Devils vs. Maple Leafs Fantasy Hockey Preview: DFS Picks, Injuries & Goalies (Nov. 8)

Jack Hughes or Auston Matthews? That is the lineup-building decision I keep returning to for Sunday’s New Jersey Devils–Toronto Maple Leafs game. In years of managing NHLTradeRumor.com hockey pools and competing in dynasty fantasy leagues, I’ve learned not to confuse the best player with the best salary-adjusted DFS play. Tonight, the most useful edge is identifying who shares ice time and power-play minutes with the stars—and how a second straight game changes each team’s risk profile.

New Jersey arrives 12-5-0 after rallying past the Islanders 5-4 in overtime on Saturday, a game in which it registered 50 shots. Toronto is 8-8-2 after falling 4-2 to Montreal. Both clubs are on the second night of a back-to-back; unlike New Jersey, Toronto did not have to travel. Hughes has 23 points and a four-game multi-point streak; Matthews leads Toronto with 27 points. My first look is a Hughes–Jesper Bratt combination, with Matthews–Jack Roslovic as the Toronto counterstack. The Devils’ official preview confirms the broader form and scoring context.

Devils vs. Maple Leafs Game Time, Venue and How to Watch

• Date: Sunday, November 8, 2026
• Scheduled start: 7:00 p.m. ET (official Devils preview estimates puck drop at 7:08 p.m. ET)
• Venue: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario
• United States: NHL Network nationally and MSGSN in the Devils’ regional market; NHL Power Play on ESPN+ is also listed, subject to location and carriage restrictions.
• Canada: TSN4, with TSN Premium and Sportsnet+ Premium listed as streaming options, subject to regional rights.
• Radio: Devils Hockey Network

Devils vs. Maple Leafs Injury Report — November 8, 2026

The most important late change is on Toronto’s blue line: Morgan Rielly left Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury and did not return. He is not confirmed out for Sunday as of this early pregame update. A missing Rielly could change the Maple Leafs’ defensive pairs and power-play alternatives, so recheck the official lineups before contest lock.

Sources: official Devils injury report, Sportsnet on Rielly, and November 8 roster/injury roundup. Statuses are pregame estimates, not official scratch confirmations.

Devils vs. Maple Leafs Betting Odds: Moneyline, Puck Line and Total

Market source: November 8 sportsbook comparison. Prices can change; refresh at your sportsbook. The market is context for expected game environment, not a guarantee of goals or a betting recommendation.

Devils vs. Maple Leafs Fantasy Hockey Picks: Best DFS Plays for November 8

Projected Lines and Power Plays That Matter Most

New Jersey: Jack Hughes is projected between Arseny Gritsyuk and Jesper Bratt; Nico Hischier centres Timo Meier and Luke Evangelista. Hughes and Bratt also project together on the top power-play unit with Hischier and Luke Hughes. That dual even-strength/power-play exposure creates a cleaner stacking case than selecting a talented winger who only overlaps at five-on-five.

Toronto: Easton Cowan–Auston Matthews–Jack Roslovic is the projected first line, with John Tavares–Nick Paul–William Nylander behind it. Matthews and Roslovic project on PP1 alongside Nylander, Tavares and Darren Raddysh. The Toronto second line is attractive individually, but a Matthews–Roslovic pairing offers more direct even-strength correlation. These combinations are projections based on Saturday’s deployments; Rielly’s possible absence could alter Toronto’s pairings and second power-play unit. See the NHL’s Devils lineup and Toronto’s previous lineup.

What Saturday’s Games Tell Us—and What They Don’t

The Devils’ 50-shot performance against the Islanders is evidence of puck volume and attacking intent, not a 50-shot projection for Sunday. Coming off travel and overtime, New Jersey could be less relentless in the third period. Toronto’s home-ice advantage reduces the logistical fatigue, but Rielly’s uncertain status puts extra pressure on its defensive coverage. For cash games, I prefer players with both reliable shot opportunity and PP1 time; for tournaments, a contrarian Toronto stack becomes more interesting if most entries chase the surging Devils.

Start ‘Em and Sit ‘Em: Devils–Maple Leafs DFS Targets

Start ‘Em: Three Ways to Build a Competitive Lineup

• Jack Hughes, NJD — premium centerpiece: Nine goals, 14 assists and 23 points in 17 games entering Sunday, with nine points in his past four. He shares five-on-five shifts and first-unit power-play opportunities with Bratt, giving him both shot and assist routes to a ceiling game. Best for cash lineups that can fit his salary and for NJD-led tournament stacks.
• Jesper Bratt, NJD — strong correlated value: Bratt’s top-six role with Hughes and PP1 position make him my preferred salary-saving partner to Hughes. In a DraftKings projection snapshot, Bratt was listed at $6,100 versus Hughes at $8,200; verify actual contest salaries before entry.
• Jack Roslovic, TOR — lower-cost stack candidate: His projected first-line assignment with Matthews and PP1 inclusion give him two opportunities to benefit from Matthews-driven chances. He is more useful as a correlation play than as a standalone replacement for the Leafs captain.
• William Nylander, TOR — leverage option: With 11 goals and 22 points entering Sunday, plus a power-play goal on Saturday, Nylander is a sensible pivot when a roster cannot accommodate Matthews. He projects to play with Tavares and Paul at even strength while sharing PP1 with Matthews.

Sit ‘Em or Limit Exposure: Two Riskier Selections

• Morgan Rielly, TOR — avoid until cleared: His Sunday status is uncertain after leaving Saturday’s game early. Do not occupy a DFS roster slot without an official active-lineup confirmation.
• Cody Glass, NJD — cash-game fade: His projected fourth-line assignment and absence from the first power-play unit create a narrower point-scoring path than Hughes, Bratt or Hischier. Consider only in very deep, salary-constrained tournaments if his confirmed deployment improves.

Jack Hughes vs. Auston Matthews: Which Superstar Offers Better DFS Value?

Statistics through November 7, 2026, as reported in the official November 8 game preview. Matthews’ games played includes Saturday’s Toronto game.

Projected Starting Goalies: Connor Hellebuyck vs. Anthony Stolarz

Devils — Connor Hellebuyck (projected): Jake Allen started Saturday against the Islanders, putting Hellebuyck in line for Sunday. Hellebuyck entered the matchup with a 4-0-0 Devils record, 2.44 goals-against average and .891 save percentage. The win potential is attractive because New Jersey is favoured, but the current save percentage and Toronto’s scoring talent make a low-goals-against outcome far from automatic. A favourite with fewer shots against can also disappoint in DFS formats that reward raw saves.

Maple Leafs — Anthony Stolarz (projected): NHL.com’s Saturday report specifically said Stolarz would start against New Jersey after Sergei Bobrovsky drew Montreal. Stolarz entered Sunday at 5-1-0, 2.66 GAA and .910 save percentage. His appeal is volume: the Devils put 50 pucks on net Saturday and can generate enough shots for a viable save total even if Toronto allows a couple of goals. His downside is the quality of New Jersey’s top-six chances and power-play finishing. Neither projected goalie should be treated as confirmed until the teams post their Sunday starters.

My goalie lean: Hellebuyck for win-equity builds if confirmed; Stolarz for tournament lineups that prize saves and accept higher goal-against risk. If either starting assignment changes, rebuild goalie exposure rather than relying on the pregame favourite.

Final DFS Verdict and Related NHLTradeRumor.com Coverage

Preferred construction: Pair Hughes with Bratt when salaries permit; consider Luke Hughes as a Devils power-play correlation piece. For Toronto exposure, Matthews–Roslovic is my clearest even-strength stack, while Nylander is a differentiated scoring pivot. The important late-news decision is not the betting line—it is Rielly’s status and whether the projected goalies actually start.

For continued research, visit our Devils news hub, Maple Leafs news hub, and fantasy hockey projections. For the roster backstory, read our coverage of Hellebuyck’s move from Winnipeg, Tavares’ return, and Toronto’s Bobrovsky–Stolarz rotation.

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