NHL DFS Picks & Playbook For Today's Showdown Slate: Thursday, May 2
Welcome to Thursday’s Showdown NHL slate. The Toronto Maple Leafs were able to force a Game 6 and are now trying to extend their series by one more game. Boston has been great on the road in this round and are hoping they can hand Toronto another first-round exit. Showdown lineups can be difficult to build but don’t worry, we got you.
You can build Daily Fantasy hockey lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel for Thursday, May 2nd, 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 now take a closer look at the top plays for tonight's NHL DFS picks.
Expected Goalie Totals Today, 5/2
- Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Jeremy Swayman (2.8)
- Boston Bruins vs. Joseph Woll (2.8)
Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs DFS
- Players To Target: David Pastrnak, Charlie Coyle, Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy, Jeremy Swayman, Max Domi, Matthew Knies, William Nylander, Joseph Woll
We have a matchup between two excellent teams, but the total is 5.5, so we shouldn’t expect many goals to find the back of the net. Using a goalie in the Captain Spot is always a risk due to paying up for the position, but Jeremy Swayman is a great option. He has been elite in this series and that won’t change tonight.
I expect this to be a low-scoring game with maybe some overtime, so this means Swayman could pick up the win and hit the save bonus. There is an argument to be made for Joseph Woll, but Toronto hasn’t been good at home, and I don’t think he will see enough show to flirt with value. I also don’t know why you would want to pay more for him when Swayman has proven that he can get the job done.
For the rest of our lineup, we are going to need to target some value. There is nothing wrong with a player like David Pastrnak or William Nylander, but I can’t justify spending that much on a player who absolutely needs to score to hit value. I also don’t see either player hitting the shot bonus, so that limits their upside.
For those reasons, Max Domi, Matthew Knies, Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy are all options to consider. Auston Matthews is missing his second game in a row, so Domi will get another look on the top line. He was good last game and has a chance to hit value. Matthew Knies came up clutch with an overtime goal, so his confidence is high.
He’s skating in the top six and should continue to see a healthy number of minutes. Brad Marchand has eight points in the playoffs but is significantly cheaper than Pastrnak. If you want to “spend up” on a forward, he is by far the best choice. Charlie McAvoy’s price tag is up there, but he also has a really high floor. We know what he can bring to the table offensively, but he can also block shots, so he is a threat to hit that bonus and to pick up a point.
You might not be able to get all four players into the same lineup, but any three would be a good choice. Fill out the rest of your lineup with a defenseman who blocks shots or a forward that could see a slight bump in ice time.
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.