+ goals in a campaign and will also get an opportunity to increase his goal tally alongside Colorado’s stacked top power-play unit.
Honorable Mention: Max Domi
10/3 NHL DFS Wingers
Mats Zuccarello – Zuccarello is coming off a peak playoff performance last season, where he registered 11 points in 13 playoff games for the Dallas Stars, despite coming off an injury a month before the playoffs began. Zucc will slot into Minnesota’s top line and first power-play unit, making him an optimal stack with the likes of Matt Dumba and Zach Parise.
Andrei Svechnikov – Young phenom Svechnikov was instrumental for the Canes as he registered 20 goals in his rookie campaign in the NHL along with five points in nine playoff appearances. Svech is set to see top-line minutes as well as time on the second power-play unit. Svechnikov is also coming off a strong preseason performance, where he recorded two assists against the Capitals.
HM: Artemi Panarin
10/3 NHL DFS Defensemen
Cale Makar – We got a taste of Makar’s talent last season during the tail end of the Avs’ season during the playoff run. Jumping straight into the playoff lineup for the Avalanche, it came as a shock to some that the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner recorded six points in 10 playoff games. During the preseason he was averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per game and recorded an assist in his final tune-up game. He’ll also appear on Colorado’s stacked top power play unit.
Matt Dumba – Coming off a season-ending injury from last season, Dumba is slightly undervalued in this slate and is in a position to be exploited. Last season, Dumba recorded 22 points in 32 games. He is also coming off a strong preseason performance with a goal and an assist in an OT loss to the Jets.
HM: Justin Schultz
10/3 NHL DFS Goalies
Matt Murray – Going up against the Sabres, Murray has one of the best odds on the slate and will be playing in front of the hometown fans in Pittsburgh. Murray came back into form last year after a shaky 2017-18 campaign and will be looking to improve on his numbers tonight.
Petr Mrazek – Mrazek is one of the bargain options when it comes to favored goalies tonight, as he is set to face off against the Canadiens. Mrazek is coming off one of his best seasons last year when he took charge of the Canes and held a 23-14-3 record along with a .914 SV% and a 2.39 GAA, ultimately leading Carolina to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance.
HM: Phillip Grubauer
10/3 NHL DFS STACKS
Carolina Hurricanes 1 – The Canes are rolling on momentum from an insane run last season, full of strong team performances, surprise heroes and of course post-game antics. The “Bunch of Jerks” are set to face off against a Montreal side that hasn’t made any significant improvements from last season, in fact losing a key piece in Andrew Shaw. Canadiens goalie Carey Price may be nursing a bruised hand, which was sustained during the preseason. Nevertheless, Carolina are favorites tonight and the O/U is set at 6. Considering the matchup is in Carolina, hopefully we will see a storm surge for the home opener.
HM: Tampa Bay 1
10/3 NHL DFS Power Play of the Day Winnipeg PP1
– This matchup pits last season’s fourth-best power play league-wide against the league’s fifth-worst penalty kill.
HM: Tampa Bay PP1
10/3 NHL DFS Punts
Kappo Kakko – Kakko is coming off a season in the Finnish league where he lit it up for 38 points in 45 games. This made Kakko the consensus second overall pick in last season’s draft. The Rangers have entrusted Kakko in their second power-play unit. He is easily stackable with his linemates Chris Kreider and Ryan Strome. Kakko is riskier than the punts outlined in yesterday’s article, however, Kakko also holds higher upside.
HM: Nikolaj Ehlers, Nick Suzuki
