April 24, 2016

Barry Leonard's DFS advice for 4/24/16. Daily Fantasy Hockey Lineup Picks and sleepers for FanDuel & DraftKings NHL cash games and GPPs.

Welcome to the Daily Fantasy Hockey (NHL DFS) lineup picks article for April 24th of the 2015/2016 NHL season. Each day we'll be providing you with a handful of forward, defensemen, and goaltender picks for DraftKings and FanDuel GPP and cash games.

Round one of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs is nearing an end and all three games today feature an opportunity for a team to clinch and move on.

The Washington Capitals and Dallas Stars both had a chance to clinch at home Friday night, and both failed in that effort. Today, the Capitals travel to Philadelphia and Dallas heads to Minnesota.

Florida will look to stay alive on the road today after dropping a double-overtime heartbreaker at home in Game 5 to the Islanders.

The drama of the playoffs should make for some exciting action both on the ice and in the world of DFS today.

Check out my DFS picks for Sunday below.

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NHL DFS Picks for Sunday, April 24th

A couple strategy notes. For cash game construction look for players who can contribute to your score when they are not providing offense. Examples are guys who take a ton of shots, defensemen who block a lot of shots(DraftKings). Also, look for guys who get powerplay time and especially Top 6 forwards. You can find value in players who join a new line due to an injury or just get a promotion and more ice time.

For large field tournaments (GPP's) you want to find payers who have multi-point upside and can grab double-digit fantasy points. To stack the most upside in your forwards, a common strategy is to punt the defenseman position. This doesn't mean just grab anyone. Try and look for a D-man who will be playing more PP time or might get a boost in overall playing time due to an injury.

Let's take a look at some solid plays for today's action.

Braden Holtby- Goaltender, Capitals (DraftKings - $8,700  FanDuel - $9,900)

Okay, so I had Holtby on this list Friday night and it didn't exactly work out thanks to not picking up a win. Still, he actually played great, giving up just one goal on a night in which he didn't face many shots. The Capitals have a mother chance to clinch today and it is touch to imagine that the likely Vezina winner will drop three straight games to the Flyers. Continue to roll with Washington's top netminder.

Jay Beagle - Center, Capitals (DraftKings - $3,000  FanDuel - $3,200)

Beagle has nee a good DFS option during the playoffs thus far. Despite not having a top-six role with the Capitals, he's been productive during his limited ice time. He has two goals during the playoffs, with one coming on the power play. Beagle has been a sneaky play and that should continue today. A low price tag and low ownership is a combination you'll want to take advantage of.

Cody Eakin - Center, Stars  (DraftKings - $4,000 FanDuel - $3,700)

Another cheap center who flies under the radar is Cody Eakin. He picked up an assist during Friday's game - his third of the series. He's been producing at a good clip for someone with such a cheap salary. He doesn't shoot a lot, but given his play the last few games, he's got a good chance to record a point today. It won't cost you much to take a chance on him.

Ales Hemsky - Winger, Stars (DraftKings - $4,200 FanDuel - $5,500)

Hem sky has turned into a very good DFS option during the playoffs thanks to his production and still affordable price. He's put up a goal and two assists through five games to go along with a plus-2 rating. There are limited options tonight, so Hemsky could have an ownership number higher than normal, but don't shy away.

Alexander Ovechkin - Winger, Capitals (DraftKings - $9,100 FanDuel - $9,700)

Sure, the price is high and he's gone pointless over the last two games, but that only means that he's due for a big game. Ovechkin isn't one to stay quiet for long, especially when his team is trying to advance. He has four points in five games and can record fantasy points without even landing on the scoresheet. He's been active in the series dishing out hits and shooting the puck. He's taken at least five shots three times, including the eight that he fired on net Friday night.

Kyle Okposo- Winger, Islanders (DraftKings - $6,400 FanDuel - $6,800)

Okposo has racked up a goal and four assists so far in five games with the Panthers. Although he's been held without a point the last two games, don't overlook him for your DFS lineup. He likes to shoot the puck and gets well over 20 minutes on the ice, giving him ample opportunities to produce. The Islanders have a chance to wrap things up at home today, so expect Okposo to be charged up.

John Carlson - Defenseman, Capitals (DraftKings - $6,200 FanDuel - $6,600)

Carlson has gone the last two games without picking up a point, but he shouldn't be overlooked today. He was red-hot at the start of the series, picking up a goal in each of the first three games along with three assists. He's taken five shots on goal the last two games and should be considered one of the top defenseman available today.

Dmitry Kulikov - Defenseman, Panthers (DraftKings - $3,900 FanDuel - $3,600)

If you're planning on spending some money on some top offensive options today you'll have to find value somewhere else. The easiest place to do so is probably at defenseman. If you're running low on cap space, look in the direction of Kulikov. He shoots the puck and blocks shots, giving him added value on DraftKings. His plus-4 rating for the playoffs will help those owners playing on DraftKings. The blueliner had four points in the first three games of the series, showing that he has the ability to put up points.

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