NHL Building Blocks for October 8
In this article, we spotlight today’s top NHL DFS studs and stack recommendations, focusing on high-upside players and synergistic line combinations that can elevate your lineups. Whether you’re targeting cash games or GPPs, these picks are designed to maximize value and exposure. Let’s dive into the matchups and identify the key players to target.
Jan 5, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
CASH
Forward: Nathan MacKinnon
MacKinnon opened the season with two goals against Los Angeles and has continued to drive Colorado’s offense through its 2-0 start. The matchup shifts to Calgary, but the Avalanche’s early offensive form makes MacKinnon one of the safest high-end plays on the slate.
Defense: Cale Makar
Makar has three assists through Colorado’s first two games and is already averaging heavy minutes. Calgary is a softer matchup than the Jets were on Wednesday, and Makar’s combination of ice time, shots and power-play involvement gives him an extremely high floor at defense.
Goalie: Brandon Bussi
The Canucks are 2-1 to start the season, but Bussi’s matchup gives him legitimate win equity behind a Hurricanes team expected to control the game.
Mar 28, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield (13) center Nick Suzuki (14) and left wing Juraj Slafkovský (20) talk against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
SINGLE ENTRY
Forward: Cole Caufield
Caufield has already scored three times through Montreal’s first three games and continues to generate plenty of shots. Nashville has allowed 12 goals through its first three, giving Caufield a strong combination of shooting volume and matchup upside.
Defense: Quinn Hughes
Hughes has three points through Minnesota’s first two games and is averaging nearly 25 minutes. With his enormous workload and offensive role, there’s plenty of upside here even if he doesn’t get the same ownership as the elite Colorado defensemen.
Goalie: Ilya Sorokin
Sorokin has stopped 61 of 63 shots through two starts, including a 37-save shutout against New Jersey. He’s likely to face Chicago on Thursday, and that combination of early-season form and expected save opportunity makes him one of my favorite SE goalies.
Stack: MTL (Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky)
Montreal gets a Nashville team that has already surrendered 12 goals, and the Canadiens should be able to generate enough offense to make this interesting. Caufield gives the stack its goal-scoring ceiling, while Montreal’s power play adds another avenue to a big night.
Oct 14, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) looks on during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
LARGE FIELD
Forward: Auston Matthews
Matthews just exploded for a goal and three assists against Nashville, giving him five points through two games. Toronto now gets Vegas, which is a much tougher matchup, but that’s exactly what should keep the ownership reasonable after his monster performance.
Defense: Rasmus Dahlin
Dahlin is a strong tournament option in what could be a higher-scoring Dallas-Buffalo matchup. Buffalo has shown plenty of offensive life early, and Dahlin’s minutes and ability to contribute in multiple categories give him a path to a ceiling game without needing a goal.
Goalie: Carter Hart
Hart is an ideal large-field goalie because Toronto can generate plenty of shots but Vegas still carries the home-ice advantage. He’s capable of putting up a big save total while giving you legitimate win equity, and the matchup should keep his ownership manageable.
Stack: DAL (Rantanen-Johnston-Hintz-Robertson)
Dallas is finally starting to show some life after scoring five against San Jose, and now gets Buffalo on the road. The Stars’ slow start should keep this stack from attracting the ownership of Colorado or Toronto, but there’s enough offensive talent here to make Dallas one of my favorite tournament pivots. Mix and match these four.
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