This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
It's the first day of April, but you will find no bits and no pranks here. It's solely my best recommendations for your DFS lineups. There are 11 NHL games Saturday night, with the first pucks dropping at 7 p.m. ET. Now, on to those recommendations!
SLATE PREVIEW
There are three teams on the second leg of a back-to-back. Buffalo is on the road against Philadelphia, while Arizona is hosting San Jose. The Sabres and Coyotes are two of the worst defensive teams in the NHL, so those matchups are intriguing, even if the Sharks and Flyers lack talent. Then, there are the Stars, who are visiting the Avalanche. Maybe you want to avoid Dallas players in that matchup, as Alexandar Georgiev has 2.55 GAA and .918 save percentage for Colorado.
GOALIES
Stuart Skinner, EDM vs. ANA ($8,500): This season, Skinner has a 2.74 GAA and .913 save percentage at home. He also has the NHL's best offense in front of him, plus an easy matchup Saturday. The Ducks have managed a mere 2.51 goals per contest, 31st in the league.
Vitek Vanecek, NJD at CHI ($8,400): Vanecek may only have a .910 save percentage, but he has a 2.47 GAA because of the defense in front of him. Well, the Devils defense should definitely be able to handle the Blackhawks. Chicago is last in the NHL in goals per game, and 31st in shots on net per contest. Vanecek may not even face 20 shots Saturday.
James Reimer, SAN at ARI ($7,900): Reimer is a matchup play, as his personal performance has been lackluster this season. Although, he did recently shut out the Jets. The Coyotes are 27th in goals per game, but last in shots on net per contest. They are also playing their second game in as many days. Maybe that is enough to get solid numbers out of Reimer, plus a win.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Nico Hischier, NJD at CHI ($6,700): As good as Jack Hughes is, Hischier remains the first-line center, in part because his game is more well-rounded. For DFS purposes, though, what matters is the fact he also racks up points with gusto. The Swiss pivot has 71 points in 74 games and has put 235 shots on net, blowing pass his previous high of 180. Chicago has allowed 33.7 shots on goal per game, a big reason why it has a 3.59 GAA as well.
Logan Couture, SAN at ARI ($5,700): The Sharks' lineup is almost unrecognizable right now, littered with young players getting their first real opportunity at NHL action. Then, there is the steady presence of Couture. In March he tallied six goals and seven assists in 14 games to effectively carry San Jose offensively. There's no reason to see that stopping in this matchup, given that Arizona is on the bottom 10 in GAA and shots on net allowed per game and on the second leg of a back-to-back.
Kailer Yamamoto, EDM vs. ANA ($3,300): Yamamoto has a four-game point streak, and seven points in his last seven games. Hey, it pays to have talented teammates. Also, to play terrible teams, and the Ducks have a 4.04 GAA and have given up a whopping 39.1 shots on net per game, both of which are last in the league.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Panthers at Blue Jackets
Anton Lundell (C - $3,600), Matthew Tkachuk (W - $8,700), Eetu Luostarinen (W - $3,700)
Often, it is a center that lifts the tide of his wingers. This is a line, though, where the superstar is on the wing. Columbus offers you the best matchup this side of Anaheim. The Blue Jackets have a 3.95 GAA and have allowed 35.2 shots on net per contest. That puts them in the bottom three in both areas of the game, and offers an opportunity for Florida's second line as it tries to make a playoff push.
Lundell was ice cold, but he has three goals over his last two games. He also put six shots on net in his last contest, which is encouraging. Tkachuk, though, is the elite player on this line. He's over 100 points for the second season in a row, and he's put a staggering 294 shots on net through 73 games. It would be a bit of a surprise if Keith's kid doesn't put at least six shots on target. Luostarinen has a three-game point streak. He also has 14 points over his last 17 games.
Flyers vs. Sabres
Morgan Frost (C - $3,800), Owen Tippett (W - $5,900), Joel Farabee (W - $3,500)
I mentioned earlier the Sabres are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. They are also a porous defense. Buffalo is in the bottom five in GAA and penalty-kill percentage, and it is in the bottom eight in shots on net per contest. The Flyers have had a tough campaign, but this matchup is enticing nevertheless, and there is some positivity to be taken away from the first line, even if this was not the expected top line when the season began.
Frost has taken a step forward in his second season, as he has 39 points in 73 games. He's been hot recently as well, with three multipoint games in his last six outings. Tippett is finally living up to some of the hype he had with Florida in his first full season in Philadelphia. He has 23 goals on 197 shots on net, including a goal in back-to-back games.
DEFENSEMEN
Brent Burns, CAR at MON ($6,400): Burns has tallied 14 goals this season off of 220 shots on net. He's also notched 22 power-play points as well. The Canadiens are in the bottom five in GAA and penalty-kill percentage, so this matchup is righty up Burns' alley.
Darnell Nurse, EDM vs. ANA ($5,500): Nurse had his six-game point streak end in his last outing, but he still put three shots on net and blocked two shots, staying quite active. The defenseman has tied his career high with 41 points, and even though he doesn't play on the power play he's put 184 shots on net. Anaheim has given up 39.1 shots on goal per game, so Nurse should have plenty of opportunity.
Gustav Forsling, FLA at CLM ($4,900): Forsling is one of the best third bananas on a team's blue line, managing to notch 12 goals and 26 assists through 76 games. He's also put 186 shots on net. Forsling may not play much on the power play, but he's on the top pair with Aaron Ekblad so he's averaged a robust 23:24 per game in ice time. The Blue Jackets rank 22nd on the penalty kill, but it still ranks 31st in terms of GAA, so Forsling should be fine.
