NHL DraftKings and FanDuel DFS Primer: Tuesday (4/11)

The 2023 NHL regular season is wrapping up, but a couple of teams are still frantically trying to climb into the final playoff Wild Card seeds. This creates highly entertaining, pressure-packed matchups for these teams trying to avoid elimination. We’re getting another big ten-game slate during the final Tuesday slate of the NHL regular season tonight, which means we have no choice but to cash out DFS contests in the final few games before the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin.

Last week’s NHL DFS Primer had an underwhelming turnout, led by Tyler Toffoli (RW – Flames) and Jack Hughes (C – Devils), who each netted a point, with Toffoli scoring the only goal out of the six skaters that were recommended. Dylan Larkin, Zach Hyman (RW – Oilers), Morgan Rielly (D – Maple Leafs), and Vince Dunn (D – Kraken) were all duds on the stat sheet, as none of them managed to score a point, resulting in a disappointing outcome without a lot of production in fantasy lineups. Carter Hart (G – Flyers) couldn’t contain the Blues in the crease but Joseph Woll (G – Maple Leafs) logged a 4-2 win over Columbus to provide a small boost. Overall, it was far from an ideal turnout, which just means we’re due to hit big on the final Tuesday slate of the regular season.

I’ve conducted research to pinpoint eight of my favorite players, including six skaters, who possess the usage, talent, and value to be labeled as high-priority additions to DraftKings and FanDuel lineups. Let’s jump right into who they are and why they deserve a spot in your DFS lineups ahead of a loaded Tuesday night in the NHL! Best of luck on the road to cashing out!

Check out today’s One-Timer contest from FanDuel

Recommended Plays: DraftKings

DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000

Elias Pettersson (C – Canucks): $8,100
Vancouver may be eliminated from the playoffs but the Canucks still have plenty of firepower on their top attack lines. Notably, Elias Pettersson, who is one point shy of logging a 100-point season, has emerged as the most consistent contributor for Vancouver this season. He’s recorded one point in three of his past four games and is a high-volume shooter, which provides a stable floor in DFS lineups. At just over $8,000, Pettersson is a bit pricey, but he’s facing the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night, who have allowed a league-high 4.1 goals per game this season, so don’t hesitate to insert him into lineups at a high salary.

Kyle Connor (LW – Jets): $6,700
Winnipeg is still fighting to secure the final Western Conference Wild Card seed over Nashville, so expect the Jets to stay red-hot with their offense against Minnesota on Tuesday night. Connor has logged a goal in four of his past five games, including a multi-point effort in a 6-2 rout of San Jose on Monday night, so he’s playing with a lot of confidence and momentum to rally Winnipeg into the final playoff berth. Marc-Andre Fleury (G – Wild) is already confirmed to patrol the goal for the Wild and he just surrendered four goals to Pittsburgh in his last start, so Connor should be a significant value in DraftKings lineups at just $6,700.

Kris Letang (D – Penguins): $6,300
Pittsburgh is in win-now mode, which has seen veteran defenseman Kris Letang rise to the occasion in the offensive zone, totaling three points across his last two games played. Whether he’s attempting shots on goal, dishing assists, or blocking shots, Letang is a complete player on both ends of the rink and is worth spending $6,300 on DraftKings ahead of a must-win matchup at home against the reeling Chicago Blackhawks.

Carter Hart (G – Flyers): $8,000
After leading the Flyers to four straight wins, Carter Hart has now suffered back-to-back losses in the net. Philadelphia is eliminated but head coach John Tortorella will want to beat his former team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, at home ice on Tuesday night. The 24-year-old netminder has been great at times this season, including a recent shutout against Detroit, so against Columbus, which is a team actively losing for a chance at the top overall pick in the draft, plugging Hart in as an anchor in DFS lineups is a wise decision t0 make.

Recommended Plays: FanDuel

FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000

Evgeni Malkin (C – Penguins): $7,000
We’re landing some good value by rostering Evgeni Malkin at $7,000 on FanDuel. The veteran second-line center has been a consistent force for the Penguins in 2023, totaling over 80 points, including 26 goals, entering Tuesday’s must-win matchup at home against Chicago. Malkin has recorded four points across his past four games played, including a goal on three shots against Detroit on Saturday, so he should be well-rested and prepared to take advantage of Petr Mrazek (G – Blackhawks) in the net. Mrazek just allowed seven goals in a 7-3 loss to Seattle during his last start over the weekend, so Malkin should have little difficulty logging a couple of points to return value in FanDuel lineups.

Timo Meier (LW – Devils): $8,200
It’s been fun watching Timo Meier assimilate into his new role with the New Jersey Devils following his acquisition at the trade deadline. Buffalo is another team in desperation mode with an outside chance of sneaking into the playoffs, but Meier has been on a tear lately, scoring five goals in his past six games, including two additional assists. Despite playing on the Devils’ third attack line, Meier is worth the hefty investment against Sabres goaltender, Eric Comrie (G – Sabres), who recently gave up ten goals to Dallas.

Victor Hedman (D – Lightning): $5,700
Victor Hedman is coming off a three-point outing against Ottawa, which included his ninth goal of the season. After enduring a three-game point drought, the veteran defenseman has recorded three assists and a goal in his previous two outings. Hedman offers a steady floor by blocking two to three shots in the defensive zone on most nights, so if he can sustain a couple of shots on goal and an assist, he’s going to return massive value against Toronto on Tuesday night.

Laurent Brossoit (G – Golden Knights): $8,200
Vegas sits atop the Pacific Division, but they are only two points ahead of Edmonton for the first seed. Laurent Brossoit is expected to be in the crease on Tuesday night and he’s 5-0 with a 2.44 GAA. Seattle is a talented offense but they have lost four of their last five matchups against the Golden Knights straight up, so there’s enough incentive for Brossoit to perform well and extend his starting record to 6-0, especially with the Kraken on the second night of a back-to-back.