NHL DFS Picks, Projections, Lineups & Stacks Today: Saturday Playbook

Published: Mar 22, 2025
Welcome to another NHL DFS Playbook! This Saturday slate is shorter than what we are used to, but that doesn’t mean it’s not as good. We still have a healthy amount of elite options to choose from so let’s dive right into the action and take a look at which players we need to be targeting.
NHL Pick 'Em At Sleeper Today
Before we get into DFS, let’s make some pick’em picks for the night over on Sleeper. There are lots of ways we try to fill your wallet over here at Fantasy Alarm and this is just another option.
Sleeper NHL Picks, Saturday, March 22nd:
- Auston Matthews O/0.5 A
- Martin Necas O/2.5 SOG
- Jack Eichel O/0.5 PPP
You don’t think of Auston Matthews as an elite playmaker, but the Leafs’ captain has 23 assists in 29 road games. Nashville isn’t good defensively, so this is a good spot for Matthews to get on the scoresheet by setting up some of his teammates.
Colorado may not be as dominant on the road, but they are still a very good hockey team. The Canadiens have been playing better of late, but their defence will struggle to contain Nathan MacKinnon’s line. His shot total is too high, so we will pivot to Martin Necas, who has gone over his total in the last three games.
The Detroit Red Wings penalty kill is operating at 69% (nice) and the Vegas Golden Knights are very good on the power play. Jack Eichel is capable of scoring goals and moving the puck around, so I like his chances of recording a point on the man advantage.
SALARY CAP DFS
Goalie Of The Day: Adin Hill - VGK
The goalie options today are not very good, so if you’re building a cash-game lineup, make your life simple and go with Adin Hill. His price tag is elevated and Detroit does have a good power play, but we’re chasing the win here and Vegas has a good chance to do just that.
Honourable Mention: Joey Daccord- SEA
I expect Joey Daccord’s ownership to be quite high on this slate, and for good reason. The Kraken don’t score many goals, but with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl both not playing for Edmonton, this game could be low-scoring. Daccord is priced at $6900, and that is a value we can’t pass up on.
Player Of The Day: David Pastrnak - BOS
The Bruins may not be a fun hockey team to watch but David Pastrnak certainly is. He has a great matchup against San Jose and he could have himself quite a night. He needs multiple points and shots on goal to hit value, but that isn’t an impossible task for him.
Honorable Mention: Auston Matthews - TOR
As mentioned earlier, Matthews has no issue racking up assists on the road. At his price point, he needs multiple assists and the shot bonus to hit value. The Predators have been extra bad of late, which is hard to imagine considering how poorly they have played all year. If you don’t pay up for Pastrnak, might as well go with Matthews.
Value Play Of The Day: Kaapo Kakko - SEA
There is going to be no shortage of value plays from the Seattle-Edmonton game, but we shouldn’t just play any bottom-tier player from those teams. Kaapo Kakko is skating on the top line and has been very good since coming over from the Rangers. His $3500 price tag on DK is also very appealing. He is the best value play by a wide margin.
Honourable Mention: Zach Hyman - EDM
It may not feel like Zach Hyman is a value play because of his $6700 price tag, but that’s exactly what he is. The loss of McDavid and Draisaitl is going to sting, but someone has to step up and shoot the puck. Hyman has 12 shots in the last two games along with four points. Seattle isn’t a great team, so they will give up scoring chances. At his current price point, Hyman can flirt with value just by getting an assist and hitting the shot bonus. There is an argument to have him in your lineup as a single-bullet.
Stack Of The Day - VGK PP1 (Jack Eichel - Tomas Hertl - Mark Stone)
Doesn’t take a Harvard degree to stack the top power play unit against the Detroit Red Wings. We’ve established that their penalty kill is #NotGood and that won’t change tonight. Any combination from the top unit works, but the three names above are my preferred options.
Player Pool
$ Tier | C | W | D | G |
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Stacks
Bruins | David Pastrnak | Morgan Geekie | Mason Lohrei |
![]() | 9000 | 6000 | 4700 |
![]() | 8600 | 6200 | 4800 |
Avalanche | Cale Makar | Martin Necas | Nathan MacKinnon |
![]() | 8000 | 7000 | 9200 |
![]() | 7100 | 7100 | 9000 |
Maple Leafs | Auston Matthews | Mitch Marner | William Nylander |
![]() | 9000 | 6600 | 7100 |
![]() | 8600 | 7300 | 7900 |
Bruins | David Pastrnak | Morgan Geekie | Mason Lohrei |
![]() | 9000 | 6000 | 4700 |
![]() | 8600 | 6200 | 4800 |
Avalanche | Cale Makar | Martin Necas | Nathan MacKinnon |
![]() | 8000 | 7000 | 9200 |
![]() | 7100 | 7100 | 9000 |
Maple Leafs | Auston Matthews | Mitch Marner | William Nylander |
![]() | 9000 | 6600 | 7100 |
![]() | 8600 | 7300 | 7900 |
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.