Welcome, RotoBallers! If you do not know me, my name is Brandon and I write both The First-Serve and The Kick-Off for tennis and soccer, respectively. If you have not checked those out, make sure you do! It is the return of the NHL season, which means it's time to sharpen our skills and partake in NHL DFS! As always, I'll give you the best tools to succeed and the info you need to build the best lineups possible for your GPP and cash game NHL contests on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Today, I'll be bringing you my NHL lineup picks, analysis, and advice for NHL DFS contests on DraftKings and FanDuel for Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Be sure to also check out our awesome NHL tools, including our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, Projections, and DFS Cheat Sheets!
If you have any questions on today's slate, bankroll management, GPP strategy, cash game strategy, or anything else, don’t hesitate to email me at [email protected], via Twitter/X @df_solutions, or in our premium Slack chat. Good luck, RotoBallers!
NHL DFS Analysis and Picks for 4/11/24
With roughly one week left until the end of the season, teams are in full scramble mode to secure a playoff birth. ENSUE CHAOS! The 2023-2024 season is now in the final stretch as teams battle for home ice heading into the Stanley Cup playoffs!!! With multiple big trades this season and teams going all-in, the race for Lord Stanley is on!
Tonight we have a ten-game slate and zero teams playing on a back-to-back. The currently live top-three highest implied team totals are Florida with 4.4, Tampa Bay with 3.9, and Toronto with 3.9. I will do my best to guide you through this ten-game slate on DraftKings and FanDuel starting at 7:00 p.m. EDT.
DISCLOSURE: Make sure to monitor the NHL news feeds for the latest player status and injury news.
DraftKings and FanDuel Goalies - NHL DFS Picks
Sam Montembeault - DK $7.1K || FD $7.5K
Opponent - New York Islanders
Montembeault’s production has slowed recently with a 3-2 record, a 2.92 Goals Against Average, and a 0.910 Save Percentage over his last five starts. However, the Islanders are the fourth-best team when referencing raw save value, in Shots Per Goal Per 60 on the slate. Currently, Montembeault is projected to see one of the heavier workloads tonight, but he is projected to give up three goals too. If he is able to hold his crease and play against his projections, he could easily break the slate. At just over $7K on DraftKings, the punt is well worth the risk, especially with plenty of others to pay up for.
Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):
- Igor Shesterkin (DK $8.2K || FD $8.5K)
- Cam Talbot (DK $7.9K || FD $8K)
Want more NHL DFS tools and content? Our NHL Premium package includes our daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Research Station, Lineup Optimizer, and access to our VIP Discord Chatrooms. Doug Shain (@BanksterDFS) joins the NHL team in 2023 with his proven track record - join in on the winning!
Back to back @DraftKings Fantasy Hockey World Championship trips! Let’s get the main prize this year! Thank you to @banksterdfs for the amazing daily fantasy content! @NHL pic.twitter.com/dONSvJMtIR
— 🇺🇦Shockmain (@Shockmain) January 6, 2023
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NHL DFS Picks
Sam Bennett - DK $4.5K || FD $6K
Opponent - Florida Panthers
It will be astonishing if Sam Bennett and linemate Matthew Tkachuk are under 20 percent ownership in the majority of contests tonight, after what Tampa Bay’s second line did to Columbus on Tuesday. In Bennett’s last five outings, he has three goals, two assists, and 11 shots, and on the other side of the ice, the Blue Jackets have completely crumbled. In Per 60 stats, excluding splits in their last ten games, they are the worst team in Shots Against, Scoring Chances Against, and High Danger Chances Against, and they are just inside the bottom ten in Goals Against. This is a clear sign that goaltending is carrying the team. Also, the hosts are being outscored 14 to 25 in their last ten away games. If Bennett and company can break expected starter Daniil Tarasov early, this is going to become a bloodbath very quickly.
Shane Wright - DK $3.8K || FD $3.6K
Opponent - San Jose Sharks
Shane Wright could potentially be the highest-owned player in any position in any contest tonight. It is no secret that Seattle has massively struggled offensively this season. However, since Shane Wright received his call-up, things have changed for the better and quickly. In seven games since being called up, Wright has four goals, one assist, 11 shots, and five blocked shots. Not only is he scoring and producing points, but he is also generating a fair share of peripherals on both ends of the ice. This is very promising for anyone involved, and for Daily Fantasy Players, Wright is potentially one of the easiest ‘locks’ of the season, going against San Jose, who possesses one of the worst defenses in the league.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Vincent Trocheck (DK $7.2K || FD $7.8K)
- Evgeni Malkin (DK $5.4K || FD $6.1K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Wings - NHL DFS Picks
Vladimir Tarasenko - DK $4.3K || FD $5.6K
Opponent - Columbus Blue Jackets
Staying in Florida but bumping up one line, we have Vladimir Tarasenko. The veteran winger continues to substitute in place of teammate Carter Verhaeghe while the latter is out with an injury. In two appearances for Tarasenko since returning to the top line, he has one assist, seven shots and one blocked shot. As mentioned, Columbus boasts the league’s worst defense right now, giving way to a fair share of chances for Tarasenko tonight. Expect the winger to produce four shots and two points.
Michael Bunting - DK $3.9K || FD $5.6K
Opponent - Detroit Red Wings
Patric Hornqvist….wait, I mean Michael Bunting is on fire, and there are no other words to describe his play. The hard-nosed versatile winger is providing everything and more for Pittsburgh. In his recent five performances, he has two goals, four assists, 16 shots, and two blocked shots. In two of his last three performances, he has produced six shots in each. The Red Wings are in the bottom five in both Scoring Chances Against Per 60 and Shots Against Per 60 in their last ten games when excluding splits. In what is a massive game with many playoff implications for both teams, expect Bunting to come out firing on all cylinders with three shots and one point.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Artemi Panarin (DK $9K || FD $10.2K)
- Jordan Eberle (DK $4.2K || FD $5.5K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Defensemen - NHL DFS Picks
Cam York - DK $4.6K || FD $5.3K
Opponent - New York Rangers
The Flyers are struggling to score right now and at the same time, York has not been producing points. Coincidence? Maybe not. Despite the lack of point production from York, he continues to generate peripherals like a madman, with 12 shots and 13 blocked shots in his most recent five appearances. The Flyers are essentially out of playoff contention at this point, leaving very little at stake for this game. However, if the Rangers win, they clinch the Division Title. This should be enough incentive to fire up York and the Flyers. Expect the two-way defenseman to generate two shots and three blocked shots.
Justin Schultz - DK $3.9K || FD $4.2K
Opponent - San Jose Sharks
This is nothing more than a speculative play if teammate and fellow blueliner Vince Dunn is not able to suit up for a third straight game. In the most recent two games where Schultz was elevated into Dunn’s role, he had one goal, two assists, six shots, and five blocked shots. In one of the best matchups of the night for under four thousand dollars on DraftKings, Schultz could be the value play of the slate.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
- Ryan Pulock (DK $4.1K || FD $4.6K)
- Owen Power (DK $3.7K || FD $4.3K)
NHL DFS Top Power Plays and Stacks
- FLA1
- SEA1
- PIT1
- NYR1
- LA1
NHL DFS Stacks of the Day
Brandon's Stack
- FLA: Tarasenko-Aleksander Barkov-Sam Reinhart
Chalk Stack
- SEA: Jaden Schwartz-Wright-Eberle
Sneaky Stack
- FLA: Eetu Luostarinen-Anton Lundell-Evan Rodrigues
NHL DFS News and Injury Alerts
More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis