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Welcome to the Daily Fantasy Hockey (NHL DFS) lineup picks article for April 9th 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.
With the regular season coming to a close we are gifted with one more big day of hockey on Saturday. There are 15 games in the NHL starting at 12:30 pm et with two huge matchups that will help clear up the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins are at home to the Senators while the Red Wings travel to New York to face the Rangers. Boston and Detroit are tied with 93 points going into their last game and if Detroit can win in regulation or OT they will clinch 3rd in the Atlantic Division. There are still many other scenarios that come into play but rest assured there will be some very competitive hockey Saturday afternoon.
All of the Western Conference teams are locked into the playoffs and only have positioning left to play for on Saturday. Both divisions are up for grabs as the Stars and Blues are tied with 107 points in the Central with one game to play for each. The Pacific Division is currently held by the LA Kings who have 101 points with one game remaining can clinch with a regulation or OT win on Saturday.
At this point there are only five confirmed goalies(Hammond-OTT, Backstrom-CGY, Sparks-TOR, Schenider-NJ, Condon-MTL) so be sure to check LeftWingLock prior to game lock.
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NHL DFS Picks for Saturday, April 9th
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 defense 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.
Kari Lehtonen - Goaltender, Stars (Draftkings - $7,400 FanDuel - $8,100)
The Stars have been running a 1/1a goalie system all season but Lehtonen appears to be taking over with his strong play down the stretch. He has won three straight and six of his last seven games allowing more than two goals in a game only twice. Look for a motivated Dallas team as they can clinch the Central Division with a win and home ice throughout the Western Conference playoffs.
John Tavares - Center, Islanders (DraftKings - $7,500 FanDuel - $8,900)
He has put the Islanders on his back over the last few weeks as they have tied the Rangers for third in the Metropolitan Division. He has recorded three straight multi point games and has 13 points over his previous 10 games.
Jamie Benn - Winger, Stars (DraftKings - $8,000 FanDuel - $7,900)
As mentioned above the Stars can clinch the Central Division and Western Conference with a win and will turn to their best player to lead them. Benn has been held scoreless in the last two games but has been much better at home this year and would love the home ice going into the playoffs. He has tallied 11 points in his last 10 games.
Patrick Maroon - Winger, Ducks (DraftKings - $3,900 FanDuel - $5,300)
He is close to a must play, especially on DraftKings where he will only cost you around 8% of your salary cap. He is benefiting from playing alongside up and coming(more like current)superstar Connor McDavid. In his last five games he has tallied five goals and two assists and added 16 shots on goal.
Kevin Shattenkirk - Defense, Blues (DraftKings - $6,900 FanDuel - $5,600)
He has been a very consistent fantasy option lately with points in five straight games and has recorded 2 or more shots in a game in six straight. His best value is on FanDuel tonight where he will cost you 10% of your salary vs. 14% on DraftKings.
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Get an edge on your NHL DFS competition, every single night of the week. Our Premium cheat sheets provide you with 15 nightly DFS lineup picks, key advanced stats, deeper player analysis, and matchup breakdowns. Below is a sample cheat sheet - take a look for yourself.
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