Welcome to the Daily Fantasy Hockey (NHL DFS) lineup picks article for April 15th of the 2015/2016 NHL season. Each day we'll be providing you with a handful of forward, defensemen, and goaltender picks for DraftKings and FanDuel GPP and cash games.
The NHL postseason is upon us, and it's one of the most wonderful times of the year. Especially since there's still plenty of DFS action on DraftKings and FanDuel for at least the first two rounds.
With four games on the schedule tonight, there will be plenty of players to target for DFS lineups.
Three of the matchups - Detroit vs. Tampa Bay, New York vs. Florida, and Chicago vs. St. Louis - are all in the second game of the series. Tonight marks the start of the series between the Predators and Ducks.
Check out my DFS picks for Friday night below.
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NHL DFS Picks for Friday, April 15th
A couple strategy notes. For cash game construction look for players who can contribute to your score when they are not providing offense. Examples are guys who take a ton of shots, defensemen who block a lot of shots(DraftKings). Also, look for guys who get powerplay time and especially Top 6 forwards. You can find value in players who join a new line due to an injury or just get a promotion and more ice time.
For large field tournaments (GPP's) you want to find payers who have multi-point upside and can grab double-digit fantasy points. To stack the most upside in your forwards, a common strategy is to punt the defenseman position. This doesn't mean just grab anyone. Try and look for a D-man who will be playing more PP time or might get a boost in overall playing time due to an injury.
Let's take a look at some solid plays for today's action.
John Gibson - Goaltender, Ducks (DraftKings - $7,800 FanDuel - $8,700)
As of this writing Anaheim has yet to name a starting netminder for the first matchup with Nashville. John Gibson is listed first on the depth chart, and seems to be the likely candidate. If he does indeed get the nod, he'll make a good play for DFS lineups. Gibson finished the regular season with four wins in his last six starts of the regular season. Anaheim is a solid team with a favorable matchup against Nashville in the first round. If Frederik Andersen is the one to start, he also makes a solid play for your lineup.
Ryan Kesler - Center, Ducks (DraftKings - $5,800 FanDuel - $7,100)
The veteran center put up fantastic numbers for the Ducks this season, racking up 53 total points, his highest total since the 2010-11 season. He ended the season on a high note, dishing out two helpers in the season finale against Washington. Kesler has five points in his last four games and will look to carry that momentum into the postseason. The big knock on him is that he doesn't shoot a ton, but the penalty minutes and positive rating give him an extra boost on FanDuel.
Paul Stastny - Center, Blues (DraftKings - $5,000 FanDuel - $5,900)
Stastny was kept off the scoresheet Wednesday night, but don't shy away from him tonight. He's coming off a very solid season that saw him become a valuable fantasy commodity down the stretch, finishing with 10 points in his final eight games of the regular season. Drafting Stastny will allow you to spend bigger money elsewhere. He's an excellent value play tonight, just don't expect a ton of shots from the veteran center.
Patrick Kane - Winger, Blackhawks (DraftKings - $8,800 FanDuel - $8,700)
Kane was an absolute fantasy beast this season. He was a stud in the regular season, putting up career highs in goals (46), assists (60), and points (106). Although he failed to register a point in Wednesday's game, he finished the regular season with a five-game point streak and 14 points in the final eight games. Kane produces in every category and should remain a fantasy star in the postseason. Choosing Kane will cost you big, but his production should certainly match the price.
Jakob Silfverberg - Winger, Ducks (DraftKings - $5,300 FanDuel - $6,400)
Silfverberg tied his career high with 39 points this season. He really came on at the end of the season, picking up eight points in the final nine games of the regular season. He's got a decent price, and is capable of good production. Despite not getting you much in the way of shots on penalty minutes, he does have a rating of plus-8. Silfverberg presents an excellent opportunity for a sleeper pick tonight.
Nikita Kucherov - Winger, Lightning (DraftKings - $7,100 FanDuel - $7,800)
Kucherov finished the regular season hot with 11 points in the final nine games. He continued the good play Wednesday with a huge performance in a Game 1 win against the Red Wings. The 22-year-old scored twice and dished out a helper. He's been a proven fantasy producer all season and continues to be a solid start for DFS lineups. Kucherov needs to be in your lineup tonight, despite the fact that his salary has continued to rise steadily.
Mike Green - Defenseman, Red Wings (DraftKings - $5,400 FanDuel - $4,700)
Green isn't the offensive machine he was during his early years in Washington, but he proved Wednesday that he can still come up big in big moments. He scored Detroit's first goal of the 2016 Playoffs when he found the back of the net in the second period. Green still gets good ice time and can shoot the puck at a good rate when given the chance. His price tag isn't overly high, making him an excellent sleeper choice for lineups tonight.
Colton Parayko - Defenseman, Blues (DraftKings - $4,900 FanDuel - $4,900)
Defenseman is usually a position at which you can find some good value picks, and tonight is no different. One of those is St. Louis blueliner Colton Parayko. The rookie had a fantastic season, putting up nine goals and 24 assists. Although he doesn't score a ton, he can still put up fantasy points, especially on DraftKings, with his ability to block shots. During Game 1 with the Blackhawks, he blocked five shots and took three shots on goal. He also took two penalty minutes, and is extremely valuable on FanDuel with his remarkable plus-28 rating.
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