NHL DFS Picks & Playbook For Today’s Games: Tuesday, April 16
Published: Apr 16, 2024
Welcome to Tuesday’s eight-game NHL slate. We have a great slate with lots of high-scoring matchups to focus on. There is no shortage of value to exploit and there are some great top-tier options to consider.
You can build daily fantasy hockey lineups on DraftKings, FanDuel, and Yahoo Fantasy for Tuesday, April 16th, but before you build those NHL daily fantasy lineups, don’t forget to check out our NHL DFS projections, the NHL Value Finder, and the NHL DFS lineup generator. Let's look closer at the top NHL DFS picks for this Tuesday night.
NHL DFS Picks & Playbook Today, 4/16
DFS Lineup Construction Thoughts
Make sure you don't overlook our impressive selection of 8 games, showcasing top-notch players in advantageous matchups. While you can't resist the likes of Auston Matthews and David Pastrnak, there are also incredible value options worth considering.
Goalies play a vital role in determining our lineups, so make your choices wisely. Whether you decide to go for a high-end goalie or a more affordable one, keep in mind that goalies can be quite unpredictable.
Recommended DFS Starting Goalies
Best Value Goalies
- Cayden Primeau vs. Detroit Red Wings
- Charlie Lindgren vs. Philadelphia Flyers
- Jet Greaves vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Best Odds For A Win
- Linus Ullmark vs. Ottawa Senators
- Logan Thompson vs. Chicago Blackhawks
- Connor Hellebuyck vs. Seattle Kraken
NHL DFS Lineups: Best Goalies To Use
Logan Thompson, G, Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights have a chance to jump Los Angeles for third in the division, so their game against Chicago is meaningful. They are by far the better team on paper and there’s no reason for them to lose. Logan Thompson is the top cash-game goalie by a wide margin.
Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg Jets
Even if the Winnipeg Jets don’t have much to play for, I expect them to come out and have a very solid game. Connor Hellebuyck has won his last four games and is coming off a 30-save shutout against the Colorado Avalanche. Seattle has a terrible offence and it’s even worse on the road. Hellebuyck is another great cash game option.
Linus Ullmark, G, Boston Bruins
Linus Ullmark is projected to get the start tonight and he could be serviceable in all formats. Ottawa loves to shoot the puck on goal, but they are in the bottom half of the league in goals per game. Boston probably isn’t going to rest any regulars for this game, so look for them to come out strong and for Ullmark to have a good game.
Cayden Primeau, G, Montreal Canadiens
Cayden Primeau has given up eight goals in his last two games but has faced 89 shots in that span. Despite not getting the win and giving up that many goals, he’s been able to hit value. Detroit needs this win to keep their playoff hopes alive and I expect them to come out and throw everything at Primeau. He’s a great GPP option with a high floor.
Jet Greaves, G, Columbus Blue Jackets
The Carolina Hurricanes are resting a ton of regulars for this game, so Columbus may be able to keep up. Jet Greaves has been terrible this season, but you have to think that he’ll be able to handle a watered-down Hurricanes lineup, right? I’ll take my chances with him in a GPP and hope for the best.
Recommended DFS Skaters
Highest Expected Goal Totals
- Vegas Golden Knights vs. Petr Mrazek (4.0)
- Boston Bruins vs. Joonas Korpisalo (expected) (3.7)
- Vancouver Canucks vs. Jacob Markstrom (3.7)
NHL DFS Lineups: Best Skaters To Use
Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
There is no chance that Auston Matthews won’t score tonight. He’s one goal away from 70 on the season and he’s going to get every chance possible to hit that milestone. He has 11 goals in the last ten games, including 10 shots in the last game. He’s by far the safest cash game option.
Jack Eichel, C, Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights are heavy favorites and Jack Eichel is in a great spot to do some damage. He has seven points in the last five games and continues to see a ton of ice time. I think he can hit value against a terrible Chicago team.
David Pastrnak, W, Boston Bruins
In two games this season against Ottawa, David Pastrnak has four goals, one assist and nine shots on goal. He loves to play the Senators and I don’t blame him. He’s going to get a ton of chances to find the back of the net, so I like his chances of finishing with at least five shots on goal and finding the back of the net.
Bradly Nadeau, W, Carolina Hurricanes
It looks like Bradley Nadeau is going to play his first career NHL game tonight. The 18-year-old put up 46 points at the University of Maine this season and was Carolina’s first-round pick in 2023. He’s going to get a chance to skate in the top six, and at $2,500 on DraftKings, one point is enough for him to hit value.
Mike Matheson, D, Montreal Canadiens
Mike Matheson’s price went from $5,800 to $6,600 in less than 24 hours. He has 14 points in the last ten games and blocked six shots yesterday. Montreal will have another rookie on the back end, so Matheson should still see his usual 25 minutes tonight. He’s a great option in all formats.
Lane Hutson, D, Montreal Canadiens
It’s an all-Montreal back end for me tonight baby! Am I biased? Maybe, but Lane Hutson is the real deal and he showed it last night. He recorded his first NHL point just five minutes into the game and played very good hockey. I expect him to be even more comfortable tonight and could very well hit value with another point.
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Player Pool
| $ Tier | C | W | D |
|---|---|---|---|
| High |  Auston Matthews  $10,200 |  David Pastrnak $9,600 |  John Carlson $6,800 |
 Jack Eichel $8,600 |  Sam Reinhart $8,000 |  Zach Werenski $6,700 | |
| Medium |  Nick Suzuki $5,800 |  Martin Necas $6,000 | Charlie McAvoy $5,500 |
| William Karlsson $5,300 |  Alex DeBrincat $5,400 |  Brent Burns $5,300 | |
| Low | Tomas Hertl $4,700 | Lucas Raymond $4,500 |  Justin Barron $3,000 |
| Evgeny Kuznetsov $3,700 | Johnny Gaudreau $4,000 | Shayne Gostisbehere $3,700 |
Stacks
| Red Wings | Dylan Larkin | Moritz Seider | Lucas Raymond |
| DraftKings | 7000 | 4900 | 4500 |
 Fanduel | 8400 | 5500 | 5900 |
| Golden Knights | Jack Eichel | Tomas Hertl | Jonathan Marchessault |
| DraftKings | 8600 | 4700 | 6700 |
| Fanduel | 9800 | 6200 | 7900 |
| Maple Leafs | Auston Matthews | Morgan Rielly | Mitch Marner |
| DraftKings | 10200 | 5900 | - |
| Fanduel | 10600 | 6900 | - |
| Red Wings | Dylan Larkin | Moritz Seider | Lucas Raymond |
| DraftKings | 7000 | 4900 | 4500 |
| Fanduel | 8400 | 5500 | 5900 |
| Golden Knights | Jack Eichel | Tomas Hertl | Jonathan Marchessault |
| DraftKings | 8600 | 4700 | 6700 |
| Fanduel | 9800 | 6200 | 7900 |
| Maple Leafs | Auston Matthews | Morgan Rielly | Mitch Marner |
| DraftKings | 10200 | 5900 | - |
| Fanduel | 10600 | 6900 | - |
Player News
George Kirby (shoulder) is expected to make another minor league rehab start.
Kirby looked sharp on Saturday in his second rehab outing for Triple-A Tacoma, striking out five batters and throwing 54 pitches (36 strikes) over three innings. The 27-year-old fantasy ace is expected to need one final tune-up before rejoining Seattle’s rotation for his season debut in late May.
Kumar Rocker (shoulder) threw a 26-pitch bullpen session on Monday.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told reporters Rocker felt good during the session and could progress to facing hitters in a live batting practice session in the coming days. The 25-year-old righty hit the injured list back in late April with a shoulder impingement and isn’t expected back until sometime in June.
Diamondbacks released RHP Brandon Bielak.
Bielake underwent season-ending shoulder surgery last month and is expected to be ready for next year’s spring training, according to Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors. The 29-year-old righty, who has made 76 appearances (21 starts) in the majors between the Astros and Athletics since 2020, signed a minor league contract with Arizona back in late February.
Willy Adames has been moved down to the sixth spot in the lineup for Monday’s game against the Diamondbacks.
Giants manager Bob Melvin has finally decided to shake things up with Adames hitting just .217/.297/.335 with four homers, 19 RBI and two steals through 41 games in his San Francisco debut. It’ll be Matt Chapman and Heliot Ramos hitting second and third, respectively, with Jung Hoo Lee in the cleanup spot. The hope for fantasy managers is that the move will reduce some of the pressure on Adames and help get him going at the dish. He’s too talented to continue flailing, especially since his plate skills and underlying batted ball metrics remain mostly in line with previous seasons.
Luis Rengifo is not in the lineup for Monday’s series opener against the Padres.
Rengifo is out of the lineup for the third time in the last five games with Tim Anderson at second base. He’s in the midst of an extended tailspin at the plate, batting .191 (9-for-47) with zero homers and one steal over his last 15 games. He’s hitting .091 (2-for-22) over his past seven contests.
Jackson Merrill (illness) is back in the lineup for Monday’s series opener against the Angels.
Merrill is back at DH and batting cleanup on Monday night at Petco Park after missing Sunday’s contest against the Rockies due to illness. The 22-year-old fantasy star is hitting .579 (11-for-19) with one homer and six RBI in four games since returning from the injured list last week.