Welcome to the NHL Playoffs! Like we did throughout the regular season, the Fantasy Alarm will have you covered in the playoffs. You’ll find our daily NHL Best Bets and which players you should target in DFS. We’ve conveniently put it all in one article to simplify life. If you have more questions, make sure to hit up the Fantasy Alarm NHL Discord. Let’s dive into the action and build a winning lineup!
 

NHL Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 4/28

There may only be two games today, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find some good value. We’ll look at one Total and one Player Prop. Let’s dive right into the action and add some dollar bills (or loonies) to your wallet!

Avalanche vs. Stars Prediction: Monday, April 28th 

If I asked you to guess who leads the Dallas Stars in shots on goal in this series, you would never go with Roope Hintz, but that’s the correct answer. He has 13 so far and seems dedicated to keeping his average up. The Avalanche aren’t great defensively on the road, so we’re going to hope for just two shots on goal from him. We do have to drink some juice, but if you want to ladder this, go with 3+ shots as well. 

 

Lightning vs Panthers Prediction: Monday, April 28th  

The Battle of Florida has been fantastic to watch. We knew these two teams didn’t like each other, but the temperature has hit a new level, and it’s got some nastiness to it. No suspensions were handed out last game, but Matthew Tkachuk made sure to get really close to the line. I expect this game to be as entertaining as Game 3.

Despite both teams having elite goalies, the over has hit in two of the first three games. Andrei Vasilevskiy is elite, but he’s giving up way too many goals. Could he turn things around? Maybe, but his track record on the road during the regular season was not good. Both teams have above-average offences, so we’ll take the Over and hope for another goal-filled game.

  • Over 5.5 (-108 on DraftKings)

 

NHL DFS Slate & Game Overviews

 

Tampa Bay Lightning NHL DFS Breakdown:

  • Goals for: 14th
  • Goals against: 7th
  • Power play: 15th
  • Penalty kill: 9th

There aren’t a ton of players on the Tampa Bay side that excite me. They played well in Game 3, but their overall track record on the road still scares me. They are going to get scoring chances, but I don’t know if they’ll be able to convert.

If you’re looking for high-end skill, Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel are two players to consider. You know exactly what you’re getting with Kucherov, but at his price tag, he needs multiple points to hit value. Guentzel is under $7K on DraftKings, and he can fire the puck on goal. He’s the player I would choose if I could only pick one.

On the back end, Ryan McDonagh and J.J. Moser are two affordable players I really like. They blocked a combined 8 shots last game, and they could be in for another busy night. Both players see a decent amount of ice time, so that their price tag, they can easily hit value.

Florida Panthers NHL DFS Breakdown:

  • Goals for: 9th
  • Goals against: 3rd
  • Power play: 8th
  • Penalty Kill: 2nd

Florida is the home team, and I can’t see them dropping both games on home ice. They had an off night, and that happens, but I think they come back motivated tonight and ready to do some damage.

There are options up front that make sense, specifically Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart. Tkachuck is a player who can do it all: score goals, rack up assists and deliver late hits. He might want to stay away from the last one, but for the rest, we can get behind that. His floor is high, so he’s an obvious choice. For Reinhart, he’s a goalscorer. His shot volume may not be high, but we’ve been waiting for the regression all year, and it hasn’t come.

On the back end, Seth Jones and Aaron Ekblad are two names to remember. Both players log a healthy amount of minutes, and they can block a ton of shots. Jones has more upside, so I’ll give him a slight edge.

In goal, Sergei Bobrovsky is the goalie I trust. This isn’t a great slate for goalies, but I trust him more on home ice, and we have to pick someone. He’s reasonably priced on DK, so that might make him a popular play tonight.

Colorado Avalanche NHL DFS Breakdown:

  • Goals for: 8th
  • Goals against: T-1st
  • Power play: 11th
  • Penalty kill: 5th


The series shifts back to Dallas, tied at two, so it’s an understatement to say this is a critical game for both teams. Colorado put on a clinic in Game 4, but we know when they go on the road, things change.

Offensively, everything revolves around Nathan MacKinnon. He has five points in this series and over 20 shots on goal. He’s a shooting machine a,nd there is no way to stop him. You just have to hope he doesn’t go off like he did in game one. If you need some value, Atturi Lehkonen and Gabriel Landeskog are two players you can also target.

On the blue line, everyone is going to want to play Cale Makar, which is fair, but if you’re looking for VALUE, Devon Toews is the way to go. In the first two games, he blocked 10 shots, compared to just two in the last couple of games. He’s great at defending and can hit value without having to register a point. You need players like him in your DFS lineup if you want to win a GPP.

In goal, MacKenzie Blackwood is by far my favourite option. He has the best Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx) and has finished with 13 or more fantasy points in all four starts. He may not win tonight, but an OT loss still gives you two points on DK, which is how he has lost both games. He’s coming off a 4-0 win, and I expect his strong play to continue.

Dallas Stars NHL DFS Breakdown:
 

  • Goals for: T-15th
  • Goals against: 9th
  • Power play: 12th
  • Penalty kill: 6th

We’re going to keep this section very short because there isn’t much I like about the Stars. They didn’t look good in Game 4, and their performance game-to-game has been a rollercoaster. There are 2-3 options to consider, and that’s it.

Offensively, Roope Hintz is the only forward I care for. As mentioned earlier, he leads the team in shots on goal, so he has a chance to maybe flirt with value. He has just one goal, so keep your expectations low.

Defensively, Tomas Harley is the only player to consider. We know what he can provide offensively, but he also has 13 blocked shots. He’s finding multiple ways to hit value, and that is important. Miro Heiskanen will not play tonight, so expect another game of 25-plus minutes for him.

Jake Oettinger made 31 saves in two periods in Game 4 before getting the hook. That was a mercy pull because the team just left him out to dry. Despite giving up three goals, he finished with 11.2 fantasy points on DK. We know Oettinger is better on home ice, so if his team can provide him with some support, he could maybe steal a win and hit value. At worst, we need to play a full 60 minutes so he can hit the save bonus.
 

NHL DFS Core Player Pool & Lineup Picks

High

Mid

Value