Today’s Fantasy Lineup Leans: Starts, Sits, PP1 Looks and Goalie Calls

Today’s projected NHL lineups give us a clear view of who’s in prime fantasy spots and who should stay on the bench. With the Montreal Canadiens shuffling lines due to injuries, the Dallas Stars leaning on Jake Oettinger, and the Florida Panthers turning to Daniil Tarasov, there are exploitable angles in every format. Let’s break down start/sit leans, power-play auditions, matchup context and goalie confidence for tonight’s slate.

What’s New & Why It Matters

The Canadiens are thin up front with Kirby Dach sidelined by a broken foot and Alex Newhook also out. That concentrates opportunity on the healthy top six, especially Cole Caufield on the first line and Juraj Slafkovsky in a second-line role. Both should see elevated usage at even strength and are strong candidates for prime power-play deployment.

Dallas travels to Montreal with Oettinger locked in as the starter. Against a depleted Canadiens forward group, he profiles as one of the safer goalie plays on the slate, with strong win equity and a good chance at quality ratios.

Colorado’s high-powered attack visits Florida, where Tarasov is starting in place of Sergei Bobrovsky. Any time you’re facing the Avalanche, the matchup risk is obvious, but volume can work in your favor in categories leagues if Tarasov holds up reasonably well. His role as a short-term starter makes him a classic high-risk, high-reward stream.

In Pittsburgh, Sidney Crosby continues to anchor the top line against Columbus, which keeps him in automatic-start territory in all formats. For Colorado, Cale Makar remains the offensive engine from the blue line, and any PP1 usage for him against a backup goalie is a green light for fantasy managers.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

Caufield is the headline in points-only leagues. With top-line deployment for Montreal and a strong chance at PP1 usage, his shot volume and goal-scoring upside are exactly what you want when the Canadiens are forced to lean on their best finisher. If he’s somehow still available, he’s an immediate add and a clear start today.

Slafkovsky’s second-line role is more subtle but still interesting. Extra minutes and better linemates raise his assist and secondary scoring potential, even if his ceiling tonight isn’t on Caufield’s level. In deeper points-only formats, he’s a viable spot start if you need a forward and are chasing upside.

On the other side of that Montreal–Dallas matchup, Oettinger’s presence boosts the value of the Stars’ offensive pieces by stabilizing game flow. A confident, workhorse starter often translates into more controlled, offensive-zone time for his team. If you’re stacking Stars skaters in daily formats, Oettinger’s start is a positive signal.

In Florida, Tarasov’s value in points-only is more fragile. Wins and shutouts are harder to project against a team featuring Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Makar. He’s more of a desperation play in points-only leagues, best used if your alternatives are backups or non-starters.

Categories / Bangers

In multi-cat leagues, Oettinger is a priority start. The combination of a favorable opponent, confirmed starting status and strong team context gives him a high floor for saves, a strong chance at a win and solid ratios. Unless you’re overloaded with elite options, he belongs in your lineup.

Tarasov is a classic categories streamer. Facing Colorado likely means a heavy shot volume; if he can keep the goals against reasonable, you could walk away with a strong saves total and maybe even a surprise win. He’s risky for GAA and save percentage, so he fits best on teams that can absorb a potential ratios hit but need volume or are chasing goalie starts.

Caufield remains valuable beyond pure scoring. His shot volume helps in SOG categories, and PP1 time boosts his power-play point upside. In leagues counting PPP, he’s a strong play whenever Montreal gets a decent matchup or is likely to chase the game and draw penalties.

Slafkovsky is more of a speculative bangers option. If his second-line role comes with more physical play and net-front usage on the power play, he could chip in hits while offering modest scoring. For now, he’s more of a watchlist name in standard bangers formats, but in deep leagues he can be streamed when Montreal’s schedule is favorable.

Dynasty / Keeper

Slafkovsky is the key dynasty storyline here. A consistent second-line role at his age is a meaningful step in his development. Even if the box scores are uneven in the short term, the underlying usage trend is exactly what long-term managers want to see. Keep him firmly on your watchlist, and consider stashing if your league rewards patience with young wingers.

Caufield is already an established asset in dynasty, but today’s deployment reinforces his status as a core building block. Sustained top-line and PP1 usage on a rebuilding team means he’ll be given every chance to drive the offense for years. If you’re considering a big trade, use tools like the NHL Trade Analyzer to gauge just how much you should pay for a prime-age goal scorer with this kind of role.

For goalies, Oettinger is a long-term anchor. Starts like today’s—favorable matchup, strong team in front—are the foundation of elite multi-year value. Tarasov, meanwhile, is more of a short-term curiosity in this context; his current opportunity is driven by injury rather than a clear long-term succession plan. In dynasty, he’s a speculative stash only in deeper formats where you can afford to wait on uncertain goalie paths.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

Cole Caufield – Add/Start (all but the shallowest leagues): Top-line role for Montreal with likely PP1 usage makes him a must-play scorer today.
Jake Oettinger – Start (all formats): Confirmed starter for Dallas against a depleted Canadiens forward group; strong win and ratios outlook.
Daniil Tarasov – Short-term stream (categories): Inherits the Florida crease with Bobrovsky out; risky matchup vs Colorado but high saves upside.
Juraj Slafkovsky – Watchlist / Deep-league stream: Second-line deployment in Montreal offers growing minutes and sneaky scoring potential.
Sidney Crosby – Auto-start: Top-line center for Pittsburgh against Columbus; elite usage and production floor keep him locked into lineups.
Cale Makar – Auto-start: PP1 quarterback for Colorado facing a backup in Florida; huge ceiling for points and power-play categories.
Kirby Dach – Drop/Avoid: Out with a broken foot; no short-term fantasy value and should be moved to IR or cut in shallow formats.

Fantasy Takeaways

Start Jake Oettinger everywhere you can; his confirmed role and matchup against Montreal make him one of today’s safest goalie plays.
Use Daniil Tarasov as a high-volume, high-risk stream in categories leagues if you need saves or are chasing goalie starts.
Add and start Cole Caufield in points-focused formats, as his top-line role and likely PP1 time give him premium scoring upside.
Keep Juraj Slafkovsky on your dynasty and deep-league watchlists; his second-line deployment signals a growing role.
Move on from Kirby Dach in active spots—his broken foot removes any short-term fantasy utility.

Source: NHL.com. See the original for full details.