Richard Masana 
After a tiny three-game slate yesterday, the NHL is bouncing back hard with a huge twelve-game Thursday slate. Without any further adieu, let’s get to the analysis!
4/14 NHL Main Slate of Games – Beginning 7 p.m. ET
Ottawa Senators (+235) at Boston Bruins (-300) – 6 Projected Goal Total
Detroit Red Wings (+300) at Carolina Hurricanes (-400) – 6.5 Projected Goal Total
Washington Capitals (+140) at Toronto Maple Leafs (-160) – 6.5 Projected Goal Total
St. Louis Blues (-215) at Buffalo Sabres (+175) – 6.5 Projected Goal Total
Anaheim Ducks (+300) at Tampa Bay Lightning (-400) – 6 Projected Goal Total
New York Islanders (+140) at Pittsburgh Penguins (-160) – 5.5 Projected Goal Total
Edmonton Oilers (-110) at Nashville Predators (-110) – 6 Projected Goal Total
Minnesota Wild (-130) at Dallas Stars (+110) – 6.5 Projected Goal Total
San Jose Sharks (-115) at Chicago Blackhawks (-105) – 5.5 Projected Goal Total
New Jersey Devils (+280) at Colorado Avalanche (-360) – 6.5 Projected Goal Total
Vegas Golden Knights (+135) at Calgary Flames (-155) – 6 Projected Goal Total
Arizona Coyotes (+210) at Vancouver Canucks (-265) – 6 Projected Goal Total
4/14 NHL Favorite Lines Per Dollar
Top Line – Colorado One “Nathan MacKinnon ($8,400), Mikko Rantanen ($7,500), Andre Burakovsky ($4,300)“
It’s certainly been a disappointing season for the Avalanche’s top line. They have certainly suffered from a combination of injuries at different times. As we speak, Gabriel Landeskog is out, but of the three, he is the skater you would choose to lose. The price savings we get with the inclusion of Andre Burakovsky for over $3,000 less than any other skater on this line allows us to make things work.
This is annually one of the NHL’s top-scoring lines but for 2021-2022, they fall outside the top ten. Nevertheless, Colorado’s top line will have an opportunity to make up for lost time with a sweet matchup tonight despite being on the second night of a back-to-back. The Avalanche are -360 home favorites against the defensively challenged Devils with a 6.5 implied goal total. Expect them to be the chalk of the night, although, on a twelve-game slate, ownership is not that important.
Secondary Line – St. Louis One “Pavel Buchnevich ($6,000), Robert Thomas ($5,400), Vladimir Tarasenko ($6,900)”
This line hasn’t gotten much love in the article this season but they are red hot right now. Their tally of twelve goals over their last ten games trails only the Toronto Maple Leaf’s top line and ties Calgary’s amazing first line for the NHL’s best across that span.
As -215 favorites in Buffalo and with one of the four 6.5 total games of the twelve tonight, the Blues are projected for a big win. In terms of price, these guys are relatively affordable all things considered so can be used as a pairing with a variety of the night’s more expensive lines.
4/14 NHL Honorable Mention: Dallas One “Jason Robertson ($5,500), Roope Hintz ($5,800), Joe Pavelski ($5,300)”
This one might seem a little bit out of left field. After all, the Stars have a tough matchup as +110 home underdogs against the Wild. However, the game does have a 6.5 implied total and this line has been putting up some monster peripheral stats as of late. Their 149 SATF “which includes all shot attempts of any sort” leads the NHL over the last ten-game sample size.
That said, I think they are a better option if throwing a low-dollar line in giant multiple entry tournaments, etc. The Stars make for the type of single bullet that is both unique in terms of ownership and carries some high upside. In terms of price, they are the cheapest of the three lines listed in terms of overall salary.
Top Defender
Mark Giordano – Toronto Maple Leafs – $4,000 – With the slate as big and possibly high scoring as it is projected to be, I don’t think you’re paying up for a Roman Josi type tonight. Mark Giordano will certainly benefit in terms of production being on the Leafs now as opposed to the Kraken. He does not see time on the top power-play unit “second” but is seeing enough minutes with a much better offense that for a $4,000 price tag I think he fits as a “pay up” of the two defensemen if looking to spend less on both sports.
Top Goalie
Andrei Vasilevskiy – Tampa Bay Lightning – $8,800 – If you have the money, Vas seems like a slam dunk cash play tonight. The Lightning enter the night as -400 favorites against the struggling Ducks so the win is likely and his 2.43 GAA this season sort of speaks for itself.
4/14 NHL Best Bet
Calgary Flames 60 Minute Moneyline (+105) – 0.66 Units, Calgary Flames Moneyline (-155) 0.34 Units, DraftKings – Despite their stellar performance all season and indirect mention earlier, there was no official Calgary Flame writeup so far until now. They enter this matchup as the winners of five straight and have been playing so well all season. Vegas is looking to stay alive in the playoff race but will have their work cut out for them here. I think this is best run as a hybrid bet, 2/3 60 min, 1/3 full money line with odds considered.
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