If you’re playing NHL DFS on DraftKings or FanDuel, you already know goalies and stacks are high priority. But the secret edge to climbing tournaments is finding those sneaky defensemen who fly under the radar—the Horses & Heroes. In this article, I’ll reveal my favorite undervalued NHL defensemen plays for this slate, explain why they matter for DFS strategy, and show you how to plug these picks into your lineups. Join the DFS Army today and get full access to our Discord, tools, and analysis that back every recommendation.
Horse – A defenseman that is more chalky than others that is a catalyst for their team. These players usually have higher ceilings, and can be used as the glue to bring a stack together. They typically quarterback the top powerplay unit and log a ton of minutes.
Hero – A hero is a cheaper defenseman that will be a role player on their NHL team. They usually kill penalties and are the unsung heroes that block shots for their team. They typically garner low ownership, have high floors, and are the key pieces needed to take down tournaments.
Horses & Heroes: Top NHL Defensemen to Target for DFS Lineups
Morgan Rielly – This horse is back on the top powerplay unit for the Leafs with Marner in Vegas now. Morgan has admitted to poor play last year and lost weight and went hard this offseason. This is a big opportunity for Rielly to rebrand his career with the same franchise. He started the campaign off strong by scoring the game winning goal and being a menace all over the ice, so signs are good that Rielly is a change player this season.
K’Andre Miller – This man is a hero and is the perfect fit for Carolina because he is very big and very fast, which is great for their man to man system. Miller had an outlier performance in game 1, potting 2 goals and destroying the Devils. The price is still low, and he is a middle pairing guy that is on their 2nd powerplay unit as well as the top penalty kill unit. A little bit of this and a little bit of that and Miller should be good value here.
Jackson LaCombe – This horse is still cheap around the industry, and I fully expect big things season from this young player. LaCombe was invited to team USA’s camp and signed a $72M extension, so smart hockey people agree with me. Anaheim is an exciting team and Jackson is smack dab in the middle of it. A top pairing, top powerplay unit player at his age is something to bet on.
Apr 24, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (21) nd Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (44) skate after the puck during the third period of game four of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mikhail Sergachev – Sergachev is a horse that’s in the prime of his career and is in the middle of everything Utah. The law of averages is a thing that exists in general, and Nashville sat on a horseshoe opening night for them. Saros is due to give up some goals, and if he does, Sergachev has as good a chance as anyone to get a point or 2.
Zeev Buium – Minnesota has multiple Olympians on their blueline, but young Zeev Buium out of the university of Denver gets to run their top powerplay unit. He also played 20 minutes in their opening night shutout win over the Blues, which suggests a big role for the youngster. Bill Guerin ran up to the podium and traded picks to draft this guy, and the Wild are taking no time making the young man sink or swim. He is still a cheap hero play as well.
Nick Perbix – Nobody scrolls far enough down to get these guys, and everyone want a million points from everywhere, but sometimes you just need a Draftkings shot block bonus from a $2600 defenseman. A 2nd pairing, top penalty kill unit hero that can move the puck a little sounds perfectly fine to me.
Erik Cernak – Carbon copy, basically copy/paste description of Nick Perbix from above. Maybe you need two $2600 irrelevant fantasy defensemen to make a top heavy lineup. Welp, here you go.
🏁 Final Thoughts — Ride Your Edge
Every NHL slate is loaded with obvious plays, but it’s the sharp eye for undervalued Horses and Heroes that separates casual players from consistent winners. The best part? You don’t have to do it alone. Our members are crushing NHL DFS every season using the same projections, tools, and strategy chats that fuel this article.
👉 Join the DFS Army today and turn your lineups into weapons. Get full access to our NHL cheat sheets, optimizer, and private Discord coaching for every slate.
