Welcome back to the NHL Playbook! 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, 5/7

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

Stars vs Jets Prediction: Wednesday, May 7th


The Dallas Stars and the Winnipeg Jets get set to open their series tonight. These two Central Division teams were elite during the regular season, but that success hasn’t transferred over for the Jets in the playoffs. They needed a miracle to get past the Blue, and honestly, they might need another one just to keep this series competitive. 

Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey are both questionable to play tonight. Scheifele could not suit up in Game 7, and Morrissey left early in the final game. They were seen at practice, but didn’t take line rushes. Maybe they take warmup, but even if either one does play, how healthy will they be? Then there’s the whole conversation around Connor Hellebuyck and how he was, by far, the worst goalie in the first round.

Maybe Winnipeg comes out strong in this one, but with Jason Robertson expected to return to the lineup and Dallas having shown that they can go on the road and win, we have to take them to win this game. We’ll go one step further and take them to cover the Puck Line. 

 

 

Panthers vs Maple Leafs: Wednesday, May 7th

The Toronto Maple Leafs came away with a win in Game 1, but it came at a cost. Anthony Stolarz left after suffering a head injury, and it’s unlikely that he can play this game. If that’s the case, Joseph Woll will get the start, and he wasn’t very good in his 30 minutes of action.

The Panthers turned on the jets in the third period, and they were able to score goals. They were asleep for two periods, but when they got going, the Leafs had no answer. I expect that same kind of energy from them to start the game. Woll could be in for a long night if his team doesn’t play tight defence. If Toronto does play a more conservative game, then he may not face enough shots to reach his 26.5 total. We’ll take the Under here and move on.

 

 

NHL DFS Slate & Game Overviews

Florida Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs NHL DFS Breakdown:

  • FLA Goals for: 4th TOR Goals for: 6th
  • FLA Goals against: 3rd TOR Goals against: 4th
  • FLA Power play: 8th TOR Power play: 6th
  • FLA Penalty Kill: 2nd TOR Penalty Kill: 5th

We saw a healthy amount of goals in Game 1, and it wouldn’t shock anyone to see just as many tonight. Both teams have elite offensive skill, but only Toronto has a below-average defence group. It took the Panthers too long to get going in their previous game, so I expect a much different team tonight.

If we’re looking at players who can score goals, there is no shortage of names to choose from. The obvious choices would be William Nylander and Sam Reinhart. Both players are elite, and they don’t need much to find the back of the net. If you need some value, Matthew Knies and Sam Bennett are good choices, too.

On the back end, we have a ton of value to exploit. Not a single defenceman is listed over $5K on DraftKings, so it’s just a question of picking the right player. Seth Jones, Brandon Carlo, Simon Benoit and Gustav Forsling are all good options at different price points. With Carlo and Benoit, we are hoping they can block three or more shots to hit the bonus.

In goal, it’s Sergei Bobrovsky or bust. He had a rough first game, but I think he can bounce back. If his team can provide him with some support and keep the puck in the offensive zone, that would be nice. His $8000 price tag is scary, but if enough people fade him, we could get him at sub-20 % ownership.

 

 

Dallas Stars vs Winnipeg Jets NHL DFS Breakdown:

  • DAL Goals for: 10th WPG Goals for: 11th
  • DAL Goals against: 10th WPG Goals against: 15th
  • DAL Power play: 4th WPG Power play: 11th
  • DAL Penalty Kill: 3rd WPG Penalty Kill: 8th

It took the Winnipeg Jets a hockey miracle to get to this point, but here they are. The narrative that they can’t get past the first round was looking to be true, but a late goal by Cole Perfetti changed everything. Adam Lowry did his part in overtime and the rest is history. This series should be a good one, but it could get off to a rough start for Winnipeg.

If we’re looking for offensive value, we need to target Dallas. Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, Tyler Seguin and Matt Duchene are all names to consider. Connor Hellebuyck was bad in the first round, and he may not be getting much help in this first game. For the Jets, there are a few options to consider. Lowry, Kyle Connor and Cole Perfetti are names to remember, but if you want to get the most bang for your buck, go with Perfetti. Connor is a good option, but I just don’t love his expensive price tag. You can play Mikko Rantanen for less and probably get a better result.

On the blue line, Neal Pionk is the only name I really love. We know what he did in Game 7 and how key he was, and while I don’t think we'll see an offensive explosion from him, there’s no denying that he’s going to see a ton of ice time if Morrissey can’t play. He can shoot, block shots, and quarterback the top power play unit. He’s going to be a very popular option, so be ready to stomach his ownership.

When it comes to picking a goalie for this game, Jake Oettinger is the only name we can trust. We know that he has better numbers on home ice, but this isn’t Colorado. The matchup on paper tonight favors him and the entire team. He may not see a ton of shots, so that does limit his ice time, but if you think the Stars win this game, then you need to play him. 

 

 


NBA DFS Core Player Pool & Lineup Picks

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