This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Happy Saturday! In addition to Elite Eight basketball, there are 12 NHL games, including 10 in the evening for daily fantasy purposes. Also for daily fantasy purposes there is the following list of players I would recommend for your lineups.
GOALIE
Frederik Andersen, TOR vs. DET ($8,400): Things haven't gone swimmingly for Andersen recently, but there are still reasons to like this matchup. For starters, the Maple Leafs are 25-8-2 at home, whereas the Red Wings are 13-21-3 on the road. Detroit also is 1-8-1 over its last 10 games. On top of that, the Wings have only scored 2.49 goals per contest. Andersen should be able to more than manage in this matchup.
CENTER
Matt Duchene, OTT vs. CAR ($5,800): Duchene has notched 40 points in 59 games since being traded to the Senators, including 10 points in his last nine contests. The Hurricanes have a 3.16 GAA, which they owe largely to a .890 save percentage that is the lowest in the NHL by a wide margin (the Senators are second worst at .898). Carolina also has the 25th-ranked penalty kill, while Duchene has averaged 2:41 per game with the extra man.
Nico Hischier, NJD vs. TAM ($4,300): Hischier has started 62.7 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, which is tied for highest on the Devils. The 2017 first-overall pick has enjoyed a solid rookie season, tallying 17 goals and 31 assists through 74 games. Meanwhile, the Lightning have been unexpectedly bad on defense since the All-Star break. In that time they've posted a 3.44 GAA and allowed 34.6 shots on net per game.
WING
Jordan Eberle, NYI vs. CHI ($5,700): Eberle has notched 11 points, including four on the power play, in his last 12 games. The Blackhawks have a 3.09 GAA, but that is skewed heavily by the good ol' days when Corey Crawford was healthy. Since the All-Star break, they have a league-high 3.73 GAA to go with a .885 save percentage.
Zach Hyman, TOR vs. DET ($3,800): Hyman has a three-game point streak, but there is another reason for intrigue here. Auston Matthews is back, and Hyman is skating on his wing. Playing alongside a guy like Matthews can really boost your fantasy potential. Additionally, the Red Wings have a 3.19 GAA since the All-Star break, and a 4.00 GAA in March.
Pavel Buchnevich, NYR vs. BUF ($3,700): Buchnevich has started 58.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, highest among Rangers forwards. Though he hasn't been shooting a ton, he has six assists in his last five games, and he's tallied 17 power-play points overall in 66 contests. The Sabres have a 3.26 GAA, which is third highest in the NHL, and on top of that they will be on the road for the second night of a back-to-back.
DEFENSE
Duncan Keith, CHI at NYI ($4,800): Keith has 30 assists in 75 games, which is good. Of course, he also only has one goal. That being said, he's put 176 shots on net, giving him a 0.6 shooting percentage that is unusually low. If he's ever going to get another goal this could be the matchup where it happens. The Islanders have a league-high 3.61 GAA and have allowed 35.7 shots on net per game, which is also a league high.
Jaccob Slavin, CAR at OTT ($4,600): Slavin has tallied seven points in his last four games and nine in his last nine contests. The Senators have a 3.42 GAA, which is second highest in the NHL. They are also even worst at home, posting a 3.57 GAA in Ottawa. On top of his recent offensive prowess, Slavin has 146 blocked shots in 74 games.
