Welcome back to DFS'ers! How's everyone's lineups been lately? Let's talk about last night…yesterday I thought I'd big brain the slate and throw in Calgary third line with Jonathan Huberdeau – Yegor Sharangovich – Andrei Kuzmenko, all listed as wingers on DK, and just for fun let's throw MacKenzie Weegar on too. Went about how you thought it would even a with Anthony Cirelli – Brandon Hagel two-man stack.

As my lineup was sinking further and further down, I was texting with my younger brother. He lives in LA, and I congratulated him on the Dodgers World Series. Mookie Betts. Shohei Ohtani. Freddie Freeman. It's a stacked club, so no surprise that they won, but it was in that moment I had a DFS epiphany. Tonight, I'm just playing the best lines I can on the slate. Let's Dodger this thing up!

Slate Preview

Seattle vs Toronto

Our mission of finding the best lines to play really starts and stops here at Toronto's top line. Auston Matthews ($9,400) is the clear-cut option here and is probably going to be the most popular player on the slate tonight so for that reason I wouldn't one-off him, I'd want something to go along with him and that's likely Mitch Marner ($6,700), who has four assists in his last two games. I don't dislike dropping down to the Toronto second line either for William Nylander ($6,700) and Max Pacioretty has been playing well on that line and is only $3,500. As far as a power play stack, Seattle really doesn't draw a ton of penalties, so I'd probably just stick at even strength in this matchup.

I know we're playing the LA Dodgers tonight, but we have to talk about Seattle here a little bit. I've noticed in my tournaments the past couple of times the Kraken have been on the slate, that the optimal has had some Seattle exposure. Sure, last time out that included the Seattle absolutely housing the Habs, but they've still been a good play. The problem is what it always is with Seattle, and that's figuring out which line to play because of ice time. If I'm going anywhere I'd pick the Jared McCann ($5,900) – Jordan Eberle ($4,500), they'll be together at even strength and power play so at the very least there's some correlation I can rely on here.

Carolina vs Boston

We're targeted against Boston a fair bit to start the year and as much as I want an elite first line, I can get Sebastian Aho ($7,400) and Andrei Svechnikov ($6,200), but Seth Jarvis ($5,500) is right now on the Carolina checking line and not at the top. Whether that stays that way, or Carolina changes their lines up, we'll have to wait for warmups to see, so if you want to full stack Carolina it might be a wait-and-see and to have enough funds to swap if need be. Last game out vs Vancouver, Jarvis spent almost the entire game on the third line with Jack Roslovic at top line RW, so if anything, maybe an Aho-Svechnikov two-man stack here as $5,500 for Jarvis to full-stack might be a bit steep. Still, I like the spot for Carolina in single entry or larger fields.

For the Bruins here, I also see a top line that might not stick together. David Pastrnak, sure we know he's a lock, but the top line right now is constituted of Pastrnak – Pavel Zacha ($4,300) – John Beecher ($2,700). If this is a line that has trouble generating offense, I could see it broken up and maybe see Brad Marchand ($5,100) move up to top line LW. I'm not sure I'm going to get too much Boston here tonight but if you are, just be leery if you're looking to full stack the top line.

Edmonton vs Nashville

Elite lines, maybe elite power play? The Predators have the highest shots/games played on the power play, and even if the goals aren't falling that's a good sign. You can take pieces of the top line with Filip Forsberg ($8,600) but that's the most expensive he's been all season so I'm not sure if I'm paying up that high especially if I pair him Roman Josi ($8,100) on the blue line. I don't dislike playing Steven Stamkos ($6,400) and Jonathan Marchessault ($5,600) together and playing across lines here if I'm going to Nashville tonight, as they'll still both be together on the man advantage.

For Edmonton something looks off… it stinks that we won't have Connor McDavid for a while, but Edmonton is still absolutely in play tonight. I know it's been a slow start to the season, but Zach Hyman at $7,200 is at least in the conversation if you're making over three lineups, along with Leon Draisaitl ($8K), even with the goose egg last time out. This is also a Nashville team that even with Juuse Saros in net hasn't been as difficult as it was last season (much to the dismay of my fantasy team). Even with McDavid out, going to the Edmonton side is going to still get some higher roster numbers so going all in on them might be one way to get unique, or just take pieces of the top six in multi-entry.

Defensemen

For the blueliners here Roman Josi at $8,100 is steep. If this was a four-game slate, I'd maybe give some lean his way but might be too right for my blood tonight. Even Bouchard at $6,600 would be about as high as I would go as most of the players, I like are in the $5K range. In that group, Shayne Gosisbehere ($5,100) has been playing well as of late, Jake Walman (stock up, $5K), Colton Parayko ($4,900), and Morgan Rielly (back on PP1, $4,800), lead the charge for the mid-priced defensemen. For our bargain barrel, Chris Tanev at $3,600 is fine, along with Brandon Carlo ($3,500) who I always put into a single entry before late swapping him out. Sorry, Brandon. Worth mentioning as well, if Jakob Chychrun can't go tonight for the Capitals, then Martin Fehervary ($3,700) is in play for me.

Goalies

Anyone else notice that goaltending has been a complete crap shoot lately? For the expensive guy(s), Pyotr Kochetkov ($8K) would be about as high as I would go, but if I'm looking to play an expensive line, I probably won't have the funds to get up to a goalie at that price point. I don't mind Joel Hofer ($7,500) and Joel Hofer is only $7,500, even with the rough start last time out against Ottawa. Jeremy Swayman ($7,400) is interesting because that might be the cheapest we see him this season, and Lukas Dostal at $7,100 is intriguing here tonight but might a popular play.

For continued fantasy news and notes, follow me on Twitter @ndySanz.