Good morning, all! Let's have a Saturday here everyone – I love this slate today. Unfortunately, that means in all likelihood we're about to get smashed in tournaments, because that's been the trend so far this season on slates I like. On ones where it's right before lock and I'm on the train back from the office blindly putting players into a lineup seem to be the ones I'll cash.

Really though, I like this slate, and I think where I'll be tonight is 3-max lineup of some kind of mix-and-match from a few different games. I can't see myself spending up a ton today, because on bigger slates there tends to be more value, and I don't need expensive players at center or defense to stand out.  

Slate Preview:

Winnipeg vs Nashville

Winnipeg has been my go-to so far this season in DFS and their top line has not disappointed. I like the spot here again tonight for the Jets, coming in with the best goal differential right now in the league. I might be looking elsewhere for a lower dollar center tonight, so that takes Mark Scheifele out of my build, but I do like a two-man stack of Kyle Connor ($8,200) and Gabriel Vilardi ($4,900). If I'm playing Winnipeg, it's almost first line or bust for me, but if you want to full on power play stack that might be a way to build a unique lineup tonight. Nashville has taken the most penalties so far in the month of November, but they do have the second-best PK% over that time as well. In single entry, Winnipeg might be first left off the stack, but 3-max and above they are absolutely in play.

For the home Nashville Predators, I can't get a handle if this team has been more unlucky than good, but coming off a 3-0 loss to Seattle I'm going to lean that this may be a club that is having trouble scoring with a defense that's given up too many chances. Still, this is a Winnipeg team that played last night, so it will be Eric Comrie in net instead of Connor Hellebuyck. I can't say that I want anything to do with centers from Nashville right now, but a Filip Forsberg one-off or Steven Stamkos one-off is fine.

Columbus vs Carolina

It’s funny what one firework displays of a game can do to your overall stats! This Columbus club in November is now ranked first in shots for and xGF. Thursday's 7-6 OT win over Tampa shot these stats up, but this is also a Columbus team that I've gone to more than once this season and had success. Sean Monahan's salary is down around $3K, and since I don't think I'll be spending up at C tonight, that puts him in play. In fact, the entire Columbus top line of Monahan, Dmitri Voronkov ($3,400) and Kirill Marchenko ($5,200) are all a good play together here as they will be fully correlated again tonight.

Dropping down and adding Kent Johnson ($3,900) is a decent option as well if you want to build a 4-3-1 build taking just Columbus forwards as your main stack. I am a little leery about any club going into Carolina, so for single-entry I'm not sure if Columbus makes it into my stack. 3-max though is interesting, and if I'm going to do anything here, I might make one lineup with some CBJ skaters and go from there.

On Carolina, I think three lines here are in play and if I'm going to a club for depth tonight, Carolina makes a lot of sense to me. The spend up option for me would be putting Martin Necas ($7,200) in with anyone from the Carolina top line, but I think just one-offing him here is in play. Necas leads the NHL in IPP at even strength in November and may get overlooked a bit here tonight.

What I really like here for the Canes though is grabbing some depth players, and I say that because last game Carolina shook up their liens so players that we normally see on the bottom six skated up. Jordan Martinook ($3,400) leads that group for me and if I'm looking down the lines, I have interest in Jackson Blake at $3,200. He's centering the Canes top power play group, and in doing so he's been very active in that role. Carolina is on a real short list for me of clubs I'm targeting here tonight as I can see myself at least one lineup with spread out Carolina exposure.
 
New Jersey vs Washington

Is Jesper Bratt one of the best players in the NHL right now? Most nights I'm probably just like you going from game-to-game, and if I took away the logos and names and just went off eye-test, he'd be up there for me right now. For that reason, if I'm going to the Devils tonight, then I want him in my stack. I've built with the Devils before taking all four of their top line wingers, and although it adds up, I'm not ruling that play out here tonight. I'm not saying that Jack Hughes ($8K) or Nico Hischier ($7K) aren't in play here for 3-max, but for single entry I think that you can get away with cheaper players in the dot on for this slate.  

For the Caps, Alex Ovechkin out won't hurt this club defensively, but his absence will be noticed on the power play as he leads them in shots on goal on the man advantage. This might be a side where I'd want mostly one-offs if my lineup(s) allow for it and that would mean Connor McMichael ($5,800) or Tom Wilson ($5,700). This is a club that I like a little more on the blueline and in net than any of their skaters or depth here tonight. Until we know what the second power play unit looks like with Lars Eller, I just have trouble rostering anything on the Capitals bottom six.    

Defensemen:

Zach Werenski at $7,400 is going to be a super chalk play after last game, so I'm probably staying away there. Quinn Hughes is again in play at $7,300. Even if I'm not rostering Hughes at the moment, I'm probably finding a way to add him to a stack anyways if I'm looking to spend up at defense, but I don't mind Rasmus Dahlin at $6,900. Going down in price a bit, Colton Parayko ($4,900) might get some run in one of my lineups tonight and I also like Noah Hanifin ($4,200) and Shayne Gostisbehere ($4,200). If you have a pricey lineup and need a punt defensive option tonight you could go with Brandon Carlo at $3,200 as he'll give you a good shot for the block bonus on any slate.

Goalies:

Coming into this slate, I had Jake Oettinger ($7,900) circled versus Tampa and might have a lineup or two tonight where he makes an appearance. Eric Comrie ($7,800) has looked alright at times earlier this season and has a decent matchup in play versus the Preds. Tonight, though I don't mind Logan Thompson ($7,100) as a good option as he’ll see volume from the Devils, and although lost his last time out, looked alright between the pipes against the Avs. Elvis Merzlikins ($6,900) in any CBJ lineup I build might get the nod as well, but I'm probably going to try and save myself some salary and get closer to the $7,500 range and above in net.

Good luck tonight everybody!  

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