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Tom Vecchio's top NHL DFS lineup picks on FanDuel, DraftKings for 4/12/18. Expert daily fantasy hockey advice, sleepers & player recommendations.
The Stanley Cup Playoffs are here, and we have a three-game slate to kick things off. With this smaller slate, you will likely have to eat a bit of chalk in some spots but should be looking to differentiate where you can.
Vegas lines are big when it comes to picking games to target, and that's a good place to start for goalies. When it comes to skaters, goal totals is another main place to start. Usually, 5.5 goals are average, so targets game at six, and can look for goalies in games with a total of five.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy hockey lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 4/12/18. 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 @DFS_Tom. Let's get to it, shall we?
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DFS Forwards to Consider
Patrice Bergeron - C, BOS vs TOR (DK - $7,100, FD - $8,000)
Bergeron and the Bruins are looking to use their experience to carry them deep into the playoffs. He missed a few games throughout the season, but still finished with averaging over one point per game. He is the captain and on the first forward line, along with the first power-play unit, putting him in a nice spot for points. They are up against Toronto, who is a team you shouldn't be afraid of defensively and has serious struggles on defense through large parts of this season.
Cam Atkinson - W, CLS @ WAS (DK - $6,600, FD - $6,800)
Atkinson ended the year with 13 points in his last nine games, and we are hoping he can continue that production in the playoffs. The Blue Jackets are the underdog in this series, but still offers plenty of upside. If you use him in a stack, it should be lowered owned, thus putting you in a good spot for tournaments. He is on the first forward line and the first power-play unit, so the multi-point upside will be there for him. In the regular season, he took over three shots per game, so he can get the offense going by himself.
Alex Ovechkin - W, WAS vs CLS (DK - $7,800, FD - $8,800)
Ovi will clearly make one of the chalkier options on this slate, and that is with good reason. He is one of very few players in the playoffs who has true multi-goal upside any game, so if you have the salary, you should be looking to play him. Top forward line, the top power-play unit for him, and takes a ton of shots every game, making him viable for all formats.
DFS Defenders to Consider
Brent Burns - D, SJ @ ANH (DK - $7,100, FD - $7,300)
On a slate this size, it's tough to fade some of the top options, and this is not the spot to do so. Burns is one of, if not the most consistent player in NHL DFS for a number of reasons. He can contribute in multiple categories, plays nearly 30 minutes a game, and sees time on the power-play. He took over four shots per game in the regular season, blocked over one shot per game, making him one of the best plays on the board tonight.
Ryan McDonagh - D, TB vs NJ (DK - $4,500, FD - $4,700)
McDonagh is a cheaper option when it comes to defense, but is mainly a GPP play. He is on the second power-play unit and the second defensive pairing, and now up against a shaky Devils defense. This should give just enough of an opening for the secondary units on Tampa to score. He takes a few shots per game, blocks a few, but need to use him in a stack for his offensive upside.
DFS Goalies to Consider
John Gibson - G, ANH vs SJ (DK - $8,100, FD - $8,600)
This game has an over-under sitting at five, which is the lowest on the slate, so you should be considering some goalies here. Gibson had a mixed end to the season, where he got pulled from his last game with an injury. He should be good to go for this game and makes a solid play all around. Not the biggest favorite to come away with the win, but he will see a solid amount of shots and has a good defense in front of him.
