NHL Plays will highlight the best and the most underrated daily fantasy options among forwards, defensemen and goaltenders.
Please note, these players were chosen early in the day, so make sure to check NBC Sports Edge’s player news for any lineup changes, injuries and potential changes in the crease for starting goaltenders.
Additionally, it is worth reminding everyone that FanDuel allows you to roster nine players (2C, 2W, 2D, 2UTIL, 1G) with a salary cap of $55,000, while DraftKings has a cap of $50,000 for nine players (2C, 3W, 2D, 1G, 1UTIL). Yahoo has a $200 cap for nine players (2C, 3W, 2D, 2G).
Editor’s Note: Don’t forget to download the NBC Sports EDGE app to receive real-time player news and updates. Plus, it allows you to easily track your favorite players. Get it here!
Don’t forget, for everything NHL, check out NBCSportsEdge Player News, and follow @NBCSEdge HK and @mfinewaxhockey on Twitter.
There are four games in the NHL Saturday with the Florida-Tampa Bay game only available in tiers on Draft Kings.
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Forwards
Auston Matthews (Toronto) - C - $8,600 (FanDuel), $9,200 (Draft Kings), $34 (Yahoo)
Matthews was held off the scoresheet in Game 1 against the Canadiens but the NHL’s Rocket Richard Trophy winner usually can’t be held back for two in a row. The Maple Leafs need a win to tie the series at 1 apiece so look for Matthews, who had 41 goals and 66 points in only 52 games, to take charge.
Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay) - W - $8,200 (FanDuel), Tiers (DraftKings), $33 (Yahoo)
Kucherov has returned to the ice with a bang as he has five points in three games after missing the entire 2020-21 regular season recovering from off-season hip surgery. The NHL’s Hart Trophy winner in 2019, is showing why he is one of the top players in the league. He is expensive but usually worth it.
Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida) -W- $7,700 (Fan Duel), Tiers (Draft Kings), $28 (Yahoo)
Huberdeau has been a top scorer in the NHL in each of the last three seasons and his 20 goals and 61 points this season included 24 points on the power play. He has had a pair of three-point games in the three contests against Tampa Bay thus far in the playoffs with one goal and five assists.
Bargain Bin: Sam Bennett (Florida) - C - $4,700 (FanDuel), Tiers (Draft Kings), $18 (Yahoo) Jeff Carter (Pittsburgh) – C/W - $5,600 (FanDuel) $5,500 (DraftKings), $19 (Yahoo), Reilly Smith (Vegas) – W - $4,800 (FanDuel), $4,600 (Draft Kings), $23 (Yahoo), Zach Hyman (Toronto) – W - $4,600 (FanDuel), $5,800 (DraftKings), $23 (Yahoo)
Defensemen:
Alex Pietrangelo (Vegas) - $6,300 (FanDuel), $6,200 (DraftKings), $20 (Yahoo)
It wasn’t a great season for the talented Pietrangelo as he has only seven goals and 23 points in 41 games this year but he was outstanding offensively at the end of the season with three goals and five points in his last five games. He has only one assist in three playoff games but the Golden Knights may have solved their lack of goal scoring on Thursday as they put a five-spot up against the Wild.
MacKenzie Weegar (Florida) - $4,400 (FanDuel), Tiers (DraftKings), $18 (Yahoo)
Weegar came into his own this season and then took his game to another level when Aaron Ekblad suffered his season-ending injury. Weegar had six goals and 36 points in 54 games, by far his best season in the NHL. He had an assist against the Lightning Thursday, his first point of the series but this has been a relatively high scoring best-of-seven and Weegar should get his fair share of points. Look for him to quarterback the first power play if the Panthers decide to bench Keith Yandle.
Bargain Bin:
Alec Martinez (Vegas) - $4,600 (FanDuel), $5,600 (DraftKings), $20 (Yahoo), Gustav Forsling (Florida) - $3,700 (FanDuel), Tiers (Draft Kings), $19 (Yahoo)
Goaltenders:
Semyon Varlamov (NY Islanders) - $7,600 (FanDuel), $7,800 (DraftKings), - $34 (Yahoo)
Varlamov is coming off a tough game as he gave up five goals to the Penguins on 27 shots in a Game 3 overtime loss. Varlamov has lost both starts in the playoffs while Ilya Sorokin has won in his only appearance but coach Barry Trotz will still likely return to his veteran netminder in an all-important Game 4 Saturday.
Other plays: Jack Campbell (Toronto) - $7,800 (FanDuel), $8,100 (Draft Kings), - $33 (Yahoo)
