NHL Showdown Playbook May 5: Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils Game 2
We have one game today that features two teams with a ton of elite talent. The New Jersey Devils came out flat in Game One, but can they turn things around tonight? The Carolina Hurricanes put on a clinic and are hoping to leave Carolina with a 2-0 series lead. Who’s going to make the difference in this one? You can build daily fantasy hockey lineups on DraftKings, FanDuel, and Yahoo Fantasy for Friday, May 5th, 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.
Highest Expected Goal Totals
New Jersey Devils: 2.8
Carolina Hurricanes: 2.8
Carolina Hurricanes Vs. New Jersey Devils
Players to target: Frederik Andersen, Jack Hughes, Akira Schmidt, Sebastian Aho, Brent Burns, Jesper Bratt, Seth Jarvis, Ryan Graves, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Luke Hughes
The New Jersey Devils were #NotGood in game one of this series, but they have a chance to forget all about that game with a strong performance in this one. They had just one shot on goal after the first period, which just isn’t good enough. They need to be ready right out of the game or they risk going back home down 0-2.
I don’t think we see a ton of goals scored in this one, so you can certainly target a goalie in the captain spot. It’s going to cost you an arm and your firstborn child, but it gives you a significant advantage in a low-scoring game. Frederik Andersen is the obvious choice, but he may not face enough shots to hit value. Akira Schmid has been solid in the playoffs, so I have no problem playing either one.
If you want to target a forward, Jack Hughes is the way to go. We know what kind of skill he has and he loves to shoot the puck. Even if Timo Meier were to return to the lineup, that wouldn’t take shooting chances away from Hughes. He’s going to find space because that’s what elite players do.
As for the rest of my lineup, I’m looking to target as many value plays as possible. Ryan Graves is a favorites of mine because he’s going to get chances to block shots and play a healthy amount of minutes. His $7K price tag is more than I’d like to pay for him, but it is what it is. I’m holding out hope that Luke Hughes will get a chance to play tonight. The younger brother of Jack hasn’t seen any action so far, but maybe he breaks the lineup for this game. He’s $2800, which is the kind of value we need right now. Other names I’m interested in are Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jesper Bratt. I don’t love Bratt’s price tag, but he’s too good to be this bad. Something is going to change and maybe it happens tonight. As for Kotkaneimi, $5000 for a second-line centerman is just too cheap to pass up on. If you’re spending $7K on Graves, then you should have no issue saving $2K on Kotkaniemi.
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.