Hunter Skoczylas gives his top studs and value plays for Tuesday’s three-game fantasy hockey slate on DraftKings.
The 2025-26 NHL season gets underway tonight with a three-game slate: Panthers vs. Blackhawks, Rangers vs. Penguins and Kings vs. Avalanche.
What better way to get the new season started than playing fantasy hockey on DraftKings? The options will be limited with only three games to choose from, but let’s dive into my favorite NHL DFS targets and value plays for Tuesday’s opening night slate.
Make your DraftKings NHL DFS picks here: NHL $200K Opening Night Puck Drop [$50K to 1st]
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche at Los Angeles Kings, $8,500 – Stacking Colorado’s first forward line against Los Angeles tonight may be a good move, considering the Avs have averaged 4.0 goals per game across their last 10 games against the Kings. Colorado’s roster looks virtually the same entering the new season, and is still led by one of the best hockey players on the planet in Nathan MacKinnon. The 30-year-old forward is coming off a 116-point season and is the best player available on Tuesday’s slate, with the exception of his teammate, Cale Makar ($7,500). MacKinnon tends to start off hot, too, having totaled at least two points in each of the past three season-opening games. The price tag is steep, but his projected line-mates, Artturi Lehkonen ($5,600) and Martin Necas ($6,100), are affordable and worth stacking in your lineups tonight.
Anton Lundell, Florida Panthers vs. Chicago Blackhawks, $4,100 – Despite picking up an upper-body injury during the preseason, Anton Lundell is good to go for tonight’s game, per head coach Paul Maurice. Florida’s forward lines will certainly see high ownership, but it’s possible that Lundell goes under the radar, due to injury and ice-time concerns. With Aleksander Barkov expected to miss the season, he will see additional opportunities in a top-six role and draws a good matchup against the Blackhawks with a relatively low price tag. The 24-year-old is coming off his best season and was a meaningful contributor during the Panthers’ playoff run last season, totaling six goals and 18 points across 23 games.
Other Targets, Values – Brad Marchand ($6,000), Vincent Trocheck ($5,800), Trevor Moore ($3,900), Evan Rodrigues ($3,600)
Adam Fox, New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, $6,500 – With such limited options, you’re going to pay up for the studs. The Rangers may be a bit shaky under new coaching and some roster shuffling, but Adam Fox remains a top defenseman in the league and should be able to take advantage of the Penguins tonight. Pittsburgh allowed the fourth-most shots per game and sixth-most high-danger chances in 2024, and particularly struggled against opposing defensemen. Arturs Silovs ($7,100) has been announced as the starter for Pittsburgh tonight, and while he is only 24 years old, he is coming off a poor season in which he posted a .861 save percentage and 3.65 GAA. New York should score often tonight, and Fox will almost certainly be involved.
Other Targets, Values – Gustav Forsling ($3,800), Brandt Clarke ($3,400), Vladislav Gavrikov ($3,300)
Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers vs. Chicago Blackhawks, ($8,400) – You’re going to have to pay up at goaltender tonight, whether it’s Sergei Bobrovsky or Igor Shesterkin ($8,100). While both the Panthers and Rangers should win against the Blackhawks and Penguins rather easily, I trust the Bob and the Panthers more, even with the injuries. He’s a low-risk play because there’s a strong chance that arguably the worst team in the league in the Blackhawks will not upset the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Panthers on their banner night. Plus, if you’re rolling with a stack of the Panthers’ first line, it’d be smart to correlate your goaltender play directly to that. Florida could come out a bit sluggish, too, and Bobrovsky could be a bit busier tonight as a result. Chicago ranked dead last in 5v5 expected goal percentage and third-to-last in 5v5 high-danger chances in 2024.
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All odds and lines provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change.
Hunter joined the DraftKings team in 2022 and currently serves as a Senior Content Associate. Although he is primarily a behind-the-scenes editor behind the ‘DK Network Editors’ author tag, you will still see plenty of betting content from him. Hunter is our NHL expert but he still dabbles in both NFL and NBA content. You can follow him on X at @HunterSkoczylas!
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
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