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 25, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Be sure also to 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!
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NHL DFS Analysis and Picks for 4/25/24
We have finally made it!! Lord Stanley is here for the remainder of the season with many surprises in store!
Tonight we have a two-game slate and no teams playing on a back-to-back. The currently live top-three highest implied team totals are Carolina with 3.1, Tampa Bay with 3.1, and Florida with 3. I will do my best to guide you through this two-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.
Playoff Series To-Date
Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning: Florida is leading 2-0
Carolina Hurricanes at New York Islanders: Carolina is leading 2-0
DraftKings and FanDuel Goalies - NHL DFS Picks
Ilya Sorokin - DK $7.4K || FD $7.7K
Opponent - Carolina Hurricanes
Ilya Sorokin is expected to come off the bench for the Islanders' first home game of the postseason after watching teammate Semyon Varlamov start the first two games of the series in Carolina. In Sorokin’s last five starts of the regular season, he had a 3-1-1 record with a 2.39 Goals Against Average and a 0.926 Save Percentage. Carolina, at the end of the season, was one of the top teams in terms of raw value in Shots Per Goal Per 60, and considering they struggled for the majority in both games in Carolina, Sorokin could have a safe floor from saves alone. Down 2-0 in the series and in desperate need of a win, Sorokin and the Islanders are fighting with their backs against the wall, at home. This is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of what should turn into a scrappy series for the next two outings.
Others To Consider (Cash/GPP):
- Bobrovsky (DK $7.6K || FD $8.1K)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NHL DFS Picks
Anton Lundell - DK $3.6K || FD $5.3K
Opponent - Tampa Bay Lightning
As expected, Sam Bennett is now out for at least a week after taking a hit in Game Two of the series. In his place, Anton Lundell steps back up into the top six and will now center the second power-play unit for Florida. Lundell is not a stranger to a top-six role and running heavy minutes after doing so for both Bennett and teammate Aleksander Barkov numerous times this season. In Lundell’s most recent five games – including two postseason games –, he has one goal, two assists, nine shots, and two blocked shots. Considering that he will now play on the best line matchup for Florida and with much higher-skilled teammates, Lundell’s value is expected to skyrocket, alongside his production. Expect the center to produce two shots and one point in Game Three.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
Nelson (DK $5.3K || FD $7.3K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Wings - NHL DFS Picks
Andrei Svechnikov - DK $5.2K || FD $6.9K
Opponent - New York Islanders
Similar to the aforementioned Lundell, Andrei Svechnikov is also getting a line promotion, hopping from line three to line one with new linemates Jake Guentzel and Sebastian Aho. After a heavy stint with Jordan Staal and the third line, Svechnikov is finally getting called back up to the top line, with teammate Seth Jarvis falling down to the third. In the former’s most recent five outings – including two postseason games –he has one goal, six assists, 14 shots, and two blocked shots. The Islanders are playing league-average defense or worst in their last ten games, including their first two postseason games. If Carolina wants to sweep the Islanders, they need to ensure that Svechnikov and the top line are firing on all cylinders. Expect the winger to generate three shots and one point tonight in a crucial Game Three.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
Palmieri (DK $5K || FD $6.5K)
DraftKings and FanDuel Defensemen - NHL DFS Picks
Brady Skjei - DK $4.5K || FD $5.7K
Opponent - New York Islanders
As mentioned above, the Islanders have their backs against the wall coming into Game Three, their first home game of the postseason. Down 2-0 in the series, they are expected to be hungry, generating offense at every given chance, and this sets up the perfect narrative for Brady Skjei. The two-way defenseman has shined this season and has been featured in this article time and time again for his peripheral work. Throughout his last five appearances – with two postseason games –he has six assists, 12 shots, and six blocked shots. All it takes is for Skjei to get lucky off a bounce or set up a teammate, and he will instantly surpass volume, thanks to his consistent peripheral production. The defenseman is projected to produce two shots and three blocked shots at the very least.
Others To Consider (CASH/GPP):
Pulock (DK $4K || FD $4.5K)
NHL DFS Top Power Plays and Stacks
- FLA1
- NYI1
NHL DFS Stacks of the Day
Brandon's Stack
- NYI: Fasching-Nelson-Palmieri
Chalk Stack
- FLA: Verhaeghe-Lundell-Tkachuk
Sneaky Stack
- NYI: Lee-Pageau-Engvall
NHL DFS News and Injury Alerts
More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis