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

The NHL season is quickly winding down but there’s still plenty of action left before the playoffs begin in mid-April. 11 games are on tap for Tuesday’s slate and there are plenty of playoff seeding implications on the line. The Florida Panthers are one point behind Pittsburgh for the second Wild Card seed in the Eastern Conference, while Calgary is circling the wagons and eyeing down leapfrogging Winnipeg for the second Wild Card seed in the Western Conference. Even teams who have already clinched aren’t satisfied, as Edmonton and Los Angeles are set to battle for the second seed in the Pacific Division during a late puck drop on Tuesday night.

Most teams have five to six games remaining on their regular season schedule, which means there is enough opportunity to make a run or choke under pressure and wind up missing the postseason altogether. It’s great when it comes to setting DFS lineups because blue-chip prospects tend to be cheaper on bigger slates, plus the added incentive of making the playoffs churns out steady production. On a loaded slate like the one we’re getting on Tuesday, there will be a wide variety of matchups, ranging from Calgary hosting Chicago as a -425 moneyline favorite, versus Buffalo and Florida, who are both in desperation mode as they try to collect points to climb into the Wild Card round.

I’ve taken the time to dissect the slate and have identified eight players who should be prioritized in DraftKings and FanDuel lineups ahead of a busy night in the NHL. As always, good luck, and let’s cash these contests!

Check out today’s One-Timer contest from FanDuel

Recommended Plays: DraftKings

DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000

Jack Hughes (C – Devils): $8,300
New Jersey funnels a lot of its offense through its young center, Jack Hughes, who has recorded at least one point in four of his past five games played. The 21-year-old is riding a four-game goal drought though, so matched up at home against the volatile goaltending of Tristan Jarry (G – Penguins), Hughes offers a high floor and an enticing ceiling. Pay up to acquire the Devils’ top offensive weapon against Jarry, who surrendered four goals to Boston during his last start in the crease.

Tyler Toffoli (RW – Flames): $6,500
Tyler Toffoli is in a smash spot and his salary doesn’t reflect the mismatch yet on DraftKings. Toffoli has logged two points in three of his past four games played, which includes four goals, so he possesses a high floor and ceiling facing Alex Stalock (G – Blackhawks) on Tuesday night. Stalock has surrendered nine goals across his past two starts in the net, so Toffoli should continue to deliver 15 -20 DK points in lineups during Tuesday’s home game against the Blackhawks.

Morgan Rielly (D – Maple Leafs): $5,300
Morgan Rielly isn’t a high-volume shooter in the offensive zone but he’s being gifted a plus-matchup against Columbus on Tuesday night. The 29-year-old defenseman has a low floor but a solid ceiling for a defenseman, sporting a 9:1 assist-to-goal ratio this season, so facing the porous goaltending of the Blue Jackets should be an automatic green light to roster Rielly at just a $5.3K salary on DraftKings.

Carter Hart (G – Flyers): $7,400
Carter Hart has been dealing with a lower-body injury but is expected to return to defend the Flyers’ crease against St. Louis. The Blues are capable of scoring in droves, but they’ve only scored four goals across their last two games. Hart recorded a shutout against Detroit during his last start in late March before his four-game absence due to injury. As long as he’s cleared to start, Hart is a cheap salary-saving goaltender who doesn’t get enough credit for his performances between the pipes this season.

Recommended Plays: FanDuel

FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000

Dylan Larkin (C – Red Wings): $7,400
Dylan Larkin’s salary is a bit higher than we’re accustomed to seeing but that’s due to his hat trick recorded during his last game played against Toronto on Sunday. The Red Wings and Larkin inked a lucrative extension recently and he’s been producing consistently enough to justify the decision. At the bare minimum, we’re landing a high-volume shooter who has over 30 goals and 45 assists this season. Larkin enters Tuesday’s road contest against Montreal with a five-game point streak intact. The Canadiens have struggled with their goaltending lately and have called up Cayden Primeau (G – Canadiens) from the AHL to start, so it’s open season for Larkin. He’s a priority add and available at a relatively valuable salary.

Zach Hyman (RW – Oilers): $7,900
Playing alongside Connor McDavid (C -Oilers) instantly elevates the floor and ceiling of Zach Hyman, who has been steadily pouring in goals during his last five games played. Hyman has four goals during this stretch, including a two-point outing against Anaheim on Saturday. The Oilers have rested for three days and will travel down to Los Angeles for a game with huge playoff-seeding implications, so expect McDavid to find Hyman in the offensive zone to record his 35th goal of the season. At under $8,000 on FanDuel, Hyman isn’t going to bankrupt you too much and is worth the investment.

Vince Dunn (D – Kraken): $5,800
Seattle has been buzzing after a bit of a lull and Vince Dunn’s production has spiked as a result. The 26-year-old defenseman has steadily been logging three shots on goal and has recorded at least one assist in three of his previous five games played. This includes a two-assist game in his most recent matchup during an 8-1 rout over Arizona on Monday night. Dunn has reached 50 assists on the season, so at $5,800, he’s a discounted value to acquire going up against Vancouver on Tuesday night.

Joseph Woll (G – Maple Leafs): $8,400
You may have never heard of Joseph Woll, but he’s 3-1 as a starter for Toronto this season with a .934 save percentage. He’s logged three consecutive wins in the crease and gets a soft matchup against Columbus at home on Tuesday. This is pretty self-explanatory, you’ll just have to pay up to land him as an anchor in your FanDuel lineups. He did surrender four goals to the Blue Jackets in his only loss of the season a couple of months ago, but his recent form is much improved against contending teams like Calgary and Nashville, so take the risk and watch it pay off.