Hello, hello to all my DFS peps out there, welcome back! I think we remember how to do this, right? For today's slate, I came in thinking that I would want to stack whichever team had the most representation in the Four Nations, and off the top of my head that team was Tampa Bay. Two things wrong with this plan. One – Tampa would probably be close to $30K to stack for some reason, and two (and probably most important) – Tampa doesn't play today. Rats.

Still, I think there's plays on the board here today, but it is tough to gauge just how clubs will look following an extended break.

Slate Preview:

St. Louis

I was leaning the other side of this matchup and go to Winnipeg, but then I took another look at the lines. Josh Morrissey is going to miss tonight and if remember back in early December, this same thing happened, and their defense slipped but during that stretch Connor Hellebuyck is in net. Bad news for my fantasy team but good news for all those looking to roster St. Louis tonight: we have Eric Comrie in net to start with a Jets blueline missing Morrissey.

I'll dip my toe in the water for St. Louis, maybe not an all-out 4-3-1 with them coming in with four skaters, but enough exposure to get a little unique. The second line of Brayden Schenn ($3,900), Dylan Holloway ($4,900) and Jordan Kyrou ($6K) is going to have full correlation tonight and might see softer matchups on home ice at Enterprise. Is it still Enterprise Center? Real ones remember Scottrade. The way that I would go about St. Louis is maybe more of a filler role which is fine if you want to build to where you have expensive one-offs up and down your roster. I rarely roster St. Louis, but tonight coming off the break seems as good a time as any.

Carolina

After playing the Canes a bunch before the break, I have reason to go back here tonight. Besides the fact that I have a reminder in my phone to take the Hurricanes in a playoff series against the Leafs (this is a real thing I have, Canes in five), I love the spot for Carolina. Look, everyone coming back might just throw darts at this slate and more often than not, that means going to Toronto, Edmonton, or Colorado. Granted, those are all great picks, but I want to be on the Carolina side of this one, particularly that top line of Seth Jarvis ($7,300), Mikko Rantanen ($7,100) and Sebastian Aho ($6,500).

I have waited for Jarvis to get back up to the top line since way back in October and not only do I have that, but I also have him with Mikko Rantanen fully correlated on the man advantage. I worry a bit that this line gets broken up at even strength, but if I can at least get there on the power play then I'm sitting alright on my single-entry tonight. Sure, I'll still be a little lilted when Jarvis is inevitably sent down to the third line and I now have to watch Jackson Blake up with the top group, but that's the risk that we take playing Carolina.

Before the break, I was doing well playing Carolina and pairing a forward stack with Jaccob Slavin as a cheap defenseman, who I do worry will be popular given that now the secret is out on him. Still, I like Carolina tonight and can see myself fitting them into my lineup when I eventually build. That on the weekends usually takes place when DK notifies me that I've reserved an entry with no lineup.

Columbus

Two-week break, one week break, one day break, doesn't matter, the Hawks are awful and they're even worse on the road. Here's another reason why Columbus makes sense here: we have to be quiet about this, I don't word spreading too far… Boone Jenner ($5K) is back tonight along with Dmitri Voronkov ($6,800) and my bet here is that at some point we see a line of Voronkov – Jenner –  Kirill Marchenko ($6,200) go over the boards together. I don't know how many people out there pay attention to who is coming back from injury, and I'll guess an even smaller number are in tune with the Jackets, so I'm building as though I can get this trio in a low-roster situation along with being in an incredible matchup against the Hawks. It's risky, I understand that, but no risk no Porsche. On a viewing note, we went from watching Four Nations to Chicago/Columbus. Buckle up!

Defensemen:

Somehow some way, I want to get Zach Werenski into my lineup at $7,600. I wonder if DK would be interested in offering a loan? Really though, I like the spot and if I'm playing Columbus then I could see myself looking to roster him tonight. Thomas Chabot is interesting tonight at $5,800 in a game against Montreal that if I simulated on NHL25 ten times, we either come out even at five games to five or somehow nine to one. Who knows? Devon Toews right below him at $5,800 is good going up against Nashville but where I think I'll be tonight is the $5K and below range. Noah Hanifin at $4,900 is good and would fit alright with any Vegas stack, and I also am looking at Esa Lindell at $4,800 and Neal Pionk at $4,700. Pionk should play big minutes tonight and is going up against a St. Louis club with an iffy PK. Luke Hughes for the Devils is always fine in my book and if you need someone cheap, Cody Ceci for the Stars has played big minutes since coming over from the Sharks and is sitting at $3,600.

Goalies:

I forgot, we have to talk about goaltenders, and boy oh boy are we in for it tonight. If Jake Oettinger ($7,800) starts tonight, I almost lean him only because I don't trust over half of what we could see in the crease tonight. Joel Hofer for the Blues is alright at $7,500, maybe more expensive than I would want to pay up for but that's just the slate that we find ourselves in. Sam Montembeault is alright at $7,200 but I wouldn't be willing to go too much lower down the list. I'm sorry Anaheim!

Good luck tonight everybody!  

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