RotoBallers, welcome back to our daily fantasy hockey (NHL DFS) lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings. Below you will find our NHL cheat sheet - DFS lineup picks, sleepers and stacks for Tuesday, April 4 of the 2016/2017 NHL season.
We are now less than a week away from the end of the regular season and the intensity is growing with so much to play for. Although the Western Conference teams are all locked into the playoffs, there are some very important position battles so don't expect teams to take it easy.
Tonight we have a huge 13 game slate with just three teams(TOR, OTT, DET) playing on a back to back night. Get ready for some offense as nine of the Top 10 offenses will be in action. Let's jump right into the picks.
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NHL Daily League Lineup Picks for Tuesday, April 4
For those that are new to this, each day we'll be providing you with a few of our top DFS lineup picks for daily league cash games on FanDuel and DraftKings. We will also provide you with one of our favorite teams to stack for GPPs. You can grab the rest of our Premium DFS lineup picks and stacks through the NHL Cheat Sheet and DFS Premium Pass below.
Nicklas Backstrom (C, WSH)
DraftKings - $7,000, FanDuel - $7,200
With 13 games on the schedule and so many elite players, Backstrom could be overlooked somewhat at the position. Don't overlook him! The Caps are looking to clinch the Presidents Trophy in the final few games which is a big deal as it would lock them into home ice for the Eastern Conference playoffs. Backstrom has been incredible this season with his second-highest point total of his career and comes in red hot with 16 points over his last 10 games. If you can find enough value at other positions, pair him with Ovechkin who has been shooting liek a mad man lately.
Jaden Schwartz (W, STL)
DraftKings - $5,900, FanDuel - $6,200
From a PTS/$ perspective, Schwartz ranks right near the top tonight. He skates with elite goal scorer Vladimir Tarasenko on the top line and powerplay unit which gives him incredible upside. He comes with a very affordable salary and gets an elite matchup vs. the Jets and their 28th ranked defense. Coming into tonight, Schwartz has tallied nine points over his last 10 games and also provided 31 shots for a nice floor. He is safe in all formats.
Erik Karlsson (D, OTT)
DraftKings - $7,200, FanDuel - $7,300
The Senators have a lot to play for in the final week and you can count on a 100% effort from their top player tonight. Karlsson has been a beast lately when looking at his DFS numbers. Sure, he only has eight points(five on the powerplay) in his last 10 games but has blocked 20 shots and put 34 shots on the opponent's goal. That is an average of 4.6 DraftKings/18.8 FanDuel points per game. Sign me up!
Stacking Option
San Jose Sharks PP - Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau, Brent Burns
The Sharks are locked into the playoffs but still have some important games to play down the stretch. They have an outside shot of ending up in second in the Pacific division and more importantly need to hold off the Flames for third. They get an elite matchup to do just that tonight as the Canucks come to town with one of the worst road records in the league and the 24th ranked defense. Load up on Sharks!
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Premium NHL DFS Lineup Picks & Cheat Sheet
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Bonus: General NHL DFS Strategy Notes
For cash games, look at players who can contribute to your score even when they are not providing offense. Some examples are guys who take a ton of shots and defensemen who block a lot of shots. Also, look for guys who get power play time. You can find value in players who join a new line due to an injury, or just get a promotion and more ice time. It is also recommended to spread out your exposure to three or four different lines, and not put all your eggs in one basket.
For large field tournaments (GPPs), find payers who have multi-point upside and can grab double-digit fantasy points. If you want to stack the most upside in your forwards, a common strategy is to punt the defense position. This doesn't mean just grab anyone - try and look for a defenseman who will get power play time, or a playing time boost due to an injury. For a contrarian approach, paying up at the defense position can be a great strategy - but it also comes with more risk. GPPs bring a great opportunity for goaltenders in the value price range - you can look for backups on good teams.