NHL DFS Picks: FanDuel Top Plays and Strategy for Monday, December 8

Monday's top NHL DFS options on FanDuel include the ominously quiet Quinn Hughes, who will look to break out as the Vancouver Canucks host the Detroit Red Wings.
NHL DFS Picks: FanDuel Top Plays and Strategy for Monday, December 8

Monday has five games scheduled, including one at 7:30 p.m. EST, two at 9:00 p.m. and two at 10:00 p.m. All game lines and odds used below come courtesy of the FanDuel Sportsbook.

Try our FanDuel NHL Lineup Optimizer to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool, set exposure percentage and mass-enter DFS lineups.

SLATE PREVIEW 

Detroit (at Vancouver) and Minnesota (at Seattle) are the biggest favorites on the Moneyline. The over/under for Maple Leafs-Lightning and Red Wings-Canucks is 6.5 goals, while the Sabres-Flames contest expects 6.0 goals. The other two matchups anticipate 5.5 goals being scored. 

GOALIES

Darcy Kuemper, LAK at UTA ($7,700): Kuemper stopped 23 shots in a 6-0 win over Chicago on Saturday. He has allowed two goals or fewer in six of his past seven outings while posting a 1.86 GAA and a .933 save percentage. Kuemper turned aside 77 of 84 shots en route to going 3-0-0 versus Utah last season.

Dustin Wolf, CGY at BUF ($7,500): Wolf has won his last two starts while making 53 saves on 54 shots and earning his second shutout of the 2025-26 campaign. Last season, he had 32 stops in a 5-2 victory over the Sabres on Jan. 23. 

VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS 

Matt Boldy, MIN at SEA ($7,500): Boldy amassed 10 goals on 45 shots and added seven assists in 14 November games. He didn't have a point through two outings in December before collecting one goal, one assist and five shots in a 4-2 loss to Vancouver on Saturday. Boldy should remain hot against Seattle on Monday. He has notched eight goals and four assists in his last nine outings versus the Kraken. 

Brandon Hagel, TBL at TOR ($7,400): Hagel has netted 10 goals, 34 shots and four assists in his last eight appearances. He has two goals on 17 shots and 11 points in his past eight meetings with the Maple Leafs. 

Matthew Knies, TOR vs. TBL ($6,700): Knies has produced two goals, four helpers and 14 shots in six games going into Monday night's action. He has compiled 10 goals, 22 shots and 15 points in his past eight appearances against the Lightning. 

Josh Norris, BUF at CGY ($4,900): Norris has two goals, three assists and five shots during a three-game point streak. He has three power-play helpers over that span and could be a solid value play if his hot streak continues. 

FORWARD LINE STACK 

Red Wings at Canucks 

Dylan Larkin (C - $7,400), Lucas Raymond (W - $7,000), Emmitt Finnie (W - $4,700) 

Larkin's six-game point streak ended in Saturday's 4-3 win over Seattle, but he has registered three goals, four assists and 21 shots in his last seven appearances. Raymond had his seven-game point spree halted in Saturday's victory, but he has four tallies, five helpers and 18 shots in eight contests entering Monday's slate. Unlike his linemates, Finnie found the scoresheet versus the Kraken to give him one goal, two helpers and eight shots in his last four games. 

Detroit's top line should remain productive against Vancouver on Monday. Larkin and Raymond combined for five assists and 13 shots in two games against the Canucks last season. They could also take advantage of Vancouver's 30th-ranked penalty kill. 

DEFENSEMEN 

Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. DET ($6,500): Hughes hasn't contributed a point in a season-high five straight games. That makes him overdue for a breakout performance after posting 14 shots on goal and seven blocked shots during that stretch. Hughes had one goal and 16 assists in 11 games before his recent offensive struggles. Last December, he contributed three assists and four shots in a 5-4 overtime win over the Red Wings.  

Moritz Seider, DET at VAN ($6,400): Seider has accounted for one goal, five assists, four shots and eight blocks during his three-game point streak. He has two power-play helpers and two multi-point efforts during that stretch. 

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Corey Abbott plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: armchair_gm, DraftKings: thenext1, Yahoo: Why.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Corey Abbott is an avid sports fan who has been writing fantasy hockey for 15-plus years.
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