Thursday features a six-game main NHL slate starting at 7:00 p.m. ET on DraftKings. In this article, you will find DFS advice for DraftKings lineups, plus some DraftKings Sportsbook bets to target.
Set your DraftKings fantasy hockey lineups here: NHL $30K Sticks [$10K to 1st]
DraftKings Sportsbook
Boston Bruins Puck line (-1.5) +128 vs. New York Rangers
The Rangers are in massive turmoil after they fired their GM and lost their best player, Artemi Panarin, to injury. The Bruins have played good hockey to end the year and come in with wins in four of their past five games. Furthermore, Boston has been an absolute cover machine of late, covering the puck line in nine of their past 12 contests. The plus money here on the B’s is very enticing today.
Nick Suzuki to score a 1+ points (-114) / to score 2+ points (+425)
I’ve included both options here to cater to different risk levels, but I like targeting the player props on Suzuki today, nonetheless. The Canadiens forward enters with 11 points in his past 10 games and is playing alongside the Canadiens’ most skilled goal-scorer in Tyler Toffoli. The Leafs are fifth-to-last in penalty kill percentage, so the +425 on the 2+ points is definitely worth thinking about here if you want a little bigger odds and don’t mind the increased risk. It’s a solid night to target the Montreal forward in betting and DFS.
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Top Line Stack
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Buffalo Sabres
Sidney Crosby ($7,500) — Bryan Rust ($6,700) — Jake Guentzel ($6,800)
The Penguins' top line continues to be one of the more elite units in the league as they enter this game third in total goals scored as a line this season. The Penguins remain in a dog fight for first in their division, so there should be no relenting here in terms of ice time for these three. In a great matchup their last time out, this trio combined for 64 DKFP and they face a Buffalo team today which has resorted to fourth- and fifth-string goalies to end the year and ranks second-to-last in goals allowed per game.
While there are plenty of great matchups on the slate today, this line’s production has been reliable for most of the second half of the season and they remain quite affordable compared to other top lines. They’re one of the best stacking targets to pay up for given the matchup here.
Superstar to Target
Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes vs. Chicago Blackhawks ($7,200)
While we’ve seen strong finishes from a lot of high-priced talent, let’s give a little love to a player who has also been on fire of late but won’t break the bank in terms of salary. Aho enters this game with 17 points over his past 10 games and has averaged a healthy 17.3 DKFP over that span. While that doesn’t quite put him in the same stratosphere as players like Connor McDavid ($9,100) or Auston Matthews ($9,000), he’s also $2,000 cheaper and has a great matchup.
Chicago has really tailed off to end the year and enter this game with a negative 27-goal differential and having given up the most scoring chances against on the season. The Blackhawks have also allowed 27 goals against in their past five games and have already allowed five points to Aho in their first two meetings. With Carolina still in need of at least one more win to close out the division title, look for Aho to stay hot in a great fantasy matchup.
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Value on Offense
Anthony Beauvillier, New York Islanders vs. New Jersey Devils ($3,800)
Beauvillier enters this game having landed four goals and five points total in his past four games. The winger has been taking on a larger offensive role of late for the offensively-challenged Isles and he comes into this game having landed an incredible 21 SOG over his past four games. The Isles also get a great opponent in the Devils, who have the worst penalty kill in the league — a great thing for Beauvillier’s fantasy chances as he gets solid PP1 minutes. Continue to target the red-hot winger until the season ends.
Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs ($4,300)
It’s been a while since we’ve targeted a Canadien in the value or forward category, but Suzuki is having a solid end to the season. He enters with 11 points in his past 10 games and has also been a solid catalyst on the power play for Montreal, as he’s landed four power-play points in his past four games. The Leafs still grade out with the fifth-worst penalty kill in the league and make for a solid enough opponent for Suzuki, who has done well anchoring a top-six line and the Canadiens’ PP1, alongside Tyler Toffoli ($6,100). Suzuki’s a great value and makes for a good contrarian stack target with Toffoli.
Stud Goalies
Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins vs. New York Rangers ($8,100)
Rask enters this game on a three-game win streak and having stopped 74 of the last 77 shots he’s faced. After getting the night off in the Bruins’ last game, Rask should get the start here against a Rangers team that is now clearly out of the playoff picture and in turmoil. With Rask playing well and the Bruins sitting as -205 favorites on the ML, paying up the Boston netminder is recommended if you can spare the cash.
Mackenzie Blackwood, New Jersey Devils at New York Islanders ($7,200)
Don’t look now, but the Devils have been getting some solid goaltending to end their season. Blackwood has won four games in a row and put up 24.2 and 18.6 DKFP in his last two games. The Islanders' offense shouldn’t scare anyone and they could also be down Mathew Barzal (questionable; $5,300) again. The Islanders come in ranked 23rd in power-play efficiency and 20th in goals scored per game. Blackwood’s still a risky option, given the Devils' defensive issues, but makes for a good pay down target in GPPs given his form and the opponent.
Value on Defense
Mike Reilly, Boston Bruins vs. New York Rangers ($3,200)
Reilly continues to be a good value target for DFS purposes as the Boston defenseman is seeing over 20 minutes per game and continues to get worked into the power-play rotation for the B’s. Even without a ton of power-play exposure, though, he’s been a consistent playmaker, with six regular-strength assists in his past 10 starts. He also hasn’t dipped under 5.0 DKFP in his past four starts. The Rangers are depleted here, giving the likelihood of a Bruins breakout more validity tonight — a scenario which would only boost the chances of a good return from Reilly. He’s a solid paydown option if you need big savings on defense.
Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks ($3,200)
We’ll have to watch the official starting lineups here today, but given that Bouchard played over 20 minutes in his last game and got power-play exposure — including scoring a goal —the young D-man seems likely to slot back in the lineup today. Bouchard’s a great two-way player who has a terrific matchup against a Canucks team that is terrible defensively and just playing out the string. Bouchard would be a prime pay-down target if he gets another start.
Power-Play Defensemen
Jeff Petry, Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs ($5,500)
The Canadiens’ power-play has a solid matchup here against the Leafs, who — despite leading their division — enter with the fifth-worst penalty kill in the league. Petry has been anchoring the Canadiens’ PP1 to end the year and enters averaging a point-per-game over his past 10 starts. As I alluded to above, Montreal’s power-play is a sneaky contrarian target tonight in a game that does have a 6.0 O/U attached to it. He’s a solid pay up target on a slate where paying on defense has some appeal.
Set your DraftKings fantasy hockey lineups here: NHL $30K Sticks [$10K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
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