Below are breakdowns of the game’s on tonight’s four-game NHL DFS slate.
Colorado @ Detroit
The Avs have the highest implied goal total of the slate per Vegas, and they have the best matchup of the slate per my matchup stat. They’ll be chalky, and their top line, which is arguably the best in hockey, will be heavily owned. As a result, you’ll need some exposure to Nathan MacKinnon’s line in cash, and preferably you’ll just roster MacKinnon. Gabriel Landeskog is the cheapest way to get exposure to the line, and he’s noticeably cheaper than his linemates on FD. Samuel Girard is the D-man who plays with the top line on the top PP unit, and he’s a cheaper way to get exposure to that line. The same goes for second line Colin Wilson who plays up on the top PP unit.
The Avs are the biggest favorite of the slate at -160, so Semyon Varlamov is a fine option in net for cash games. However, he’s the most expensive goalie of the slate on both sites, so we’ll look for some other cheap cash options elsewhere.
San Jose @ Montreal
This game has game stack potential. Three of tonight’s four games have an elevated over/under of six, and of those three, this is the only game with a very close moneyline. That means both teams have a good chance to score tonight. Both teams also have plus matchups per my matchup stat, mainly due to subpar goal tending for both teams. San Jose has the third highest implied total of the slate, so they’re a good cash option. And it’s a viable option to stack skaters form both teams in GPP lineups.
For the Habs, the Max Domi line is the preferred line from their top six. Phillip Danault’s line will have the tougher matchup against San Jose’s top line, which also tends to skate with Erik Karlsson’s tough D pair in road games. Domi is joined by Jonathan Drouin and Andrew Shaw, with Drouin also joining Domi on the top PP unit. Defenseman Shea Weber has returned and has reclaimed his place on Montreal’s top PP unit.
On the flip side, the Danault line is the much better defensive line, so you’ll want to go with Sharks taking on the Domi line. With the Danault line taking on SK1, it’s Logan Couture’s line that is preferable. Tomas Hertl joins Couture at even strength and on the top PP unit, so they make for a good stack. Defenseman Brent Burns is more likely to play with that line at even strength.
Calgary @ Chicago
Calgary is the second biggest favorite of the night, and because the game has an over/under of six, the Flames have the second highest implied total. Calgary has a slightly above average matchup per my matchup stat, and the Hawks are playing for the second night in a row, so the Flames are worth a look.
Chicago has a solid defensive third line, but they tend to only see bottom six matchups in home games, so Calgary’s top six is in play. The top line of Sean Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau and Elias Lindholm all stay together on the top PP unit, so that’s the line to go with if you’re using Flames. Defenseman Mark Giordano plays with them on the top PP unit.
Corey Crawford has some GPP appeal here. Calgary puts a ton of pucks on net as they rank second among teams on this slate in shot attempts per 60 at even strength. If Crawford is one his game, he could out up a big number.
Carolina @ Los Angeles
This game is the only one with a standard over/under of 5.5 goals, and both teams have below average matchups per my matchup stat. As a result, this one is more about the goalies than the skaters. As of this writing we’re not yet sure who will be in net for the Canes, but whoever it is will have some cash appeal as the favored goalie in the game with the lowest over/under of the slate. Hopefully, and most likely, it will be Curtis McElhinney who gets the start.
Player News
Dolphins signed No. 13 overall pick DT Kenneth Grant to a four-year contract.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Grant will sign his contract today. The former Michigan defensive tackle is expected to fill a major void left by Christian Wilkins, who left for the Raiders in the 2024 offseason. Grant totaled 32 tackles, three sacks, and seven TFLs in his final season at Michigan and excelled at stopping the run while also generating 27 pressures in his final season, per PFF.
Daulton Varsho picked up three hits, three RBI and a homer in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Varsho has only played in seven games this year, but they’ve been seven good ones. He’s homered three times already, and his slugging percentage is a remarkable — and entirely unsustainable — .727 over 22 at-bats. Varsho has been a mediocre offensive player in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, but it’s possible at the age of 28 he’s having a breakout campaign. Far from a guarantee, but possible.
Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer in a loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Ward, 31, gave the Angels a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the first inning. He’s now gone deep in two of his last three games, and it ‘improves’ his slash to .181/.224/.391. Ward has been one of the most hot/cold players players in the sport over the last few years, so fantasy managers who can afford to make some roster moves may want to look at Ward while the going is good.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. picked up three hits and scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Angels on Thursday.
Guerrero also drew a walk. It gives the first baseman multiple hits in back-to-back games, and it’s the third time in May that he’s reached that mark. That’s helped raise his average from .268 to .295, and the only thing fantasy managers can be disappointed with is his .432 slugging percentage. That number should continue to climb as the season unfolds, but Vladdy Jr. has had some inconsistent seasons when it comes to power production.
Chad Green picked up his first save of 2025 with a scoreless ninth against the Angels on Thursday.
Green got the save after Jeff Hoffman worked in back-to-back games — and struggled — in the first two contests against the Angels. He struck out two and looked the part while needing just nine pitches to get through the inning. Hoffman should remain the closer, but Green is on his tail if the struggles were to continue.
Chris Bassitt allowed five runs — four earned — while working six-plus innings against the Angels on Thursday while picking up a win.
Bassitt allowed three runs over the first two innings on a pair of homers, but settled down over his next four frames. He came out to work the seventh, but ended up being charged for two more runs after leaving the contest. The 36-year-old veteran has forged a 3.35 ERA and outstanding 49/8 K/BB ratio over the first quarter of the season, but this wasn’t him at his best. He’ll get the Rays next week if the rotation order stays the same for Toronto.