Daily Fantasy Hockey Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings 4/5/18

Hello hockey fans and welcome to another exciting day of NHL action here at DFSR. Today, we have 12 games on tap for us and there are still quite a few teams with playoff implications so let's not waste any more time and dive right into the picks.

Hockey is back and with it come our NHL projections which help inform these picks every night. When you purchase a DFSR NHL subscription to our base hockey projections you also get access to our brand new NFL DFS suite of tools including full projections, optimal NFL lineups and our Player Lab, which includes filters to help you create NFL lineups for FanDuel and DraftKings for any format. It’s a set of tools well beyond anything we’ve ever had, and something we feel will help our users *ahem* tackle the NFL season.

If you want to see the numbers behind our projections, create lineups with a single click, or research as deeply as your heart desires, click the button below to test out yourself.

GOALIE

Connor Hellebuyck FD - $8400 DK - $8600
Opponent - CGY
Proj Pts FD - 16.6 DK - 4.15

This position is tough this time of year as we are not quite sure who is going to start in goal for their respective team but after the Jets rested this guy last game, we can fully expect him to get the start this evening against the Flames, who have stopped thinking about playing hockey for the season. The Jets still have a mathematical chance of passing Nashville for the #1 seed in their division and Hellebuyck has been sensational this season as he boasts a terrific 42-11-9 record to go along with a .922 save %, six shutouts, and a 2.40 GAA. Hellebuyck is an elite play and easily my top goalie in all formats this evening.

Antti Raanta FD - $8000 DK - $8100
Opponent - VAN
Proj Pts FD - 15.74 DK - 3.94

The Coyotes are showing us that they will be a force to be reckoned with next season and for years to come and this young stud has reeled off six wins in a row where he has allowed only seven goals during that span. Raanta also owns an amazing 2.07 GAA and a .930 save % while playing for a team who has not had a good season and even though everyone and their ancestors will be focused on the Sedin brothers playing their last home game this evening, look for this guy to ruin the show. Raanta is my favorite GPP play against the Canucks and their lowly 29th-ranked offense.

CENTERS

Auston Matthews FD - $8000 DK - $7500
Opponent - NJ
Proj Pts FD - 16.83 DK - 4.8

The future of the NHL is in good hands and this guy is a huge part of that. The sophomore superstar is currently on an eight-game point streak where he has six goals and five assists to go along with 28 shots and seven blocks. Matthews is a perfect example of a safe play with upside mixed in as he has 60 points in 60 games to go along with an average of three shots per game and a blocked shot per game. Do yourself a favor and lock him into your lineups in all formats against the Devils and their 16th-ranked defense.

Stack with: William Nylander, Patrick Marleau(PP)

Kevin Hayes FD - $5900 DK - $4700
Opponent - NYI
Proj Pts FD - 10.47 DK - 2.99

Let's fire up the value bus this evening and for me, it starts with Hayes. Unless you have been living under a rock you know that the Islanders own the league's worst defense and Hayes has been playing well lately as he has he has three goals and an assist in his last four games. While safety is a concern as he owns a 2.24 shot per game average, he has a gigantic ceiling this evening in what should feature a ton of goals in the battle of New York. Hayes is listed as a center on Fanduel and a winger over at Draftkings and he is a terrific GPP play this evening.

Stack with: Pavel Buchnevich, Chris Kreider

Nolan Patrick FD - $4500 DK - $4900
Opponent - CAR
Proj Pts FD - 9.78 DK - 2.81

After hitting a few speed bumps in his rookie season, the former Brandon Wheat King has been on fire in his last two games where he has three goals, an assist, and five shots on goal. What makes Patrick even more enticing is the fact that he scored both of his goals while playing on the #1 powerplay unit last game and the Hurricanes own the league's 19th-ranked defense. Fire up the rookie in all formats this evening, my friends.

Stack with: Jakub Voracek, Claude Giroux(PP)

Also Consider: Dylan Strome(ARI), John Tavares(NYI) 

WINGERS

Taylor Hall FD - $8500 DK - $8100
Opponent - TOR
Proj Pts FD - 17.06 DK - 4.95

This superstar is a staple here at DFSR and he may as well be given a key to New Jersey already as he has pretty much single-handedly carried the Devils on his back as they are primed for the playoffs. Hall scored two goals last game and added two helpers and he is on a torrid nine-game point streak where he has eight goals and nine assists. The young stud has 25 shots in his last five games and he has 93 points in 75 games this season so lock him into your lineups in all formats and fade at your own risk(not recommended).

Stack with: Kyle Palmieri, Nico Hischier

Cam Atkinson FD - $6700 DK - $7100
Opponent - PIT
Proj Pts FD - 15.95 DK - 4.58

I am so excited about the future of the NHL because there are so many good players and this guy is one of them. The young winger is currently on an eight-game point streak and he has 11 goals and 20 points since the beginning of March. The Penguins own the league's sixth-worst road defense and Atkinson averages 3.48 shots per game so he is safe in all formats and he has tremendous upside as well.

Stack with: Artemi Panarin, Pierre-Luc Dubois

Anthony Beauvillier FD - $3900 DK - $5000
Opponent - NYR
Proj Pts FD - 7.77 DK - 2.21

This game is going to be exciting to watch even though both teams are eliminated from the playoff and this young man is on a four-game point streak where he has four goals and three assists, and he has 11 shots in his last two games. Beauvillier plays on the #2 line and the #2 powerplay unit for the Islanders and he is a terrific play over at Fanduel and a decent play on Draftkings in all formats.

Stack with: Mathew Barzal, Jordan Eberle

Also Consider: Alex Tuch(VEG), Patrick Hornqvist(PIT)

DEFENSEMEN

Jacob Trouba FD - $5200 DK - $4700
Opponent - CGY
Proj Pts FD - 3.11 DK - 1.08

The Jets are a great story this year as they will be hosting a first-round playoff series for the first time since the mid-1980's and this guy is turning into one of the best overall defensemen in the league. Trouba has two assists, seven shots, and three blocks in his last two games while averaging 22.5 minutes of ice-time and like I said earlier, the Flames are not focused at this point of the season so lock and load the young man in all formats.

Shea Theodore FD - $4400 DK - $4800
Opponent - EDM
Proj Pts FD - 8.31 DK - 2.51

Value is actually fairly tough to come by at this position this evening but don't worry one bit as we can save a bunch at other position. Enter Theodore, who plays on the #1 powerplay unit for the Golden Knights and the Oilers own the league's worst penalty kill unit as well as the league's 20th-ranked defense. In his last two games the young point man has a goal, two assists, a whopping 12 shots, and three blocks so lock him and load him in all formats this evening.

Also Consider: Seth Jones(CLB), Jonas Brodin(MIN)

Hockey is back and with it comes our NHL projections which help inform these picks every night. When you purchase a DFSR NHL subscription to our base hockey projections you also get access to our brand new NFL DFS suite of tools including full projections, optimal NFL lineups and our Player Lab, which includes filters to help you create NFL lineups for FanDuel and DraftKings for any format. It’s a set of tools well beyond anything we’ve ever had, and something we feel will help our users *ahem* tackle the NFL season.

If you want to see the numbers behind our projections, create linueps with a single click, or research as deeply as your heart desires, click the button below to test out yourself.