To start the NHL season, either hockey fans have been spoiled for choice or left with little to nothing. Thursday and Saturday were both brimming with action while there was nothing on Friday with Sunday featuring a single game. At least it's in the evening to make NHL DFS lineup construction less of a time crunch.
At 7 p.m. EDT, the Rangers will host the Capitals. As you have surely deduced based on every team playing Saturday, both clubs are on the second night of a back-to-back. They also started Saturday at 7 p.m. and on the road, so neither holds a significant advantage - though the Rangers do get to be at home. As I will get to when I discuss my lineup, I do believe the Capitals have the upper hand on Sunday when it comes to goaltending.
For DFS purposes, you get $60,000 in salary to allot to six players. One is your MVP, who nets you 1.5 times the points - but at 1.5 times the salary. Here's who I've selected.
MVP
Tom Wilson, WAS at NYR ($13,500): So about those starting goalies. Washington's Charlie Lindgren posted an .894 save percentage last year and New York's Jonathan Quick was at .893. Lindgren is 31, while the 39-year-old Quick has endured a lot of miles. Though the latter is probably headed to the Hall of Fame, his best days are definitely behind him. As such, I lean Capitals on Sunday. And I started with Wilson as he's notched a point in every game so far, scored 33 goals last season, and plays on the top power play.
UTILITY
J.T. Miller, NYR vs. WAS ($11,800): Miller may need to shoot more, yet has three points through three games in his first full campaign back with the Rangers. He's recently registered an 100-point campaign, not to mention one where he landed at 99. Miller's also part of his team's lead PP, which matters in a scenario like this as man-advantage minutes tend to be less strenuous with less fatigue on the second day of a back-to-back.
Adam Fox, NYR vs. WAS ($11,400): Fox displayed the full extent of his skill on Saturday as he posted a point at even-strength, while up a man, and shorthanded. Of course, Fox is best-known for his power-play skills with double-digit points throughout his career and 20-plus in four of his six campaigns.
Aliaksei Protas, WAS at NYR ($8,200): I said I was leaning Capitals and indeed have rostered a couple high-level Rangers, but now it's all about Washington. Protas emerged last season with 33 goals. He's working hard to prove that was no fluke by notching four points through two games alongside eight shots.
Connor McMichael, WAS at NYR ($7,800): McMichael is only on the second PP unit, yet teams up on the first trio with Dylan Strome and Alex Ovechkin. He hasn't yet found the scoresheet, but has put five shots on net. He also tallied 26 goals and 31 assists last year and gets to face Quick on Sunday.
Pierre-Luc Dubois, WAS at NYR ($7,200): Dubois is a second-line center and a staple of the second man-advantage. While his one season in LA was disappointing, that actually was somewhat anomalous as he exceeded 20 goals and 60 points during his two full years with the Jets and reached both thresholds in 2024-25 after joining the Capitals. Dubois also skates between Wilson and Protas at five-on-five, which makes this a sneaky way to stack.
