Daily Fantasy Lineup Leans: Starts, Sits and PP1 Watch
Today’s slate is loaded with injury returns, surprise absences and a few intriguing goalie spots that can swing your matchup. With projected lines and starters mostly locked in, it’s time to make hard start/sit calls, chase power-play upside and decide which goalies you actually trust.
What’s New & Why It Matters
The headliner in the crease is Elvis Merzlikins, confirmed for the Columbus Blue Jackets against Detroit. He’s tagged as a streaming-level option in many leagues, but a confirmed start in a manageable matchup pushes him firmly into usable territory, especially if you’re chasing saves and a potential win.
On the blue line, Roman Josi returns for the Nashville Predators against Colorado. Any time Josi is back, it reshapes both Nashville’s even-strength deployment and their top power-play unit. His return should stabilize their breakout, boost PP1 efficiency and siphon some secondary minutes from depth defensemen who were filling in.
The biggest negative news is Matthew Tkachuk being out for the Florida Panthers. That’s a massive hit to Florida’s top six and power play. It downgrades their overall scoring environment and forces new PP1 auditions, likely elevating a secondary winger or center into a prime net-front or bumper role. For fantasy, it means you sit Tkachuk everywhere and temper expectations for Florida stacks.
In Edmonton, superstar Connor McDavid drives the Oilers’ matchup against Florida. The wrinkle is the NHL debut of Connor Clattenburg, slotted on the fourth line. He won’t matter much for redraft tonight, but his presence hints at future depth shuffling and gives dynasty managers a new name to monitor if he earns more trust over time.
Finally, Mackenzie Blackwood gets the start for the Colorado Avalanche. Any goalie behind Colorado’s structure and firepower gets an automatic bump in win equity. With Josi on the other side, the matchup isn’t a cakewalk, but Colorado’s ability to tilt the ice still makes Blackwood one of the stronger streamers on the slate.
Fantasy Implications
Points-Only
In pure scoring formats, your priority is maximizing exposure to elite forwards and PP1 quarterbacks in favorable situations. McDavid remains a must-start regardless of opponent; even with Florida typically playing tight defensively, the Panthers are missing Tkachuk and Edmonton Oilers games tend to be high-event. If you have any Oilers linemates attached to McDavid, you lean into them tonight rather than getting cute with matchups.
Josi’s return is the other big swing. In points-only, you activate him without hesitation. Even if his minutes are eased in his first game back, his role as Nashville’s primary offensive defenseman and PP1 driver gives him a higher floor than most alternatives. His presence also raises the ceiling of Nashville’s top forwards, who should see cleaner zone entries and more sustained pressure.
On the flip side, Tkachuk’s absence forces tough calls on fringe Florida forwards. Without their top-line power winger, the Panthers lose a key play-driver and net-front presence. Secondary Panthers who were thriving on a loaded PP1 now face a less efficient unit and tougher defensive attention. In shallow points-only leagues, you can justify benching marginal Florida pieces if you have comparable options in more stable roles.
Merzlikins and Blackwood don’t directly score points, but in formats where goalie wins and shutouts count toward overall scoring totals, they become important tie-breakers. Both are viable if your alternative is a backup in a brutal matchup or a non-starting goalie.
Categories / Bangers
In multi-cat leagues, Josi’s return is enormous. He’s not just a points source; he contributes heavily in shots and can chip in blocks. If you were patching the category gap with low-upside streamers, you can now consolidate those roster spots and chase forwards or goalies instead. Josi’s presence on PP1 also boosts Nashville’s power-play shot volume, which can help fringe Predators forwards in deeper leagues.
Tkachuk’s absence is especially painful in bangers. You’re losing hits, PIM risk, and strong shot volume along with points. You can’t replace his full profile, but you should consciously pivot: look for wingers on your wire who hit and shoot, even if they’re on weaker teams. The short-term goal is to patch categories rather than chase name value.
Merzlikins is a classic volume play tonight. Columbus tends to give up enough attempts that he can rack up saves, which is ideal if your league counts SV or SV%. The risk is always ratios, but against Detroit he’s not in a clear avoid spot. If you’re trailing in goalie counting stats, you start him and live with the potential GAA hit.
Blackwood, behind Colorado, leans more toward win potential and decent ratios than pure volume. Colorado limits quality chances reasonably well and spends a lot of time with the puck. If you’re protecting GAA and SV% while needing a shot at a win, he’s the preferred play over a high-volume goalie in a brutal matchup.
Clattenburg won’t move the needle in standard bangers leagues yet. As a fourth-liner, he’d need a significant role bump or a clear hits/PIM specialty to matter. For now, he’s a name to file away rather than an active category streamer.
Dynasty / Keeper
Josi’s return is a reminder of how durable elite defensemen can anchor a dynasty blue line. If any impatience opened a buy-low window in your league while he was hurt, it’s closing quickly. His role is unchanged: top-pair, PP1, and a foundational piece for contending builds.
Tkachuk’s injury doesn’t materially change his long-term value, but it does create a short-term buying opportunity. If a frustrated manager is worried about missing weeks of production, you can explore offers using the NHL Trade Analyzer as a sanity check. Power forwards with his profile are rare; short absences are often the best time to pounce.
Clattenburg is the real dynasty storyline today. As a fourth-line forward making his NHL debut for Edmonton, he’s not an automatic stash, but the organization’s offensive environment matters. If he shows he can keep up at NHL pace, there’s a path to occasional top-nine looks next to high-end centers. In deep dynasty formats with farm spots, adding him as a speculative watchlist or low-cost stash is reasonable.
Merzlikins and Blackwood are more win-now assets than long-term cornerstones. In dynasty, their value is tied to team context and job security. Merzlikins is a mid-tier starter on a rebuilding club; Blackwood’s appeal is heavily driven by Colorado’s strength. Neither should be overvalued beyond a few-year window.
Who to Add / Stream / Watch
- Elvis Merzlikins – Stream (standard/deep): Confirmed start in a reasonable matchup with strong save upside makes him a high-priority goalie stream.
- Mackenzie Blackwood – Stream (all formats): Starting behind Colorado’s elite roster gives him excellent win potential and solid ratio protection.
- Roman Josi – Add/Activate (all formats): Back from injury and immediately reclaiming top-pair and PP1 duties; must be active wherever you roster him.
- Matthew Tkachuk – Sit/Hold (all formats): Out with a lower-body injury; bench him but do not drop, and consider trade offers if managers are panicking.
- Connor Clattenburg – Watchlist (deep dynasty): NHL debut on Edmonton’s fourth line; monitor usage and opportunity for a potential future depth scorer.
- Connor McDavid – Slam-dunk start (all formats): Always in your lineup, and tonight’s matchup versus a Tkachuk-less Florida still offers elite ceiling.
Fantasy Takeaways
- Start Merzlikins in most formats if you need goalie volume and a realistic shot at a win.
- Activate Josi everywhere; his return stabilizes Nashville’s power play and boosts their top forwards.
- Sit the injured Tkachuk and lower expectations for secondary Panthers while he’s out.
- Stream Blackwood as a strong win-chasing option behind Colorado’s high-powered lineup.
- In deep dynasty leagues, monitor Clattenburg’s debut and early usage for signs of a larger future role.
Source: NHL.com. See the original for full details.