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Chris Wassel's top NHL DFS lineup picks on FanDuel, DraftKings for 4/1/19. Expert daily fantasy hockey advice, sleepers & player recommendations.
We get a robust eight-game main slate tonight for both DraftKings and FanDuel. Also, there are quite a few teams in action who are in the playoff hunt. You should be looking at teams in higher over-under games. Calgary features the only team to be on the back end of a back to back on Monday night.
There are two games who have an over/under of 6.5 (Washington-Florida and Winnipeg-Chicag0). Remember, when picking around for plays, an over/under of 6.5 dictates offense, but an over/under of 5.5 tilts towards the goalies. Watch to see what the Tampa Bay and Ottawa contest is set at. It could go anywhere from 6.5 to 7.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy hockey lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/1/19. The lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @ChrisWasselDFS. Let's get to it, shall we?
DFS Forwards to Consider
Mika Zibanejad - C, NYR vs NJD (FD - $7,000, DK - $6,600)
Zibanejad staying healthy has been so important in his production this year. He has 72 points in 78 games and 23 power play points. This goes with the 30 goal season on 226 shots. The biggest thing for the first-line center is he draws a prime matchup against New Jersey. Zibanejad scores a metric ton of points this season against the Devils with eight points in just three games. This includes two power-play goals against a top-three ranked penalty kill. The New York top line has had New Jersey's number all year. Honestly, it would surprise no one if that happened again. Projections suggest another good night above value for the center. Aleksander Barkov is another good option on Monday night. Mathew Barzal may be one to watch against a porous Toronto Maple Leafs team.
Patrick Kane - W, CHI vs WPG (FD - $8,700, DK - $7,100)
Kane lucked out on the assist he got over the weekend but was unlucky in every other way. The winger had eight shots on net and six scoring chances in what looked more like the Kane most are used to seeing. The Chicago forward scored just once in his previous ten games. That is a truly a biblical slump for the winger. Winnipeg comes in allowing 18 goals in their last five games and has lost four of their last five contests. The Jets' road penalty kill is just under 76% since the All-Star Break. There feels like a bevy of higher-priced options on the wing for Monday night. Some of those include Alex Ovechkin, Nikita Kucherov, and Leon Draisaitl for starters.
DFS Defenders to Consider
Tyson Barrie - D, COL vs STL (FD - $6,200, DK - $5,900)
Barrie provided us more clutch points with ten points overall in his last ten games. His floor is good enough to offset his high-price tag (5,5 shots and blocked shots per night). St. Louis has been as hot as Colorado of late (four wins in five games) so this matchup will not be quite as easy. However, going a little outside the box can be okay on a bigger than usual Monday night slate. Colorado will have a chance to put some more space between themselves and Arizona while St. Louis is battling for the Central Division. This could provide much urgency and offers a bounty of options. One could look at Alex Pietrangelo or Vincent Dunn. Elsewhere, Mark Giordano has to be considered in cash games.
Erik Gustafson - D, CHI vs WPG (FD - $6,200, DK - $5,700)
Gustafson scored again on Saturday against Los Angeles and has eight points in his preceding nine games. The defenseman averages three shots a game and nearly two blocks per night as well. That floor is high enough to be considered among the highest priced blueliners on Monday night. Gustafson generates quite a few scoring chances on the power play but has been a bit snakebit in his last ten contests (0 power-play points). He could be due there and consider his even-strength production. The Chicago blueliner could be in for an excellent night against a Winnipeg team afraid to make mistakes. See if Victor Hedman plays (upper-body injury). Finally, some options could be John Carlson, Ryan McDonagh, and even Ryan Pulock.
DFS Goalies to Consider
Robin Lehner - G, NYI vs TOR (FD - $8,200, DK - $7,500)
Lehner projects to start on Monday night against Toronto. This will not be an easy play but the Islanders goalie could face 30+ shots on goal and has a higher chance of a win than most think. Lehner winning four straight starts aids in this cause. In those games, he has a .944 save percentage and a goals-against average under two. Toronto does have 18 goals scored in their last five contests but New York has won both twice and convincingly against the Maple Leafs. Toronto's high shot output only lends itself to playing the Islanders' goalie in GPP's. Also, there is that DraftKings price. Watch to see which other goalies are confirmed. Andrei Vasilevskiy will be the cash goalie but that price will make some weary. Jordan Binnington could be a play on Monday night in net for St. Louis at home.
