Daily Fantasy Hockey 2015: NHL DraftKings Picks for May 1

The first round of the 2015 NHL playoffs is in the books, which means that daily fantasy options are limited to no more than two games on any given night. But with the right digging, favorable lineups can still be pieced together.

Two second-round series begin Friday night, as the Tampa Bay Lightning face a quick turnaround for Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens, while the Minnesota Wild travel to battle the Chicago Blackhawks. Among the four teams playing, DraftKings participants can find plenty of potent offensive options, dependable goaltenders and high-traffic blueliners to fill a stacked lineup.

Pos.	Player	Opp.	Last 10 Games	Salary
C	Tyler Johnson, Lightning	Montreal	9 goals, 3 assists	$7,600
C	Mikael Granlund, Wild	Chicago	2 goals, 6 assists	$3,900
W	Nino Niederreiter, Wild	Chicago	3 goals, assist	$4,300
W	Brandon Saad, Blackhawks	Minnesota	3 goals	$5,100
W	Nikita Kucherov, Lightning	Montreal	Goal, 7 assists	$5,000
D	Marco Scandella, Wild	Chicago	4 goals, assist	$4,000
D	Duncan Keith, Blackhawks	Minnesota	3 goals, 5 assists	$7,400
G	Devan Dubnyk, Wild	Chicago	2.25 GAA, .917 SV%	$8,700
UTIL	Ryan Suter, Wild	Chicago	2 assists	$4,000

Centers: Tyler Johnson ($7,600) and Mikael Granlund ($3,900)

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

Tyler Johnson of the Tampa Bay Lightning has scored multiple goals in every other game since the postseason began, and he was held scoreless in Game 7 against the Detroit Red Wings. Perhaps another two-goal outburst isn't in the cards, but with 20 shots on goal in the last series, he will get a wealth of chances.

Wild center Mikael Granlund quietly had one of the most consistent first rounds of any forward despite only scoring one goal. He notched five assists in six games against the St. Louis Blues. The Chicago Blackhawks' goaltending picture is an enigma with Corey Crawford returning to the crease after being benched during the last series, so expect Granlund and Co. to light him up.

Wingers: Brandon Saad ($5,100) and Nino Niederreiter ($4,300)

Mark Zaleski/Associated Press

Blackhawks winger Brandon Saad is upping his value entering free agency this offseason, scoring two goals in Chicago's first-round series against the Nashville Predators. While the Blackhawks' high-priced wingers like Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa will go up against Minnesota's primary defense, Saad will have opportunities against inferior blueliners.

Double down on the Wild to have a big Game 1 offensively with Nino Niederreiter. The right-winger is on an incredible four-game points streak through Minnesota's opening-round win over St. Louis, and he notched a goal and an assist during the season against Chicago.

Defensemen: Duncan Keith ($7,400) and Marco Scandella ($4,000)

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith is putting up star forward numbers through one round of the postseason, assisting five goals while scoring two of his own—each game-winners. Averaging 4.6 DraftKings points per game through six playoff games, Keith is well worth a hefty price tag.

Marco Scandella provides enough offense at the blue line to play past his value with 17 shots on goal in his last eight games, but he has recently provided the scoring as well with three goals and an assist in Minnesota's first-round series. 

Goalie: Devan Dubnyk ($8,700)

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

When affordable goaltenders are tough to come by, it's wise to go with the safest option that doesn't break the bank. Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk is just that, putting up at least eight DK points in three of his last four outings. Dubnyk starred in Minnesota's Game 1 win on the road at St. Louis, and he could do the same here against Chicago.

Steven Cook is a breaking news and daily fantasy writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.

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