Here are theScore's sample NHL lineups for a variety of DFS formats (lineups without UTIL slots are based off the late slate beginning at 7 p.m. EST):
Cash Game Without UTIL
| POS | NAME | OPPONENT |
|---|---|---|
| LW | Tanner Pearson (LA) | vs. BUF |
| LW | Colin Greening (TOR) | at MTL |
| RW | Brendan Gallagher (MTL) | vs. TOR |
| RW | Mark Stone (OTT) | at CGY |
| C | Jeff Carter (LA) | vs. BUF |
| C | Nazem Kadri (TOR) | at MTL |
| D | Erik Karlsson (OTT) | at CGY |
| D | Drew Doughty (LA) | vs. BUF |
| G | Jonathan Quick (LA) | vs. BUF |
Quick, on home ice, should cruise to a win against a young and inexperienced Sabres team. Karlsson has the highest floor of any NHL player due to his high volume of shots and his consistent assists. Beyond those two expensive stars, this roster is very balanced, prioritizing stability over boom-or-bust potential.
GPP Without UTIL
| POS | NAME | OPPONENT |
|---|---|---|
| LW | Evander Kane (BUF) | at LA |
| LW | Milan Lucic (LA) | vs. BUF |
| RW | Jiri Hudler (CGY) | vs. OTT |
| RW | Mark Stone (OTT) | at CGY |
| C | Anze Kopitar (LA) | vs. BUF |
| C | Pavel Datsyuk (DET) | at COL |
| D | P.K. Subban (MTL) | vs. TOR |
| D | Dion Phaneuf (OTT) | at CGY |
| G | Mike Condon (MTL) | vs. TOR |
Kane takes a ton of shots but doesn't always find twine; few will have him against the Kings but he always has multi-goal potential regardless of the opponent. Subban's scoring is also inconsistent, while Phaneuf has been decidedly boom-or-bust since joining the Senators.
Cash Game With UTIL
| POS | NAME | OPPONENT |
|---|---|---|
| C | Sidney Crosby (PIT) | vs. WPG |
| C | Aleksander Barkov (FLA) | at CLB |
| W | Jaromir Jagr (FLA) | at CLB |
| W | Jaden Schwartz (STL) | at NAS |
| W | Chris Kunitz (PIT) | vs. WPG |
| D | Keith Yandle (NYR) | at DAL |
| D | Luke Schenn (LA) | vs. BUF |
| G | Jonathan Quick (LA) | vs. BUF |
| UTIL | Colin Greening (TOR) | at MTL |
Crosby/Kunitz and Jagr/Barkov are two tandems that should feed off each other against weak defenses for maximum value. Yandle and Schwartz don't have the highest ceilings but are as steady as they come. Greening balances the salaries, but also has an honest shot at exceeding expectations on the second line.
GPP With UTIL
| POS | NAME | OPPONENT |
|---|---|---|
| C | Evgeni Malkin (PIT) | vs. WPG |
| C | Mike Ribeiro (NAS) | vs. STL |
| W | Phil Kessel (PIT) | vs. WPG |
| W | Patric Hornqvist (PIT) | vs. WPG |
| W | Kevin Hayes (NYR) | at DAL |
| D | P.K. Subban (MTL) | vs. TOR |
| D | Dion Phaneuf (OTT) | at CGY |
| G | Mike Condon (MTL) | vs. TOR |
| UTIL | Tanner Pearson (LA) | vs. BUF |
Condon is a cheap option with a realistic shot at success against an AHL-quality Leafs team. Malkin's return to the lineup has flown under the radar so the casual fan might ignore his high-upside, along with a number of other Penguins who will see a boost in potential with the star center's return.
