While March Madness may steal the headlines today, don’t forget that we have a 14-game NHL slate where there’s money to be made. I’m heading the DFS route to try and win some cash. Below you’ll find the nine-man lineup I’ve locked in.
This roster is playable in DraftKings’ classic $50,000 salary format, but I’ve also listed each player’s price at FanDuel’s $55,000 salary equivalent. Here’s who’s primed for a big night on the ice.
Our NHL Prop Bet Cheat Sheet assists bettors by comparing lines from leading sportsbooks with our daily projections 
While March Madness may steal the headlines today, don’t forget that we have a 14-game NHL slate where there’s money to be made. I’m heading the DFS route to try and win some cash. Below you’ll find the nine-man lineup I’ve locked in.
This roster is playable in DraftKings’ classic $50,000 salary format, but I’ve also listed each player’s price at FanDuel’s $55,000 salary equivalent. Here’s who’s primed for a big night on the ice.
Our NHL Prop Bet Cheat Sheet assists bettors by comparing lines from leading sportsbooks with our daily projections
Thursday’s NHL DFS Picks & Advice
The lineup below is based on DraftKings, but FanDuel prices are also listed.
Let’s start things off with one of our more expensive skaters in Sebastian Aho. The top-line centerman leads the team in scoring with 64 points (25 goals, 39 assists) across 66 games. He’s coming off of a goal and an assist last game against the Flyers.
Aho now has eight points (five goals, three assists) in his last nine outings. Aho should light up the lowly Sharks tonight. San Jose is dead last in overall defense (3.47 GAA) and high-danger shots against (289), while sitting 30th in SV% (.884).
The Panthers haven’t been in great form recently, going 1-3-0 in their last four, while allowing three goals per contest during the stretch. Considering their defensive woes and this low price on Dmitri Voronkov, I think it’s worth a flier on the top-line center.
Voronkov is having a breakout year, accumulating 42 points (20 goals, 22 assists) while averaging 2.1 shots on goal per game (SOG/G). This is still a top-10 offense in the NHL (3.2 goals per game). This all-Russian Columbus first line should find success tonight.
Keeping it in the same game, I’ll flip over to the other team and lock in Florida’s Sam Reinhart. The Cats’ leading scorer has amassed 72 points this season. His 33 goals are the eighth-most in the NHL.
Reinhart is averaging 2.7 SOG/G and takes on a Columbus defense ranked 28th overall (3.15 GAA) and 27th in SV% (.887). The Jackets are also 25th on the penalty kill (75.54%). It’s worth splurging on Reinhart in this spot.
Washington’s Aliaksei Protas continues to fly under the radar this season, at least in terms of DFS pricing. He is second on the Capitals in scoring, averaging nearly a point per game with 61 points (29 goals, 32 assists) in 68 games.
Washington hosts a Philadelphia team that’s dead last in SV% (.876), so Protas and his 22.7% shooting percentage are set to light the lamp here.
It’s been a rollercoaster ride of a season for Ivan Barbashev, but he’s been producing as of late, going for three points (one goal, two assists) in his last six games. With Barbashev (19 goals, 23 assists) playing alongside Mark Stone and Jack Eichel on both the top line and the power play, I like him to contribute tonight.
The Golden Knights host a Bruins team that essentially threw in the towel at the trade deadline. They’re 1-2-1 since the deadline, allowing 4.3 goals per game during the stretch.
With Roman Josi still sidelined, Brady Skjei has had the chance to take on more minutes and responsibilities. The 30-year-old is up to 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) on the year, with four of those (two goals, two assists) coming in the last six games.
Skjei draws a matchup against a Ducks team ranked 31st in high-danger shots allowed (287) and 28th on the penalty kill (72.83%). I think there’s a good chance Skjei gets in on the scoring tonight.
The other Canes skater I have rostered tonight is top defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere. He’s the team’s leading defenseman in terms of point production (seven goals, 30 assists), with 22 of those points (four goals, 18 assists) coming on the power play.
Carolina will face a San Jose penalty kill ranked 26th overall (74.16%). The Sharks are allowing 4.2 goals per game during their current 1-4-0 run, so look for both Gostisbehere and Aho to fill up the scoresheet in this one.
New Jersey’s Jacob Markstrom is primed for a big night on home ice, as his Devils are hosting the Flames’ snake-bitten offense. Calgary comes into this one ranked dead last in scoring (2.5 goals per game), 31st in shooting percentage (6.79%) and 19th on the power play (21.47%).
It’s been a rough stretch for Markstrom recently, but this is a great get-right spot for the 35-year-old. He still has great numbers overall, entering this game at 22-13-5, while boasting a 2.45 GAA (seventh) and .902 SV% (26th).
Let’s round things out with the Rangers’ Will Cuylle (18 goals, 20 assists) as our utility man. Cuylle has been on a heater lately, entering tonight’s game against the Maple Leafs riding a four-game point streak (one goal, three assists). He’s averaging 2.3 SOG/G during the stretch.
While Toronto has been solid defensively this season, they’ll be playing on the second night of a back-to-back. Cuylle, along with his top-line linemates Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck, should manage to take advantage of the potentially fatigued Leafs.
