Daily Fantasy Hockey 2015: NHL DraftKings Picks for April 3

The countdown has begun for the final few days of the NHL season, and Friday night's games take on added importance. 

Four teams with legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations will be in action. The Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens appear to have relatively easy assignments against Buffalo and New Jersey, respectively, but NHL road games are not always as predictable as they seem.

The St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks are also involved in Friday night games, with the Blues on the road at Dallas, while the Ducks are at home against a desperate Colorado Avalanche team.

We will endeavor to give you the best DraftKings lineup to win your fantasy matchup, making sure not to exceed our $50,000 budget.

Pos.	Player	Opp.	Key Stat	Salary
C	Tyler Seguin	vs. St. Louis	13.3 shooting pct.	$9,000
C	Joe Thornton	vs. Arizona	48 assists	$4,200
W	Jarome Iginla	at Anaheim	five goals, four assists in last 10 games	$6,000
W	Tommy Wingels	vs. Arizona	12.5 shooting pct. in last 10 games	$4,300
W	Jakob Silfverberg	vs. Colorado	two goals, five assists in last 10 games	$4,200
D	Oliver Ekman-Larsson	at San Jose	21 goals, 19 assists	$5,600
D	Tyson Barrie	at Anaheim	two goals, 13 assists on power play	$4,800
G	Cory Schneider	vs. Montreal	five shutouts	$7,800
U	Andrew Cogliano	vs. Colorado	20.0 shooting pct. in last 10 games	$3,800

Centers: Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars ($9,000), and Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks ($4,200)

LM Otero/Associated Press

It's not always prudent to select the highest-priced center on the board, but in the case of a rested Tyler Seguin on a less-than-full card, it's the advisable way to go. The Stars have not played since their Monday night loss to the Calgary Flames, and Seguin should be at full strength and top speed in this game against the Blues. Seguin scored a goal in that loss to Calgary, and he has scored four goals and five assists in his last 10 games—and a well-rounded 35 goals and 35 assists this season. Look for Seguin to get on the board with a goal and an assist against the tired Blues, who played and defeated the Flames Thursday night.

Joe Thornton may not be the dynamic scorer he was in his heyday, but he is still one of the game's best passers. Thornton has reached bargain levels, and he is the perfect complement to pair with Seguin as one of our two centers. The Sharks have been one of the most disappointing teams this season, but Thornton could get on the board multiple times against the lowly Arizona Coyotes. Thornton has 14 goals and 48 assists this season, and he has 17 of those helpers on the power play.

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Wingers: Jarome Iginla, Colorado Avalanche ($6,000), Tommy Wingels, San Jose Sharks ($4,300), and Jakob Silfverberg, Anaheim Ducks ($4,200)

Jarome Iginla is the NHL's metronome. He just keeps on ticking with the kind of professional consistency that is reassuring. While he is no longer the dynamo that he was in his prime with the Flames, he is still an outstanding finisher, and that's why he has notched 26 goals and 29 assists this year. His ability to find the corners of the net is the reason he has notched five goals and four assists in his last 10 games. Iginla has found the scoring range on an impressive 17.9 percent of his shots over that time frame. He could make the Anaheim Ducks pay.

Tommy Wingels is not a fancy player, and he's unlikely to ever become an All-Star. Wingels has never scored 20 goals in a season, but he is tough and dependable, and he will go to the right spot and pay the price just to get an opportunity. Wingels has 15 goals and 20 assists this season, along with two goals and four assists in his last 10 games. The Coyotes are the right opponent for him, and he has an excellent chance to score here.

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

Jakob Silfverberg is not a star at this point in his career, but he is a well-rounded player who excels in the defensive aspects of the game and also has the speed to do damage on offense. Silfverberg has scored 12 goals and 26 assists this season, and he has two goals and five assists over his last 10 games. He can make plays off the rush and score with his one-timer. He should have an excellent opportunity to score at home against the Avs.

Defensemen: Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona Coyotes ($5,600), and Tyson Barrie, Colorado Avalanche ($4,800)

The Coyotes may be in contention for the No. 1 pick in the draft based on their consistently poor play, but that does not apply to Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who is one of the best offensive defensemen in the NHL. Ekman-Larsson has scored 21 goals and 19 assists this season, and he excels at walking the blue line and waiting for the perfect moment to unleash his quick and accurate shot. Ekman-Larsson has four goals and three assists in his last 10 games, and has an excellent chance to hit the board against the Sharks in this game.

Paul Vernon/Associated Press

Tyson Barrie is one of the league's upcoming stars for the Avalanche. He is a skilled, smart, tough and bruising defenseman who appears to be getting better on a consistent basis. Barrie has the drive and guts to take the puck into the best scoring areas, and he has 12 goals and 37 assists this season. He has 15 of his 49 points on the power play.

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Goalie: Cory Schneider, New Jersey Devils ($7,800)

This is a big risk as we try to win a game with the Devils against the Montreal Canadiens, but the price is right as far as Cory Schneider is concerned. While he has a 26-28-9 record, Schneider has an impressive 2.20 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage. That means he has played consistently, even if his team lacks the weapons to win on a regular basis.

Perhaps the Habs, who lost Thursday night at home in a shootout to Washington, won't have their best game on the road against a struggling opponent, and Schneider will steal the game for the Devils.

Stats courtesy of Hockey-Reference.com and DraftKings.

Steve Silverman covers daily fantasy sports for Bleacher Report. Follow and interact with him on Twitter.

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