FREE 04/04 NHL Cheat Sheet: Top DFS Plays

Tonight’s 3-game NHL slate offers a mix of tight defensive matchups and a potential shootout to target. The highest total on the board is in Chicago at Washington (6.5), where Spencer Knight and Charlie Lindgren are confirmed starters. With both teams capable of offensive outbursts but not exactly locked down defensively, this game could be a prime spot for stacking. Meanwhile, Carolina heads to Detroit in a game with a modest 5.5 total, featuring Pyotr Kochetkov and Cam Talbot in net—likely more appealing for goaltender options than skaters.

The final game of the night has Minnesota visiting the Islanders, another 5.5 total that could lean heavily on the goalies. Filip Gustavsson and Ilya Sorokin are two of the better netminders on this slate, so while goals may be harder to come by here, either goalie makes for an intriguing DFS play. With fewer games to work with tonight, finding value in secondary stacks or lower-rostered players will be key to building competitive lineups.

Top Stacks

WSH PP1 ($19,400)

Alex Ovechkin, John Carlson, Tom Wilson

The WSH PP1 stack of Alex Ovechkin, John Carlson, and Tom Wilson offers a strong combination of projected production and value. With a total salary of $19,400, the stack is projected for 37.3 points, resulting in a solid value of 1.92 pts/$1000. Ownership sits at an average of 30.6%, aligning closely with its optimal lineup rate of 30.9%, which suggests the stack is appropriately leveraged in contests. As a power-play unit, this trio provides concentrated upside in high-value scoring situations, making it a viable option despite its relatively high ownership. The near-parity between ownership and optimal rate indicates the stack is neither overly contrarian nor excessively chalky, offering balanced utility in DFS lineups.

CAR PP1 ($19,600)

Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Taylor Hall

The CAR PP1 stack of Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, and Taylor Hall offers strong projected production with 31.4 points at a total salary of $19,600, resulting in a solid value of 1.60 pts/$1000. With an average ownership of 18.2% and an optimal lineup rate of 18.5%, this stack is well-aligned with its expected efficiency in DFS contests, indicating it is neither significantly over- nor under-owned relative to its upside. The power-play correlation among these players enhances their ceiling potential, making them a viable option for both cash games and tournaments where correlated scoring can create leverage within lineups. Overall, this stack provides a balanced combination of value, ownership, and optimal rate consistency for its price point.

MIN PP1 ($16,900)

Matt Boldy, Mats Zuccarello, Frederick Gaudreau

The Minnesota PP1 stack of Matt Boldy, Mats Zuccarello, and Frederick Gaudreau offers a solid combination of projected production and value at a total salary of $16,900. With a projection of 28.2 points, the stack provides a respectable value of 1.67 points per $1000, making it an efficient option in terms of cost. The average ownership rate of 12.4% places it in moderately contested territory, but its optimal lineup rate of 15.0% suggests it is slightly underutilized relative to its chances of success in GPPs. This positive leverage indicates the stack could be a valuable play for tournaments while maintaining a competitive balance between ownership and upside potential.

C Plays

Top Play: Sebastian Aho ($7,200)

Sebastian Aho is in a strong spot tonight against Detroit, making him a viable option despite his high $7,200 salary. The Red Wings have struggled defensively, and their penalty kill ranks in the bottom half of the league, which bodes well for Aho’s significant power-play role. He’s been productive lately, closing out March with 12 points in 14 games, including seven goals. His shot volume (189 shots on the season) gives him a stable floor, and his ability to contribute across all situations—evidenced by seven shorthanded points—adds to his ceiling. With a projection of 11.5 DK points and appearing in over 25% of optimal lineups, Aho has both floor and upside at this price point.

The main consideration here is ownership, as Aho is expected to be rostered by roughly 24.4% of the field—well above the average player’s ownership. While that level of chalk can feel risky in tournaments, it’s justifiable given his consistent production and favorable matchup against Detroit’s suspect defense. If you’re willing to eat some chalk for safety, Aho makes sense as part of your core builds. However, in large-field GPPs, consider differentiating elsewhere if you roster him to avoid being too aligned with the field.

Honorable Mentions

• Bo Horvat ($6,200)
• Dylan Strome ($5,800)
• Dylan Larkin ($6,900)

W Plays

Top Play: Alex Ovechkin ($8,000)

Alex Ovechkin is in a prime spot tonight against Chicago, and his DFS profile backs up the chalky ownership. At $8,000, he’s projected for 15.72 DK points and appears in 38.3% of optimal lineups, ranking first among all skaters in tournament projections. The Blackhawks have struggled defensively all season, allowing the fourth-most goals per game (3.65), and their penalty kill ranks near the bottom of the league. This sets up perfectly for Ovechkin, who continues to dominate on the power play with his lethal one-timer from the left circle. With Washington still leaning heavily on him for scoring, his floor remains secure thanks to high shot volume, and his ceiling is immense given Chicago’s defensive vulnerabilities.

The 37.4% ownership may scare some off in tournaments, but it’s hard to argue against Ovechkin being worth it as chalk in this matchup. He’s been chasing history with three goals needed to surpass Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record, which only adds to his motivation and potential upside here. While fading him might create some leverage in large-field GPPs, you’re passing on elite value (1.97x) and a massive ceiling opportunity that could easily break the slate if he delivers one of his signature multi-goal performances. If you’re eating chalk anywhere tonight, Ovi feels like one of the safest bets on the board.

Honorable Mentions

• Tom Wilson ($5,800)
• Seth Jarvis ($7,000)
• Matt Boldy ($7,400)

D Plays

Top Play: John Carlson ($5,600)

John Carlson ($5,600) stands out as a strong DFS option in his matchup against the Blackhawks. Chicago has struggled defensively all season, ranking near the bottom of the league in goals allowed and penalty kill efficiency. Carlson’s role as Washington’s top power-play quarterback puts him in an excellent spot to exploit these weaknesses. His recent production has been steady, with points in two of his last three games, and he continues to contribute across categories with 144 shots and 118 blocks on the season. At this salary, his value (1.94x) is solid, and with a projection of 10.89 DK points, he offers both a reliable floor and ceiling potential.

The main drawback here is ownership, as Carlson is expected to be rostered by 28.3% of the field—well above average. While this makes him chalky, it’s justified given his consistent usage and matchup upside against Chicago’s leaky defense. He also appears in over 30% of optimal lineups, signaling strong lineup-building utility even at elevated popularity. For cash games or single-entry contests, Carlson is a safe play who checks all the boxes for floor and upside. In GPPs, he remains viable but may require differentiation elsewhere in your lineup to offset his high ownership.

Honorable Mentions

• Jakob Chychrun ($6,100)
• Noah Dobson ($6,300)
• Moritz Seider ($6,000)

G Plays

Top Play: Filip Gustavsson ($7,600)

Filip Gustavsson ($7,600) stands out as a strong option in net tonight despite his elevated ownership (30.3%). The Islanders rank 25th in goals per game (2.72), offering a favorable matchup for the Minnesota goalie. Gustavsson has been reliable all season with a .916 save percentage and five shutouts over 53 games, and his projection of 14.2 DraftKings points reflects his consistency. He also appears in 32.6% of optimal lineups, further supporting his viability as a high-floor play with the potential for upside if Minnesota can limit scoring chances.

The main concern here is ownership, as Gustavsson will be one of the most popular goalies on the slate. While that limits his appeal in tournaments where differentiation is key, it’s hard to argue against the chalk given his value (1.86x) and favorable matchup against an offensively limited Islanders team. If you’re comfortable eating the ownership, he’s a solid anchor for cash games or single-entry lineups. For GPPs, consider pivoting to lower-owned options if you’re looking to differentiate your build.

Honorable Mentions

• Charlie Lindgren ($8,400)
• Ilya Sorokin ($7,800)
• Pyotr Kochetkov ($8,100)

Good luck today! Make sure to check the Lineup Optimizer for latest updates before lock. Visit DFS Hero for our full suite of DFS tools including the Lineup Optimizer, Contest Simulator, Player Projections, and Ownership Projections. Use code HEROPLAY15 to get 15% off your first month!