Trade deadline day is just one week away. A lot of big names have been rumored to be on the move for potential playoff runs. A few deals have already been made as we get closer to April. Tonight, there are nine games scheduled. With some very interesting matchups, finding the right DFS options will be tricky. Let’s dive into this slate and discover some of the best players of the evening.
Center
Sebastian Aho (CAR): $7,500 vs. NYR
The New York Rangers are traveling to Raleigh tonight in what should be a high-event game. Both teams like to play at a fast pace. The difference between the two teams is that Carolina creates a lot of offense. They are among the league leaders in shots for and Corsi for percentage. Sebastian Aho is the driving force on this team for goals, now with 24 on the year. Carolina’s top forward line is among the top stacking options tonight against the Rangers.
Ryan O’Reilly (STL): $6,700 vs. TOR
The St. Louis Blues are the hottest team in the league right now. After winning their last 10 games, the Blues are turning heads. They are a darkhorse team who will make a significant splash in the postseason. Ryan O’Reilly is arguably the most important player on this team and will continue being the setup man for Vladimir Tarasenko.
Wing
Nino Niederreiter (CAR): $6,300 vs. NYR
Since being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in the middle of January, Nino Niederreiter has scored eight goals and five assists. He has immediately found success with new linemates Sebastian Aho and Justin Williams. Playing alongside the two during even strength and on the man advantage, the three Hurricane forwards line up to be a great stack.
Vladimir Tarasenko (STL): $8,500 vs. TOR
The hottest player, on the hottest team, happens to be Vladimir Tarasenko. In his last five games, Tarasenko has scored seven goals and six assists. He is absolutely on fire and will look to continue his stretch against the Maple Leafs. Toronto wraps up their six-game road trip tonight after a lot of travel. While they are a young team, the Blues have the advantage of playing on home ice. Tarasenko is a top option each night until he cools down.
Leon Draisaitl (EDM): $8,000 vs. ARI
While there is not a lot to be optimistic about in Edmonton, Leon Draisaitl is having an outstanding year. Now ranked third overall in the NHL for goals scored, the “German Gretzky” has lit the lamp 35 times. As one of the more underrated players in the league, Draisaitl has elite skill and plays alongside the best player in the world. Edmonton is a very desperate team who will give their star players plenty of opportunities to produce goals in order to win. Arizona is not a great team, however, they are fighting with Edmonton for a chance at the last wild card spot. This will be a hard-fought game.
Defense
Alex Pietrangelo (STL): $5,900 vs. TOR
As a final piece to a Blues stack, Alex Pietrangelo is a great option. The Blues are rolling right now. However, the matchup looks seemingly tough on paper. That being said, St. Louis will need to lean on Pietrangelo heavily for minutes. He is not only the top defensive defenseman on the team but the best offensive d-man as well.
Mikhail Sergachev (TB): $3,700 @ PHI
Tampa Bay played in Columbus last night where star defenseman, Victor Hedman, left due to an undisclosed injury. Even if he does suit up tonight, he is clearly banged up and the Lightning will need to be extra careful with him as they gear up for the playoffs. Youngster Mikhail Sergachev will step into a much larger role and more specifically, during the power-play. At a near minimum price, Sergachev should have plenty of opportunities to produce fantasy points.
Goalie
Devan Dubnyk (MIN): $8,000 vs. ANH
The Wild are a -225 favorite tonight as they welcome the struggling Anaheim Ducks. While they have won two of their last three games, both games were at home. Beforehand, they lost their last six games in a row on the road. Minnesota is one team who is also fighting for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference and who is hungry for every win. On home ice, not only should Dubnyk get the win, but he also has a great chance at a shutout.
Jeremy Maw is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Jeremy, check out his archive or follow him @j_maw.
