We have a very healthy 10-game slate ahead of us this Thursday night and lots of options from which to make our NHL DFS picks on DraftKings and FanDuel. Subscribers should be sure to check our Premium Slack chat through the day for lineup information.
Be aware of the teams on back-to-backs, Calgary in particular.
With that out of the way, let’s get to it.
NHL DFS Picks for DraftKings & FanDuel
NHL DFS Picks: Center
Evgeni Malkin (PIT at WSH)
DraftKings – $5,500
FanDuel – $7,400
As evidenced by the huge price discrepancy between Malkin’s two prices, he is a better option on DraftKings than he is on FanDuel. Just be aware of where you’re using him.
Malkin has had a bad start to the year, and that’s not much of a secret anymore. He had 7 points in his first 14 games — just a brutal stretch. He has 4 points in his last three games, though and a new linemate in Bryan Rust. That is one of those forward pairings where both players, and the team, reap benefits — over 25 percent more goals scored, higher expected goal share, better defense, and so on. Going into Washington isn’t a tough matchup, and Malkin’s price on DraftKings is palatable as a one-off in any format or as part of a stack.
Colin White (OTT vs CGY)
DraftKings – $3,800
FanDuel – $4,200
Ottawa is at home tonight to a Calgary team playing their second game in as many nights, third in four, and may still be without their starting goalie – Jacob Markstrom has missed the last two contests and still isn’t practicing. That would probably mean three games in four nights for David Rittich, or they’re going to start a goalie who is third string or deeper. Either scenario is not appealing for Calgary but is very appealing for Ottawa skaters. White isn’t anything special, but his line has posted 2.9 expected goals per 60 minutes and a 56 percent expected goal share. They are good and will get a good matchup tonight. White is fine as a one-off in tournaments but is best used as part of a stack.
NHL DFS Picks: Winger
Victor Olofsson (BUF vs. NJ)
DraftKings – $5,800
FanDuel – $6,400
It is easy to look at New Jersey’s far-and-away league-worst penalty kill and assume it’s just small-sample noise, and that’s true to an extent, but they’re also allowing the most expected goals by a wide margin and fourth-most scoring chances. Whether due to inconsistent lines, games or any other combination, this is a legitimately awful penalty kill, and it’s not even close. Olofsson has proven himself one of the top power-play goal scorers over the last couple years (19 power-play goals in 76 career games), and this is about as good a matchup as he’s going to get. He’s not a must in cash games, but he should get strong consideration as a one-off or as part of a stack in tournaments.
Denis Gurianov (DAL at FLA)
DraftKings – $4,800
FanDuel – $5,400
This will depend on the health of Roope Hintz. He was a scratch at warmups for the game yesterday, so it seems there’s at least a chance he’ll play today. Without his center, Gurianov doesn’t have as much appeal.
If Hintz is back, he and Gurianov should see the depth from the Panthers, and that depth isn’t very good; with Florida’s top line and top pair off the ice, the team’s expected goal share drops from over 60 percent to under 50 percent. Gurianov’s shot rate is down a bit from last year bit is still very good, and his minutes are regularly in the 16 to 19 range. He is very solid in this matchup at his price in any format as a one-off or as part of a stack if Hintz plays.
Nils Hoglander (VAN vs EDM)
DraftKings – $4,000
FanDuel – $3,600
The Canucks have been on a slide basically all season, and it’s finally led to lineup changes. That has pushed J.T. Miller to the third line and Hoglander to the top line with Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson. Hoglander is not some third wheel here; he’s an offensively gifted rookie — not all-world, but very good. This line should see a lot of the Edmonton second line in this game, as they did last game, and that line is much weaker defensively than Edmonton’s top line. Hoglander is basically free on FanDuel, and though his price on DraftKings makes it more of a decision, he really brings down the cost of the line in a stack.
Latest NHL DFS Content
- NHL DFS Picks Today: Nasty Nathan MacKinnon (April 18)
- DraftKings Fantasy Hockey Cheat Sheet: The Best NHL DFS Stacks Today | Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks (April 18)
- NHL DFS Picks Today: Money Matthew Tkachuk (April 16)
- NHL DFS Picks Today: Be Wary of Resting Starters (April 13)
- NHL DFS Picks Today: Terrific Tage Thompson (April 11)
- Stokastic DFS on Youtube
NHL DFS Picks: Defense
Ryan Ellis (NSH at DET)
DraftKings – $5,400
FanDuel – $4,900
There has been some turmoil going on in Nashville, but for now all their stars remain where they are. Ellis has been moved to the second power-play unit, but honestly we don’t roster Nashville players for the power play. We haven’t done that in years. The reason for using Ellis is ice time – he has played under 22 minutes just once this year – and to avoid the ownership that may pile up on Roman Josi. Ellis is no slouch; he is on pace for over 2 shots and nearly 2 blocks per game. He has both shot- and block-bonus potential that Josi has while avoiding higher ownership rates. He is more of a tournament play, though.
Keith Yandle (FLA vs. DAL)
DraftKings – $4,400
FanDuel – $4,600
Earlier we talked about a New Jersey team that is bad on the penalty kill. Dallas’ problem is they take far too many penalties; the league average is 3.25 per team per game, while Dallas sits at an even 4 penalties per game. Despite being shutout last game, the Panthers still sport one of the best power plays in the league, and Yandle is part of that power play – it’s what makes him particularly appealing on this slate. He is a nice lower-priced and likely lower-owned pivot from teammate Aaron Ekblad in tournaments. He may even be usable in cash games, as his ice time is rising and he’s passed 21 minutes in two of his last three games.
Brandon Carlo (BOS at NYI)
DraftKings – $3,500
FanDuel – $3,600
This is all about ice time. As injuries have piled up on Boston’s blue line (Jakub Zboril, Matt Grzelcyk, Kevan Miller and Jeremy Lauzon), as has Carlo’s ice time; he averaged 18:39 through the team’s first 12 games against 20:40 over the last four. He is nothing special as a fantasy asset, but he will likely be playing north of 20 minutes at a cheap price on one of the best teams in hockey. He is fine as a one-off in any format.
Goalie
Connor Hellebuyck (WPG vs. MTL)
DraftKings – $7,700
FanDuel – $8,400
Montreal comes to town tonight, and the Canadiens are first in the NHL by a wide margin in shots per 60 minutes at five-on-five and first by shots per 60 at all strengths. They don’t have elite scorers, though, so the team’s shooting percentage is closer to the middle of the league. That is a good combination for Hellebuyck, arguably the best goaltender on the planet. He is a fine target in any kind of contest tonight on either site, though he’s relatively cheaper on DraftKings.
Top Stacks
Buffalo1: Olofsson – Eichel – Reinhart
Ottawa2: White – Paul – Brannstrom
Follow us on all of our social channels! Check out our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more great Awesemo content.
Looking for more NHL DFS picks content? We have loads of articles, data, cheat sheets and more on the Awesemo NHL home page. Just click HERE.
