NHL Best Bets & DFS Cheat Sheet, 5/14: Picks, Predictions & Player Props
Welcome back to the NHL Playbook! 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, 5/14
If you followed along on Monday, the Best Bets went 2-0. We have one Total and one Player Prop SGP for tonight’s action. Let’s dive right into the action and add some dollar bills (or loonies) to your wallet!
Panthers vs Maple Leafs Prediction: Wednesday, May 14th
The series shifts back to Toronto, tied 2-2, and we could see some fireworks tonight. Max Domi decided to be himself and deliver a late hit from behind at the end of the game. These two teams don’t like each other, so if one team pulls away, we could see some rough stuff.
Paul Maurice is going to keep his second line together despite Evan Rodrigues not being available for this game. This is good news for us because that means we can target Sam Bennett. His shot volume in the playoffs has been up, but in this series, it’s been slightly inconsistent. He’s still seeing a decent amount of ice time and has two very good players on his wing. I don’t want to drink the entire juice, so we’ll pair him with Christopher Tanev’s shot block total. Tanev is so consistent in that category and has 10 total in the first two games. Pair both together for a nice little payout.
- Sam Bennett 3+ SOG/Christopher Tanev O/2.5 BLKS (+192 on DraftKings)
Oilers vs Golden Knights: Wednesday, May 14th
The Vegas Golden Knights return home down 3-1 and are hoping to keep their series alive. They failed to score a goal in Game 4, and to be honest, they didn’t deserve one. They could not generate scoring chances and didn’t make life for Stuart Skinner very hard. They are a good home team and can do much better, so I think they can return to form and score some goals.
For the Oilers, they made life for Adin Hill very tough. He was clearly frustrated in the first period with all the contact and wasn’t able to regain his focus. I expect the Golden Knights to do a much better job of protecting the paint in front of him.
I’m also not buying that Stuart Skinner is back to being a good hockey goalie. He had one strong game, but that doesn’t mean we forget how horrible he has been from the start. Neither goalie in this matchup has been any good, so we’ll take the Over and hope for a real barn burner.
- Over 6.5 (-122 on DraftKings)
NHL DFS Slate & Game Overviews
Florida Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs NHL DFS Breakdown:
- FLA Goals for: 4th TOR Goals for: 7th
- FLA Goals against: 3rd TOR Goals against: 4th
- FLA Power play: 8th TOR Power play: 7th
- FLA Penalty Kill: 3rd TOR Penalty Kill: 5th
The Florida Panthers went home down 0-2 and did exactly what they needed to do--win. Now, they travel back to Toronto and just have to steal one game. They know what needs to be done, but that doesn’t mean the Leafs are going to make it easy.
For the Panthers, there are a couple of players up front I will target. Sam Bennett is an obvious choice, but I’ll also throw in Sam Reinhart and Matthew Tkachuk. The latter options are expensive, but both players are dynamic and can get the job done.
For the Leafs, there are a few routes we can take. Many people will want to target Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, but I don’t love their value. They haven’t been playing at their full offensive potential in this series, and we need more. We will focus on William Nylander and Matthew Knies. Both players have been great from the start, and I expect big things from both of them.
On the back end, we will ignore the Panthers because there is nothing there to like. For the Leafs, it’s the same folks that we’ve been targeting all series: Simon Benoit, Christopher Tanev, Brandon Carlo, and Morgan Rielly. If you had to pick just two, Tanev and Rielly would be the better option.
We can’t take a goalie from the second game if we think it’s going to be a high-scoring affair, so it means we have to make a choice in this game. Sergei Bobrovsky hasn’t been great in this series, but I trust him more than Joseph Woll. His elevated price tag may help keep his ownership low. If you think the Leafs pull together and take Game 5, then you go with Woll.
Edmonton Oilers vs Vegas Golden Knights NHL DFS Breakdown:
- VGK Goals for: 10th EDM Goals for: 1st
- VGK Goals against: 11th EDM Goals against: 10th
- VGK Power play: 6th EDM Power play: 5th
- VGK Penalty Kill: 4th EDM Penalty Kill: 14th
The Oilers did their job on home ice; now, they can take care of business and put an end to the series with a win tonight. They made the Golden Knights look like the Anaheim Ducks on the road in mid-December (terrible offensively), but if you think Vegas is just going to roll over and die, you’re in for a surprise.
We’ll start with Vegas, who need to establish some offensive pace to their game right from the start. Jack Eichel is the main player to target, but his linemates don’t inspire much confidence. There’s nothing wrong with Brett Howden or Victor Olofsson, but only Olofsson is seeing power-play time, and if Vegas falls behind early, lines are going to get shuffled. If you want some certainty, go with Pavel Dorofeyev and Tomas Hertl, who join Eichel on the top power-play unit.
On defence, Shea Theodore is the one player I’ll keep going back to. He has just one point in this series, but he’s still on the top power play unit and is seeing a healthy amount of ice time. You can also make a case for Alex Pietengelo, but at his price point, I’d rather pay down and go with someone like Brayden McNabb or Zach Whitecloud.
On the flip side, you know exactly what players we should be targeting. You don’t need me to tell you to play Connor McDavid and/or Leon Draisaitl. What you need me to tell you is to target some secondary scoring.
Evander Kane has been really good in this series, and he’s finding a way onto the scoresheet. He is, by far, my favourite value play. Adam Henrique and Connor Brown are also some cheap options to consider if you need a few more.
Evan Bouchard doesn’t have a goalie in this series, but he does have five assists. The issue-- that alone isn’t going to help him hit value. His shot volume is good, and he’s even blocking shots. If you want to spend up for him, I wouldn’t blame you. The smart move would be to go with Jake Walman. He’s $4300 and is finding ways to hit value without registering a point. The offensive production isn’t there, but what he brings to the table defensively is value, and if the Oilers have the lead late in the game, you can expect Walman to be out there a lot.
NHL DFS Core Player Pool & Lineup Picks
High
Mid
- Sam Bennett, Tomas Hertl, William Nylander, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Mark Stone, Shea Theodore, Morgan Rielly, Adin Hill
Value
- Adam Henrique, Matthew Knies, Evander Kane, Victor Olofsson, Corey Perry, Max Pacioretty, Simon Benoit, Christopher Tanev, Brayden McNabb, Joseph Woll
Player News
Yanic Konan Niederhauser tallied 10 points (5-of-9 FGs), two rebounds and two steals in Monday’s win over the Lakers.
After two subdued performances, Konan Niederhauser was more involved offensively on Monday. The nine shot attempts exceeded his total in the Clippers’ first two games in Las Vegas, and the rookie’s teammates appeared more intent on getting him the ball. That led to a few dunks that likely boosted Konan Niederhauser’s confidence, and he finished in double figures. The hope is that he’ll be more consistent on both ends of the floor.
Jordan Miller finished Monday’s win over the Lakers with 19 points (7-of-11 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and one three-pointer.
Waived by the Clippers just before the start of summer league, Miller is looking to earn another NBA opportunity, whether it’s with Los Angeles or another team. He needs to improve three-point shooting and defense, both on and off the ball. Miller looked good against the Lakers and performed well in Sunday’s win over the Bucks. The Clippers have a few standard contract slots available, and Miller may be positioning himself to earn one. However, he won’t be worth the risk in fantasy leagues.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reports the Hornets have signed Drew Peterson to a two-way contract.
After spending his first two seasons with the Celtics, Peterson is reportedly headed to Charlotte. The player and his new head coach are familiar with each other, as Hornets coach Charles Lee was a Celtics assistant during the 2023-24 season. While the change of scenery may result in more opportunities for Peterson, he is not a player to target in fantasy drafts.
Rasheer Fleming accumulated seven points (3-of-6 FGs), two rebounds, one steal, one block and one three-pointer in Monday’s loss to the Kings.
After missing Phoenix’s first two summer league games with a sore right knee, Fleming was available to make his debut on Monday. The second-round pick out of Saint Joseph’s was a Suns target, as evidenced by the team’s moves to draft him. Fleming had a quiet night, but he’s a frontcourt player who has range beyond the three-point line and can defend multiple positions. Due to the Suns’ defensive struggles last season, Fleming may be able to earn consistent playing time as a rookie.
Ryan Dunn finished Monday’s loss to the Kings with 18 points (6-of-8 FGs, 4-of-4 FTs), six rebounds, one assist, one steal and two three-pointers.
Dunn was back in the Suns’ lineup after sitting out Sunday’s loss to the Hawks. Unfortunately for Phoenix, his return did not impact the “bottom line,” as the Suns were routed for a second straight night. Dunn was the lone player to have a good night offensively and was also solid defensively. While the Suns will likely head into training camp with a surplus of wings, Dunn’s defensive ability will get him onto the court. How much he plays will likely depend on the progress he’s able to make as a scorer.
Devin Carter amassed 17 points (7-of-12 FGs, 0-of-2 FTs), two rebounds, three assists, three steals, one block and three three-pointers in Monday’s win over the Suns.
While Carter wasn’t as explosive offensively as on Saturday, the second-year guard still produced an efficient stat line. Not only did he shoot over 50 percent from the field, but Carter also provided value as a playmaker and defender. Being consistent in those two categories will significantly impact how much he plays next season. Dennis Schröder was signed to be the starting point guard, but the Kings need depth behind him. Carter has the potential to help fill that void, especially if he can carry over his play in Sacramento’s last two games into training camp.