DraftKings NHL: Wednesday Playoff Picks

DraftKings NHL: Wednesday Playoff Picks

This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.

GOALIE

Ben Bishop, DAL vs. STL ($7,900): Bishop didn't' have a good outing in Game 2, allowing a goal just 87 seconds into the game, but he's also one of those goalies who bounces back the next game and he's been very good at home this season. That will be important because the Stars don't want to trail 3-1 in the series; the Blues are too structured and too good on defense to allow a comeback. If Bishop is too pricey, Robin Lehner ($7,500) should have the upper hand in a pivotal Game 3 against backup Curtis McElhinney.

CENTER

Ryan O'Reilly, STL at DAL ($6,800): He's about as consistent as they come, always good for at least a point, a few shots and a lot of faceoff wins. O'Reilly's one of a small group of forwards who gets more ice time on the road because he can match up with any line and negates any matchup advantages the home team can exploit. He's the only forward who averages more than 21 minutes in this series.

Oskar Sundqvist, STL at DAL ($3,000): He has yet to register a single point this series but his stock is definitely trending up. Now centering the second line with Brayden Schenn on the left and David Perron back on his usual right side. He played over 21 minutes, registering a shot and a blocked shot, and should stay in his current spot moving forward. He's a potential bargain.

WING

Anders Lee, NYI at CAR ($5,200): Lee and the top line have combined for just three points this series, all of which came on a single goal in Game 2's loss, but who else can they turn to? The Isles' offense has to come out strong against McElhinney, so expect Barry Trotz to lean on his top line a lot; only Matt Barzal logged more ice time among Islanders forwards last game.

Jaden Schwartz, STL at DAL ($5,000): Back on the top line with Vladimir Tarasenko, Schwartz has been excellent the past two games, scoring three points on eight shots. He suffered through a lot of bad luck during the season with a career-low shooting percentage of 6 percent, and now has six goals in nine games in the playoffs on 25 percent shooting.

Nino Niederreiter, CAR vs. NYI ($4,900): El Nino is back alive after he scored his first goal of the playoffs in Game 2, snapping a nine-game goal drought that dates back to the regular season. The new line with Niederreiter, Jordan Staal and Teuvo Tervainen had a really good showing, and remember that immediately after joining the 'Canes, Niederreiter went on a tear. Perhaps he's re-found his scoring touch.

DEFENSE

Jaccob Slavin, CAR vs. NYI ($4,600): Justin Faulk ($4,500) still gets the bulk of the power-play ice time, but Slavin has been the far better performer. Dougie Hamilton ($5,800) has more offensive upside but he comes at a cost, not to mention he plays fewer minutes. Slavin leads all 'Canes defensemen in ice time (26:43), points (10) and plus-minus (+6). He's a good value play give his recent quality of play.

Miro Heiskanen, DAL vs. STL ($4,000): John Klingberg ($5,500) has the name power, but Heiskanen has arguably been the Stars' best defenseman all season, and with two points and eight shots this series is certainly leading the way. Esa Lindell ($4,300) is getting the most ice time but his offensive upside is much lower than the other two, and since the difference between Heiskanen and Klingberg is pretty negligible, Heiskanen's huge discount in price makes him a bargain buy.  

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.
RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only NHL Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire NHL fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jason Chen
Jason won the 2021 FSWA Hockey Writer of the Year award, and was also a finalist on 2019. He joined RotoWire in 2013. Jason has also written for Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, The Hockey News, The Hockey Hall of Fame's Legends Magazine, and Centre Ice Magazine.
Stanley Cup Playoffs: NHL Playoff Pool Cheat Sheet
Stanley Cup Playoffs: NHL Playoff Pool Cheat Sheet
NHL Parlay Picks for Thursday, April 18
NHL Parlay Picks for Thursday, April 18
FanDuel NHL: Thursday Picks
FanDuel NHL: Thursday Picks
NHL Picks Tonight: Best NHL Bets and Player Props for April 18, 2024
NHL Picks Tonight: Best NHL Bets and Player Props for April 18, 2024
DraftKings NHL: Thursday Breakdown
DraftKings NHL: Thursday Breakdown
NHL DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Wednesday, April 17
NHL DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Wednesday, April 17