Daily Fantasy Hockey 2015: NHL DraftKings Primer for April 30

The second round of the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs begin Thursday, and both matchups on the docket are entertaining ones. The Calgary Flames are set to face the Anaheim Ducks, and the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals will square off for the umpteenth time.

Making the most of your picks will be important with only two games scheduled, and making informed picks helps if you have some research on hand. Luckily, I have gone to the trouble of isolating some key information that you will want to take note of before registering your lineup.

With that in mind, here is a conference semifinals edition of Daily Fantasy Hockey with DraftKings and some players to include or avoid at all costs.

Team	G/GP	GA/GP	Differential	Record	Top Player
ANA	4.00	2.25	1.75	4-0	Corey Perry, 7 points
NYR	2.20	1.60	0.60	4-1	Henrik Lundqvist, 1.53 GAA, .939 SV%
CGY	3.00	2.33	0.67	4-2	Jiri Hudler 6 points, Johnny Gaudreau 6 points
WSH	2.29	2.14	0.15	4-3	Nicklas Backstrom, 6 points

(+) Derick Brassard, $4,900

Derick Brassard is one of the Rangers' best playoff scorers, and he's someone to put in the lineup for Thursday. He has a lowly price of $4,900 and continues to produce in series after series for the boys in blue. He tallied three goals and an assist against the Pittsburgh Penguins and has a lifetime 0.70 points-per-game average in the playoffs. 

(-) Alex Ovechkin, $9,300

Alex Ovechkin is the most expensive player for Thursday, and you should steer clear of him despite his explosiveness displayed during the regular season. The Washington Capitals' captain has appeared in 26 playoff games against the Rangers, and during that span, he has tallied nine goals and 11 points. These numbers appear to be solid, but there is a catch.

Series	Result	Goals	Assists	Points
2009 Quarterfinals	WSH Wins 4-3	3	4	7
2011 Quarterfinals	WSH Wins 4-1	3	3	6
2012 Semifinals	NYR Wins 4-3	1	1	2
2013 Quarterfinals	NYR Wins 4-3	2	3	5
TOTAL		9	11	20

Ovechkin tallied six goals and seven assists during his first two playoff series against the Rangers. In the last two series—both lasted seven games—Ovi has only scored three goals and tallied four assists. The Rangers have found ways to isolate him from being a factor, and with that in mind, you should avoid taking a tired Ovechkin for Game 1.

(+) Ryan McDonagh, $5,800

Ryan McDonagh has had a reputation of being a sound defender for much of his career, but his offensive game has blossomed since Alain Vigneault took over in 2013. In the playoffs, it is important for defenders to chip in offense whenver they can, and McDonagh has done that for the Blueshirts.

He has tallied 21 points in his last 30 playoff games and was one of the Rangers' offensive leaders during their series vs. the Penguins. He also has 10 points in his last 11 total games, and that includes a fantasy points-per-game average of 3.7 during that span.

(-) Jonas Hiller, $8,400

Ben Nelms/Getty Images

Jonas Hiller will look to get revenge against his former team in the second round, and it is a compelling story that might convince players to invest $8,400 in the Flames' netminder. It is a nice thought, but thus far, he's been ineffective against the Ducks with a record of 1-2-0, a 3.43 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage.

There's a chance his luck could change in the playoffs, but it makes sense to wait a game or two before hitching your wagon to Hiller.

(+) Ryan Kesler, $7,700

Ryan Kesler was vital for the Anaheim Ducks during their series against the Winnipeg Jets, and he is a forward who could be a huge X-factor. Kesler is in his first season with the Ducks, and prior to that, he was a member of the Vancouver Canucks.

During that time, Kesler became familiar with the Ducks, and he tallied 12 goals and 19 points in 33 games. Kesler is a playoff performer with a playoff points-per-game average of 0.70, and that should make him a sought-after commodity.

---

DraftKings is hosting one-day NHL contests with thousands in prizes. Claim your free entry by clicking on the link and making a first-time deposit!

DraftKings stats and details per its official site. Outside statistics via Hockey-Reference.com and NHL.com.