FREE 04/09 NHL Cheat Sheet: Top DFS Plays

Tonight’s 5-game NHL slate offers a mix of intriguing matchups and some notable goaltending situations to consider for DFS lineups. The highest total on the board belongs to the Flames-Ducks game (6.5), where Dustin Wolf and Ville Husso are set to start in net, making it a prime spot to target offensive players. The Maple Leafs-Lightning game (6.0) also carries shootout potential, with Anthony Stolarz facing Andrei Vasilevskiy—Tampa Bay’s elite goalie could make stacking Toronto risky but rewarding.

Elsewhere, the Flyers-Rangers (5.5) could provide value opportunities with Samuel Ersson going up against Jonathan Quick, who has been inconsistent this season. On the later slate, both the Sharks-Wild and Blues-Oilers games also sit at 5.5 totals, though Edmonton’s offense always has upside regardless of matchup. With just five games, finding leverage spots will be key, especially in chalkier contests like Calgary-Anaheim or Toronto-Tampa Bay.

Top Stacks

MIN PP1 ($20,800)

Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek

The MIN PP1 stack of Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, and Joel Eriksson Ek comes with a total salary of $20,800 and is projected for 41.6 points, yielding a solid value of 2.00 pts/$1000. With an average ownership of 19.1% and an optimal lineup rate of 17.0%, the stack is slightly over-owned relative to its optimal rate, suggesting it may carry some leverage concerns in large-field tournaments. However, the strong raw point projection makes this power-play unit a high-upside option for DFS lineups despite its moderate inefficiency in ownership versus optimal context. This stack provides concentrated scoring potential on the man advantage but requires careful consideration due to its popularity.

TBL PP1 ($23,800)

Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point

The TBL PP1 stack of Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel, and Brayden Point offers a strong combination of projected points and value, with 41.1 projected points and a pts/$1000 value of 1.73. While the total salary is high at $23,800, the stack’s average ownership of 11.0% positions it as moderately popular, providing some leverage in tournaments. Its optimal lineup rate of 13.6% slightly exceeds its ownership, indicating a positive leverage score and making it a viable option for DFS lineups. This stack’s appeal lies in its ability to deliver elite upside relative to its cost while maintaining reasonable ownership levels for GPPs.

CGY PP1 ($18,600)

Nazem Kadri, MacKenzie Weegar, Jonathan Huberdeau

The CGY PP1 stack of Nazem Kadri, MacKenzie Weegar, and Jonathan Huberdeau is projected for 34.7 points at a total salary of $18,600, resulting in a value of 1.86 pts/$1000. While this value is reasonable for a power-play unit, the stack’s average ownership of 17.1% suggests it will be relatively popular in DFS contests. However, its optimal lineup rate of 11.6% indicates that it may be slightly over-owned relative to its likelihood of being a top-performing stack. This discrepancy between ownership and optimal rate should be considered when evaluating the stack’s utility in tournament lineups, as it may limit its leverage potential despite solid projection metrics.

C Plays

Top Play: Joel Eriksson Ek ($5,600)

Joel Eriksson Ek ($5,600) stands out as a strong play in his return to the lineup against the Sharks. San Jose has been one of the league’s weakest defensive teams this season, allowing the second-most goals per game and struggling on the penalty kill. Eriksson Ek’s role is appealing here, as he’s projected to center a line with Matt Boldy and Marcus Foligno while also seeing time on the second power-play unit. At a salary that provides solid value (2.03x), his 11.38-point projection and inclusion in 16.08% of optimal lineups make him one of the slate’s top options at center.

The 13.9% ownership is on the higher side but feels justified given his combination of role, matchup, and price point. The Sharks’ defensive issues create an ideal environment for Eriksson Ek to produce both at even strength and with the man advantage, giving him a nice mix of floor and ceiling for tournaments. While he won’t provide leverage in large fields due to his popularity, he’s still a strong foundational piece for lineups in this spot, especially given his ability to contribute across multiple categories like shots and blocked shots.

Honorable Mentions

• Nazem Kadri ($6,800)
• Auston Matthews ($9,200)
• Macklin Celebrini ($6,400)

W Plays

Top Play: Kirill Kaprizov ($7,500)

Kirill Kaprizov’s return from a lengthy injury layoff comes just in time for a dream matchup against the San Jose Sharks. At $7,500, he projects as the top tournament option on the slate with a 16.54 DK point projection and an impressive 20.4% optimal lineup rate. The Sharks rank near the bottom of the league in nearly every defensive metric, including goals allowed and penalty kill efficiency, which sets up well for Kaprizov’s power play involvement. While there may be some rust after missing 28 games, his talent level and role in Minnesota’s offense make him a strong play in all formats.

The main concern here is ownership—Kaprizov is projected to be rostered at 31.9%, far above the field average of 4.8%. While that level of chalk can be risky in tournaments, it feels justified given his upside in this matchup and reasonable salary for his ceiling. If you’re comfortable eating the ownership, Kaprizov provides an elite mix of floor and ceiling with a favorable game environment against one of the league’s weakest teams. For those seeking leverage, fading him or pivoting to lower-owned options on this slate could differentiate your lineups, but understand you’re passing on a player who checks nearly every box tonight.

Honorable Mentions

• Nikita Kucherov ($8,700)
• Matt Boldy ($7,700)
• Mats Zuccarello ($6,000)

D Plays

Top Play: MacKenzie Weegar ($6,300)

MacKenzie Weegar offers a solid mix of floor and ceiling in tonight’s matchup against the Ducks. His all-around contributions—43 points, 168 shots, 210 hits, and 174 blocked shots this season—showcase his ability to rack up fantasy points in multiple ways. Anaheim ranks near the bottom of the league in nearly every defensive metric, making this an ideal spot for Weegar to capitalize on both even-strength and power play opportunities. At $6,300 with a strong projection of 11.92 DK points and appearing in 13.4% of optimal lineups, he’s a reliable option despite the elevated salary.

The ownership at 18.7% is certainly high relative to most players on this slate, but it’s justifiable given his consistent production and favorable matchup. While he may not be the best leverage play for tournaments due to his popularity, his ability to generate value across multiple categories makes him less likely to disappoint. If you’re comfortable eating some chalk for stability in your lineup, Weegar is worth considering as one of the top defensemen on the board tonight.

Honorable Mentions

• Adam Fox ($6,100)
• Jake Walman ($5,300)
• Victor Hedman ($6,500)

G Plays

Top Play: Marc-Andre Fleury ($8,400)

Marc-Andre Fleury ($8,400) is in a prime spot against the San Jose Sharks, who rank second-worst in the league with just 2.55 goals per game. While his recent form has been shaky—posting an .865 save percentage and 4.06 GAA over his last three starts—this matchup offers an excellent opportunity for a bounce-back performance. Fleury’s career dominance against San Jose (20-5-4 record, 1.85 GAA, .940 save percentage) underscores his upside here, and Minnesota is heavily favored at home, which should boost his win equity.

At 16% ownership, Fleury will be one of the more popular goaltenders on the slate, but the chalk feels justified given his strong value (1.67x) and presence in over 20% of optimal lineups. His ceiling may not be massive due to his recent struggles, but his floor is solid given San Jose’s lackluster offense and Minnesota’s solid defensive structure. While he’s better suited for cash games or safer tournament builds than as a true leverage play, Fleury remains a strong option if you’re willing to eat some ownership at goalie.

Honorable Mentions

• Jordan Binnington ($7,600)
• Jonathan Quick ($8,200)
• Anthony Stolarz ($7,400)

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