The NHL has decided to go with one playoff game Saturday. We get the Golden Knights hosting the Oilers at 7 p.m. EDT., meaning single-game DFS contests. You get a budget of $135 and you pick a selection of five players. One is your superstar, and they earn you 1.5 times the points. Here’s a roster that stuck out to me.
SUPERSTAR
Leon Draisaitl, EDM at VGK ($36): Neither Stuart Skinner nor Laurent Brossoit worries me, while Draisaitl has been the best player in this postseason. He has 15 playoff points, including four goals in Game 1. Sure, he probably won’t do that again, but the big German has been held without a point only once in his last 24 games.
FLEX
Jack Eichel, VGK vs. EDM ($29): When Eichel, picked second behind Connor McDavid in 2015, scored that empty-net goal in Game 1, I bet it felt good. Maybe he isn’t a living legend like his draft classmate, but he’s no slouch. He had 66 points in 67 games this year. Skinner has really struggled in this postseason, as he has a 3.68 GAA and .883 save percentage.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, EDM at VGK ($26): Nugent-Hopkins was one of three Oilers with over 100 points this season. Now, 53 of them did come on the power play, but the Golden Knights had the 19th-ranked penalty kill this season. That’s not exactly intimidating against a power play like Edmonton’s.
Evan Bouchard, EDM at VGK ($22): Bouchard cannot be stopped. He has at least one point in every game this postseason and has tallied a point on the power play every time he has taken the ice as well. As I noted, the Golden Knights had a mediocre penalty kill, and nobody seems to be able to clamp down on Bouchard currently.
Jonathan Marchessault, VGK vs. EDM ($20): Marchessault gets to skate on Eichel’s wing. He’s also started 69.0 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, highest on the Golden Knights. While he only has two points in the playoffs, he’s put 16 shots on net in six games and has no goals. That likely won’t continue, especially against a goalie like Skinner.
