It's the final weekend of 2025 and Sunday has five NHL games with the first pucks dropping at 5 p.m. EST. Let's finish off on a high note with my DFS lineup recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Saturday was packed with hockey action, leaving us with several teams closing out a back-to-back on Sunday. Detroit and Toronto play each other in the Motor City. Chicago and Tampa Bay will be hosting Pittsburgh and Montreal, respectively. And the Islanders travel to face the Blue Jackets.
GOALIES
Dan Vladar, PHI at SEA ($7,500): Vladar is well on his way to a new personal-high in games played during a season having already logged 21. He's also played the best hockey of his career with a 2.39 GAA and .910 save percentage. Vladar should be able to bolster his numbers going up against Seattle and their bottom-five ranks for goals and shots.
Jet Greaves, CLM vs. NYI ($7,300): Some goalies work better in a rotation, though maybe Greaves is better as a regular participant. He's started six of Columbus's last eight games (and appeared for 43:18 of another), where he's produced a 2.40 GAA and .918 save percentage. The Isles are on the fringes of the bottom-10 in goals per game and of course will are also be away for the second day of a back-to-back.
VALUE PLAY
Boone Jenner, CLM vs. NYI ($6,000): Since returning from injury, Jenner has five points and 18 shots through six outings. The Blue Jackets get to host the Islanders, who played on Saturday while Ilya Sorokin is on injured reserve and not expected back until Tuesday at the earliest. Either David Rittich will have to pull double duty or Marcus Hogberg - a 31-year-old with a career .890 save percentage - gets to start on Sunday.
FORWARD LINE STACK
Penguins at Blackhawks
Sidney Crosby (C - $7,400), Bryan Rust (W - $7,000), Rickard Rakell (W - $6,100)
The Blackhawks are at home, yet they also faced Dallas on the road Saturday night while Pittsburgh are rested. While Chicago lists a decent penalty kill, they also sit bottom-five in shots allowed. They saved Spencer Knight for Sunday, though he's struggled to an .896 save percentage over his last 10 outings. That bodes well for the Pens' top line, a trio that's worked well for a while.
Crosby has continued to excel even two decades into his career with 20 goals and 17 points from his last 16 games. Rust is up to 30 points and has recorded 32 shots from his last nine outings. Rakell's 12 points have been produced in only 16 matchups, with four of them and 25 shots coming during the seven appearances since coming back.
DEFENSEMEN
Erik Karlsson, PIT at CHI ($5,600): Karlsson isn't quite as old as Crosby, but has also remained productive having notched 13 points in his last 15 games. He's also been putting a lot of pucks on net with 48 shots across his last 16. Chicago are strong while shorthanded, though that group will likely be far from full capacity on a second straight day.
Jamie Drysdale, PHI at SEA ($4,300): Drysdale has recorded seven points in his last 11 outings. He's also averaged 2:53 per game with the extra man over his last six while supplying two power-play points. I'm hoping he remains in that role as that would work well against the Kraken's league-worst penalty kill.
