NHL Fantasy Picks: Best Starts, Sits & Value Plays — 2026-05-27

Welcome back to your weekly DFS deep dive at SportsPulse.com! With the NHL season heating up, identifying the right plays on DraftKings and FanDuel is crucial for climbing those leaderboards. Forget the noise and focus on actionable insights. Here are my top picks to dominate your contests this week.

Top 3 Players to START This Week

Nathan MacKinnon (C - Colorado Avalanche): MacKinnon is simply unstoppable right now, and his upcoming schedule against defensively weak teams makes him a must-start. He's recorded an astonishing 10 points (4G, 6A) in his last four games, consistently hitting the shot bonus, and is currently averaging over 6 DraftKings points per game in that span. His high floor and massive upside make him worth every penny.

Cale Makar (D - Colorado Avalanche): Sticking with the Avalanche, Makar is the premier defenseman in fantasy, and his recent form is no exception. With 7 points (2G, 5A) and 15 shots on goal in his last three outings, he's delivering elite production from the blueline. His power-play quarterbacking role ensures he's always involved in the offense, and he’s a lock for high fantasy point totals against favourable matchups.

Igor Shesterkin (G - New York Rangers): Shesterkin has rediscovered his Vezina-winning form, and the Rangers have a soft schedule this week. He's coming off back-to-back starts where he posted a .940 save percentage and allowed only 3 goals combined. Facing two bottom-five offenses in the league, Shesterkin offers a high probability for wins, low goals against, and strong save totals, providing a fantastic goalie foundation for your lineups.

Top 2 Players to SIT/BENCH This Week

Jack Eichel (C - Vegas Golden Knights): Eichel's production has taken a noticeable dip recently, with just 2 points (1G, 1A) in his last five games and an uncharacteristically low shot volume. Facing a gauntlet of top defensive teams this week, his high salary simply isn't justified by his current output or the matchups. There are better, safer options at a similar price point.

Erik Karlsson (D - Pittsburgh Penguins): While Karlsson always possesses offensive potential, his recent inconsistency makes him a risky play. He's recorded only 3 points in his last six games, and his defensive liabilities sometimes negate his offensive contributions on FanDuel, where +/- matters. Against upcoming potent offenses, his floor is too low for his elevated salary.

Two Value/Bargain Plays Under Salary Cap

Wyatt Johnston (C - Dallas Stars): Johnston is consistently outperforming his modest salary. Playing on the Stars' second line and getting secondary power-play time, he’s notched 5 points (2G, 3A) in

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