Daily Fantasy Lineup Leans and Goalie Calls for November 23
Today’s slate is all about exploiting soft matchups in goal and staying ahead of late injury returns. With a few key starters confirmed and some depth forwards re-entering lineups, fantasy managers need to make sharp start/sit calls, especially in leagues with tight goalie categories. Let’s break down where you can push for wins tonight and where you should stay cautious.
What’s New & Why It Matters
The biggest fantasy driver today is in the crease. Pyotr Kochetkov is expected to start for the Carolina Hurricanes against a Buffalo team that has been inconsistent offensively and may still be easing injured players back into the mix. That combination gives Kochetkov one of the cleaner streaming spots on the board, especially if you’re chasing ratios and a potential win.
On the other side of that matchup, the possible return of Zach Benson for the Buffalo Sabres adds a wrinkle. He’s tagged as a top-six forward when healthy, which means he could immediately slide into a scoring role and see power-play looks. For fantasy, that’s more relevant in deeper and dynasty formats today, but it also slightly boosts Buffalo’s scoring ceiling — something to keep in mind if you’re banking on a shutout from Kochetkov.
In Minnesota, Nico Sturm is expected to make his season debut for the Minnesota Wild after surgery. Slotted as a third-line center, he’s not suddenly a must-start, but his return stabilizes the Wild’s depth and could create a more reliable checking line. That can help Minnesota’s overall five-on-five play and indirectly support their goaltending, while giving deep-league managers a new source of modest scoring and peripherals.
In Chicago, Jason Dickinson is back in the lineup for the Chicago Blackhawks. As a middle-six forward who can handle tough minutes, his presence should help balance Chicago’s forward group. For fantasy, he’s a viable depth add in deep formats, particularly if he sees secondary power-play time or added responsibility in offensive situations.
Finally, Scott Wedgewood draws the start for the Colorado Avalanche against Chicago. Any goalie starting behind Colorado’s firepower against a rebuilding opponent is immediately on the radar. Wedgewood profiles as one of the safest plays tonight for win probability, with strong odds for solid save percentage if Colorado controls play as expected.
Fantasy Implications
Points-Only
In points-only formats, your priority is exposure to teams likely to score and players who can ride top-six or power-play usage. Benson’s potential return is the headliner here. If he steps right back into a top-six role for Buffalo, he becomes an intriguing speculative play in deeper points leagues, especially if he’s attached to the Sabres’ skill players at even strength or on the man advantage.
Sturm and Dickinson are more subtle values. Sturm’s third-line deployment for Minnesota caps his pure scoring ceiling, but he can still chip in enough to matter in very deep points-only leagues, particularly if he’s used in offensive-zone situations against weaker matchups. Dickinson, meanwhile, has a clearer path to fantasy relevance: Chicago needs secondary scoring behind its stars, and a healthy Dickinson can seize additional minutes and potentially some power-play two time.
From a goalie standpoint, Wedgewood is the premier play in points-only formats that reward wins and basic goalie stats. Starting for Colorado against Chicago gives him a high floor for a victory, and even a modest save total should be enough to make him a strong option. Kochetkov is more matchup-driven; he’s a quality start if you believe Carolina can suppress Buffalo’s attack, but Benson’s return slightly raises the Sabres’ offensive upside, making Kochetkov more of a calculated play than a slam dunk.
Categories / Bangers
In multi-category leagues, goalie decisions are magnified. Kochetkov is a strong categories start: Carolina tends to limit shots against, which helps protect your goals-against average and save percentage. The trade-off is that he may not pile up massive save totals, but the combination of a favorable opponent and a strong defensive environment makes him a quality ratios play.
Wedgewood offers a different profile: likely strong win equity with the Avalanche, but potentially more shots against as Chicago leans on its top players. That can be good for saves and volume-based categories while still giving you a reasonable chance at solid ratios. If you’re chasing wins or saves, Wedgewood is the priority; if you’re protecting GAA and SV%, Kochetkov may be slightly safer.
Among skaters, Sturm and Dickinson carry more value in banger formats than in pure points. Sturm’s role as a third-line center for Minnesota should come with hits, faceoff wins, and some defensive-zone usage that can translate into blocks for a forward. He’s the kind of depth piece that quietly fills out peripheral categories in deep leagues.
Dickinson can offer a similar mix: some hits, shots, and potentially penalty minutes, with the added bonus of middle-six scoring. In very deep categories leagues, he’s a viable streamer when Chicago has a favorable schedule. Benson, as a top-six skill forward, is more about shots, power-play points, and raw scoring; his banger contributions will be lighter, but the offensive upside is what you’re chasing, especially if he sticks on a scoring line.
Dynasty / Keeper
Dynasty managers should pay the closest attention to Benson. He’s flagged as a top-six forward with a prospect-watch label, and a healthy return into a prominent role would be a strong signal that Buffalo trusts him in meaningful minutes. Even if the production is modest in the short term, the usage is what matters; consistent top-six and power-play exposure would justify a stash in nearly all dynasty formats.
Sturm is more of a depth piece in long-term formats. His value lies in being a reliable, multi-category contributor rather than a future star. In deeper dynasty leagues that count hits, faceoffs, and other peripherals, he can be worth holding as a stable bottom-of-roster option, especially if Minnesota keeps him locked into a consistent role.
Kochetkov and Wedgewood sit on different ends of the long-term spectrum. Kochetkov’s status as a starting goalie for Carolina, even in a streaming label today, hints at potential for a larger role down the line if he performs well in these kinds of matchups. Strong showings in favorable spots can push him up the depth chart in the eyes of the organization and fantasy managers alike.
Wedgewood, by contrast, is more of a short-term asset. Starting behind Colorado makes him valuable whenever he’s in the crease, but his long-term security as a starter is less certain. In dynasty, he’s best viewed as a win-now goalie who can patch holes when he’s confirmed to start, rather than a cornerstone asset.
Who to Add / Stream / Watch
- Pyotr Kochetkov – Short-term stream (all leagues): Favorable matchup with Carolina against Buffalo makes him a strong ratios and win chase today.
- Scott Wedgewood – Short-term stream (all leagues): Starting for Colorado versus Chicago gives him one of the highest win probabilities on the slate.
- Nico Sturm – Watchlist/Add (deep categories leagues): Season debut as Minnesota’s third-line center could bring steady hits, faceoffs, and depth scoring.
- Zach Benson – Watchlist (dynasty and deep points): Possible top-six return for Buffalo; monitor his usage and power-play role closely.
- Jason Dickinson – Add (deep leagues): Back from injury into a middle-six role for Chicago with a path to secondary scoring and peripheral help.
Fantasy Takeaways
- Kochetkov is a strong start in categories formats today, with a favorable matchup and a defensive system that supports good ratios.
- Wedgewood is one of the safest goalie plays on the slate thanks to Colorado’s strength and Chicago’s rebuilding status.
- Benson’s potential top-six return is a key dynasty storyline; stash or monitor him closely for sustained scoring usage.
- Sturm and Dickinson are deep-league depth adds who can quietly help in hits, faceoffs, and secondary scoring.
- Use these matchup-driven edges for today’s start/sit calls, then reassess roles and usage after tonight’s games.
Source: NHL.com. See the original for full details.