NHL Showdown Playbook May 25: Top DraftKings & FanDuel NHL DFS Picks
The Vegas Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars go head-to-head in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. Dallas is down 0-3 in the series and will have to win tonight’s game with the services of their captain, Jamie Benn, who was suspended for two games following a cross-check to the head of Mark Stone. It’s going to be a challenge for them to extend this series, but it’s do-or-die for them right now. You can build daily fantasy hockey lineups on DraftKings, FanDuel, and Yahoo Fantasy for Thursday, May 25th, 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 daily fantasy hockey top plays for tonight's NHL DFS Showdown slate.
NHL DFS Picks Golden Knights vs Stars Game 4
Highest Expected Goal Totals
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Jake Oettinger: (2.8)
Dallas Stars vs. Adin Hill: (2.8)
Dallas Stars vs. Vegas Golden Knights
Players to target: Roope Hintz, Joe Pavelski, Miro Heiskanen, Wyatt Johnston, Tyler Seguin, Esa Lindell, Joel Hanley, Ty Dellandrea, Adin Hill, Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Jonathan Marchessault, Zach Whitecloud, Alex Pietrangelo.
The total for Game 4 opened at 5.5 and should stay at that number as we approach puck drop. Like most games in this, it’s unlikely that we see a ton of scoring from both sides, so once again, both goalies are an option tonight. I want to believe that Jake Oettinger can step up and steal a win for his team, so I’ll most likely be rolling with him in the CPT spot of my lineup.
As for the rest of our lineup, we are going to need to get extra creative. Jamie Benn won’t be in the lineup due to his suspension and Evgenii Dadonov is out due to injury. Tyler Seguin may be skating on the third line, but he’s going to move up to the top power play unit, which certainly helps his value. I also think we can find some value in Ty Dellandrea, who is expected to skate on the second line. We know that Joe Pavelski, Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz are all great options in a must-win game, but Seguin and Dellandrea can provide us with some value at lower ownership.
On the back end, Esa Lindell and Joel Hanley had strong performances in Game 3, so I’ll gladly take my chances with one of them, or even both. Lindell played 22 minutes in that game, with seven minutes being on the penalty kill. Despite that, he still managed to finish with five shots on goal. Hanley didn’t play as much, but he still managed to block three shots, which was enough for him to hit value.
On the Vegas side, Mark Stone becomes a player that we may no longer be able to fade. He does so many good things and his price tag is reasonable. Jack Eichel is always a good play, but he failed to register a shot last game and played over eight minutes on the power play. We know he has a ton of skill and can score goals, but if I’m picking between the two, Stone is the way to go.
On the back end, Zach Whitecloud and Alex Pietrangelo are the only two players worth considering. Brayden McNabb played 14 minutes last game, so we can’t rely on him tonight with that kind of ice time. Whitecloud played 17 minutes, but he say the most time on the penalty kill. If this game remains close, Pietrangelo could easily play over 25 minutes and with that kind of ice time, good things are bound to happen.
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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.