Today’s NHL Lineup Edges: Start/Sit Calls, PP1 Looks and Goalie Leans

Daily slates are won on the margins: who you start, who you sit and which matchups you actually lean into. With top roles locked in for stars like Dylan Larkin and Nikita Kucherov, plus strong goalie spots for Andrei Vasilevskiy and Connor Hellebuyck, today offers clear edges if you’re paying attention. Let’s break down how projected lines, PP1 usage and starting goalie confirmations should shape your fantasy decisions tonight.

What’s New & Why It Matters

The headline items for today’s slate are role clarity and injury fallout. Larkin is locked in as the top-line center for the Detroit Red Wings, driving their offense and giving you both volume and opportunity. In Tampa, Kucherov remains the focal point of the Tampa Bay Lightning attack, with his usual heavy power-play involvement. Those are the kinds of roles you want to lean into aggressively in daily formats.

In goal, Vasilevskiy is projected to start, which immediately pushes him into auto-start territory in virtually every league. His matchup profile today is favorable enough that you’re playing for both ratios and win equity. Hellebuyck is also expected to go for the Winnipeg Jets, and while he’s labeled more as a stream than a must-start, he’s exactly the type of high-save, high-upside play that can swing categories on a busy night.

On the injury front, Leon Draisaitl is out, which removes a massive offensive piece from Edmonton’s attack and forces managers to pivot. That absence also shifts some spotlight toward other high-usage forwards around the league, especially players already locked into top-line and PP1 roles. Finally, Connor Bedard continues to skate as a top-line center for the Chicago Blackhawks, giving dynasty managers another data point on his usage and opportunity, even if his redraft value is more speculative.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

In pure scoring formats, your priority is maximizing exposure to top-line, top power-play usage in favorable or at least stable environments. Larkin checks every box today: he’s the primary offensive driver in Detroit, locked into heavy minutes and prime offensive situations. If he’s somehow still available in a shallow league, he’s an immediate add and an easy start wherever you roster him.

Kucherov is as straightforward as it gets. His combination of first-line deployment and power-play prominence for Tampa Bay makes him a set-and-forget start. The only real decision with Kucherov is how much you want to stack other Lightning skaters around him in deeper formats, especially if you’re chasing a multi-point ceiling on a shorter slate.

Bedard is where format and league depth really matter. In points-only redraft, he’s more of a speculative play than a lock, but the fact that he’s already operating as a top-line center suggests a high ceiling on any given night. If you’re chasing upside and can tolerate some volatility, he’s a reasonable swing in deeper points leagues when you need a differentiator.

With Draisaitl unavailable, you lose one of the most bankable multi-point threats in the league. That should push you to lean even harder into other elite usage profiles like Larkin and Kucherov, and to avoid getting too cute with fringe middle-six options who don’t have PP1 exposure. If you’re light on high-end forwards because of the Draisaitl absence, look to stream high-opportunity centers and wingers rather than low-ceiling depth pieces.

Categories / Bangers

In multi-cat formats, today’s goalie landscape is a major lever. Vasilevskiy is a slam-dunk start: you’re chasing wins, strong save percentage and reasonable goals-against protection. Unless you’re in an extremely tight ratios battle and heavily over the games cap, there’s almost no scenario where you sit him.

Hellebuyck is more nuanced but still appealing. He’s labeled as a stream, which fits categories leagues perfectly: you’re chasing volume, saves and a decent shot at a win. If you’re behind in goalie categories this week, he’s exactly the type of start you want to lean into. If you’re protecting delicate ratios and already have a strong start in the bank, you can be a bit more selective, but his ceiling is high enough to justify rolling him out in most situations.

Among skaters, Larkin brings more than just points. As a top-line center, he typically contributes in shots and can chip in across the board. That makes him a strong play in categories leagues where volume matters. Kucherov’s value is anchored in points and power-play production, but his shot volume and PPP upside make him a cornerstone in any scoring-heavy categories setup.

Bedard’s category profile is still forming, but the key is opportunity: top-line usage means more chances for shots and power-play touches. In deep categories leagues, that’s enough to justify a start when you need upside, especially if you’re chasing goals, shots or power-play production late in the week.

Dynasty / Keeper

Today’s slate offers a great snapshot of long-term value trends. Larkin is firmly in his prime, entrenched as Detroit’s top center and offensive engine. In dynasty, that kind of role stability is gold; he’s the type of player you build around in the medium term, especially in leagues that reward consistent production over flash-in-the-pan spikes.

Kucherov remains an elite asset in any keeper or dynasty format. His sustained top-line, PP1 role in Tampa and proven scoring track record keep him in the top tier of long-term fantasy wingers. There’s no reason to adjust your long-term valuation based on today’s matchup; if anything, his continued heavy usage just reinforces his status.

Bedard is the big dynasty storyline. Even framed as a watchlist recommendation, the fact that he’s already skating as a top-line center for Chicago underscores his long-term ceiling. These early games are about confirming deployment: if he continues to see prime minutes and offensive opportunities, he quickly moves from “watchlist” to “core asset” in dynasty builds. If you’re in a league where he’s somehow not rostered, he should be a top stash priority.

On the goalie side, Vasilevskiy remains a foundational dynasty piece as long as he’s holding a clear starting role in Tampa. Hellebuyck, with his strong category coverage and heavy workload, is similarly valuable as a long-term anchor in net. Today’s starts are just another reminder that true workhorse goalies are scarce and worth paying up for in multi-year formats.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

Dylan Larkin – Add/Start (all but the shallowest leagues): Locked-in top-line center for Detroit with strong offensive usage and multi-category contributions.
Nikita Kucherov – Must Start: Elite first-line, PP1 winger for Tampa Bay with one of the highest point ceilings on any slate.
Andrei Vasilevskiy – Must Start Goalie: Projected starter for Tampa Bay and an automatic play for wins and ratios whenever he’s in net.
Connor Hellebuyck – Strong Stream: Expected to start for Winnipeg and offers high save volume with solid win and percentage upside.
Connor Bedard – Watchlist/Deep-League Stream: Top-line center for Chicago with big long-term upside and short-term scoring volatility.
Leon Draisaitl – Sit/IR Stash: Injured and not playing today, so he belongs on your bench or IR spot until he’s back.

Fantasy Takeaways

Lock Vasilevskiy into your lineup in all formats; his projected start and track record make him a near-universal play.
Treat Hellebuyck as a high-upside stream when you’re chasing goalie categories like wins and save percentage.
Capitalize on Larkin’s top-line role in Detroit by adding or starting him wherever he’s available.
Keep Draisaitl out of all active lineups while he’s injured and use the open spot to stream high-opportunity skaters.
Monitor Bedard closely in dynasty leagues; his top-line deployment in Chicago signals significant long-term fantasy potential.

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