Today’s NHL Lineups: Start/Sit Calls, PP1 Auditions and Goalie Leans

Injuries to stars and last-minute lineup tweaks are reshaping today’s NHL slate. With key Rangers out, the Boston Bruins get a favorable matchup, while the Toronto Maple Leafs welcome back a major scoring piece. Here’s how to handle today’s start/sit calls, power-play auditions, and goalie confidence tiers using the latest projected lineups.

What’s New & Why It Matters

The biggest fantasy swing today is the return of William Nylander to the Maple Leafs’ top six. He’s expected to jump right back into a prominent scoring role, likely with prime power-play usage. For managers who were forced to bench or stash him, this is a green light to get his scoring back into your active lineup immediately.

On the blue line, the Rangers are dealing with the absence of Adam Fox. That opens the door for Vladislav Gavrikov to take on heavier minutes and potentially more special-teams work. Even if he doesn’t grab full PP1 duties, the extra ice time alone can make him relevant in deeper leagues, especially where defensive counting stats matter.

In goal, Jeremy Swayman draws a Rangers squad missing key offensive weapons, including Igor Shesterkin at the other end and Fox on the back end. That combination tilts the matchup in Boston’s favor and raises Swayman’s confidence tier from fringe start to strong play in most formats.

The Bruins’ own injuries on defense also create a subtle opportunity: Mason Lohrei is positioned for an expanded role. Even if he doesn’t immediately lock down PP1, more even-strength minutes and a chance to audition in offensive situations put him on the radar, particularly for dynasty and deep leagues.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

In points-only formats, your focus today is simple: lean into high-skill players stepping into or returning to prime offensive roles.

Nylander should be treated as a clear start. A top-six winger on Toronto with likely top power-play exposure is exactly the profile you want active on a busy slate. There’s always some rust risk in a first game back, but the ceiling is too high to leave on the bench unless you’re absolutely overloaded with elite options.

On the Rangers’ side, Gavrikov’s bump in responsibility doesn’t necessarily translate into a big scoring spike, but it does raise his floor. In pure points-only, he’s more of a depth stabilizer than a must-start; think of him as a reasonable plug-in if you’re dealing with your own injuries or short benches, not a player to force into the lineup over established offensive defensemen.

Lohrei is more of a speculative play than an automatic start in points-only. If you’re in a deep league and desperate for blue-line offense, you can take a one-day flier if he’s confirmed in a favorable role, but in most standard points-only setups he’s better left as a watch candidate rather than a locked-in starter.

For goalies, Swayman is a strong points-only start. A weakened Rangers lineup reduces his risk of getting shelled, and the Bruins’ structure in front of him should give him a solid chance at both a win and decent ratios. Unless you have multiple elite alternatives with cupcake matchups, he belongs in your crease today.

Categories / Bangers

In multi-cat formats, the injury fallout on the Rangers’ blue line makes Gavrikov particularly interesting. Extra minutes should mean more hits, blocks, and potentially some secondary assists simply by being on the ice more. If your league rewards those gritty categories, he moves from fringe depth to a viable streaming option, especially if you’re chasing defensive peripherals.

Nylander remains a high-end categories asset whenever he’s in the lineup. Shots, power-play points, and overall scoring upside are all in play. If your league includes plus/minus, be aware that Toronto can play in some high-event games, but the offensive upside still heavily outweighs the risk.

Lohrei’s value in bangers leagues today is more speculative but promising. An expanded role could mean more blocks and some secondary offense, and if he sees any power-play looks, that’s a bonus. He’s a better fit as a short-term depth piece in deep categories formats than in shallow points-only leagues.

In net, Swayman’s matchup against a depleted Rangers offense makes him a priority start in categories. The path to strong save percentage and goals-against numbers is clearer when the opponent is missing its top offensive defenseman and key pieces up front. If your league counts saves, he may not face a massive volume, but the quality of the matchup still makes him a high-confidence play.

Dynasty / Keeper

Dynasty managers should pay close attention to how Boston deploys Lohrei today. If he’s trusted with heavier minutes and any power-play time, that’s a strong signal about how the organization views his long-term upside. Even if the box score doesn’t pop immediately, a sustained role increase is the kind of usage trend you want to get ahead of in keeper formats.

Nylander’s return is more about reaffirming his established value than changing his trajectory. If anything, a strong showing right away can reopen buy-low windows in leagues where managers were frustrated by his absence. Use tools like the NHL Trade Analyzer to gauge whether it makes sense to explore deals around him once he’s fully ramped up.

For Gavrikov, this is a chance to see whether he can be more than just a peripherals specialist long term. If he shows he can handle expanded responsibilities and chip in a bit more offense, he becomes a more stable dynasty depth piece rather than a pure streamer.

Swayman’s start today is another data point in his case as a long-term fantasy starter. A strong outing against a short-handed but still competitive opponent reinforces his profile as a goalie you can build around in keeper formats, especially if Boston continues to trust him in key spots.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

William Nylander – Start in all formats: Back in Toronto’s top six with likely PP1 time; get his scoring upside into your active lineup immediately.
Jeremy Swayman – Strong short-term start: Favorable matchup versus a depleted Rangers offense makes him a high-confidence play in net today.
Vladislav Gavrikov – Add in deep categories leagues: Extra minutes with Adam Fox out should boost hits, blocks, and secondary production.
Mason Lohrei – Watchlist / deep-league stream: Expanded role on the Bruins’ blue line could lead to more peripherals and a PP audition.
Rangers depth defenseman – Deep-league watch: With Fox sidelined, monitor who steps into offensive situations for potential PP2 value.
Maple Leafs secondary winger – Short-term stream: Any winger locked alongside Nylander in the top six gains short-term scoring appeal.

Fantasy Takeaways

Activate William Nylander everywhere; his return to a top-six, power-play-heavy role in Toronto makes him a clear start today.
Stream Jeremy Swayman with confidence against a Rangers lineup missing key offensive pieces.
Consider adding Vladislav Gavrikov in deeper categories leagues as he absorbs extra minutes and peripheral opportunities with Adam Fox out.
Stash or closely monitor Mason Lohrei in dynasty and deep formats to see if his expanded role includes meaningful offensive usage.
Use today’s injury-driven PP and usage changes as a chance to get ahead of emerging roles before your league-mates react.

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