FREE 04/25 NHL Cheat Sheet: Top DFS Plays

Tonight’s 3-game NHL slate offers a mix of intriguing matchups and potential DFS value. The Kings-Oilers game stands out with the highest total on the board at 6.0, making it a prime spot for targeting offensive firepower. Calvin Pickard is confirmed in net for Edmonton, which could open the door for some opportunities on the Kings’ side as well. Meanwhile, both the Capitals-Canadiens and Hurricanes-Devils games sit at 5.5 totals, with solid goaltending expected in each matchup that might make scoring harder to come by.

With only three games, ownership is likely to condense around popular plays, so finding leverage will be key. Pay close attention to how you approach stacking in the higher-total game while keeping an eye on value options from Washington and Montreal, where Logan Thompson and Sam Montembeault face off in goal. It’s a small slate, but there’s enough here to build competitive lineups if you’re strategic with your exposure.

Top Stacks

EDM PP1 ($24,500)

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard

The EDM PP1 stack of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard is a high-upside option with a projected total of 42.0 points at a salary of $24,500, yielding a solid value of 1.71 pts/$1000. This makes it one of the more efficient high-cost stacks on the slate in terms of raw production relative to salary. Its average ownership sits at 14.3%, which is moderate for a premium stack, but its optimal lineup rate of 22.3% highlights its strong leverage potential in tournaments. This combination of high projection, reasonable ownership, and an optimal rate exceeding its ownership suggests that the stack offers both ceiling and efficiency as part of lineup construction strategies.

NJD PP1 ($18,400)

Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, Jesper Bratt

The NJD PP1 stack of Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and Jesper Bratt offers strong projected production with 31.7 points at a combined salary of $18,400, translating to a solid value of 1.72 pts/$1000. Its average ownership sits at 15.3%, which is moderately high but still reasonable given its optimal lineup rate of 18.0%, indicating it is slightly underutilized relative to its chances of being optimal. This combination of strong projection, efficient value, and positive leverage in the context of ownership versus optimal rate makes this stack a viable option for DFS lineups without being overly chalky.

MTL PP1 ($18,400)

Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson

The MTL PP1 stack of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Lane Hutson is projected for 32.4 points at a total salary of $18,400, resulting in a solid value of 1.76 points per $1000. This value places the stack in a competitive range for DFS consideration, especially given its balanced combination of ceiling and cost efficiency. The average ownership rate of 17.6% aligns closely with its optimal lineup rate of 17.5%, indicating that the stack is neither significantly overvalued nor undervalued in terms of expected performance versus popularity. This makes it a fairly neutral play in tournaments, offering reliable upside without significant leverage against the field.

C Plays

Top Play: Nick Suzuki ($6,900)

Nick Suzuki ($6,900) stands out as a strong play in both cash games and tournaments tonight. His projection of 12.08 DraftKings points and 27.5% optimal lineup rate highlight his high floor and ceiling combination, making him worth the investment despite his moderate price tag. The matchup against Washington is solid, as the Capitals have struggled defensively this season, particularly against top-line centers. Suzuki’s consistent production—15 goals and 37 points over his last 26 games—further supports his case as one of the slate’s more reliable options.

At 20.7% projected ownership, Suzuki will be one of the more popular plays on the slate, but the chalk seems warranted given his recent form and role as Montreal’s offensive leader. His value at 1.75x is among the best for players in this salary range, and with significant ice time and power play exposure, he offers a safe floor with plenty of upside for tournaments. While he won’t provide much leverage due to his popularity, fading him comes with significant risk given how often he appears in optimal lineups.

Honorable Mentions

• Connor McDavid ($9,000)
• Nico Hischier ($5,700)

W Plays

Top Play: Leon Draisaitl ($8,500)

Leon Draisaitl is in a strong spot tonight despite his elevated $8,500 salary. His projection of 15.06 DK points and a 31.24% optimal lineup rate highlight his value in this slate, especially given his role alongside Connor McDavid against the Kings. While Los Angeles is typically a tough defensive team, their penalty kill has been inconsistent, and Draisaitl’s elite power-play role makes him a dangerous threat in this matchup. His floor is bolstered by his ability to generate consistent scoring chances, and with three points and six shots through the first two games of the series, he’s clearly involved offensively.

The main concern here is ownership, as Draisaitl is projected at 18.5%, well above the slate average of 7.9%. While that makes him chalky in tournaments, it’s not without reason—his ceiling remains one of the highest on the slate, and fading him comes with significant risk given his combination of talent and opportunity. If you’re looking to differentiate your lineup while still rostering Draisaitl, consider pairing him with less popular Oilers skaters or building around lower-owned stacks elsewhere to create leverage. Ultimately, he’s a justifiable spend-up option with both safety and upside in this game environment.

Honorable Mentions

• Alex Ovechkin ($8,000)
• Adrian Kempe ($6,500)

D Plays

Top Play: John Carlson ($5,200)

John Carlson ($5,200) stands out as one of the top defense options on this slate, and his combination of value and upside makes him difficult to ignore. Projected for 10.25 DraftKings points with a strong 23.8% optimal lineup rate, Carlson’s role as Washington’s primary power-play quarterback gives him a significant edge against Montreal’s penalty kill, which has been middle-of-the-pack this season. His ability to contribute across multiple categories—51 points, 131 blocks, and 49 hits in 79 games—provides both a high floor and ceiling at this salary. Skating alongside Jakob Chychrun on the top pairing only enhances his potential for even-strength production in what should be a favorable matchup.

At 19.8% projected ownership, Carlson will be one of the chalkier plays at his position, but it’s chalk that feels justified given his price point and optimal lineup percentage. While fading him in tournaments could provide some leverage, the risk of missing out on his multi-category contributions may outweigh the reward unless you have a strong pivot option. Ultimately, Carlson offers excellent value for both cash games and GPPs, especially when factoring in his prominent role on the Capitals’ blue line and the favorable game environment against Montreal.

Honorable Mentions

• Dougie Hamilton ($5,500)
• Jake Walman ($4,600)

G Plays

Top Play: Jacob Markstrom ($7,400)

Jacob Markstrom ($7,400) presents an intriguing option in net for tournaments despite the challenging matchup against Carolina. His postseason numbers have been solid, with a .930 save percentage through two games, but a lack of offensive support has left him winless in this series. At his price point, Markstrom offers strong value (1.52x) and appears in 20.1% of optimal lineups, making him a viable play for those targeting upside at goalie. The Hurricanes are an aggressive offensive team, which should result in plenty of save opportunities—key for fantasy production even if the win remains elusive.

However, his projected ownership (18.4%) is on the higher side relative to other goalies, which makes him more of a neutral play in terms of leverage. While the chalk may be justified given his value and optimal rate, there’s some risk here given Carolina’s ability to generate high-danger chances and New Jersey’s struggles to provide goal support. Ultimately, Markstrom is best suited for tournament lineups where you’re willing to embrace volatility while banking on his ability to rack up saves and possibly steal a win.

Honorable Mentions

• Sam Montembeault ($7,200)
• Darcy Kuemper ($7,600)

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