Top NHL Player Props & Picks for April 20 on PrizePicks
This piece forecasts playoff time-on-ice (TOI) targets and PrizePicks plays for a busy April night. It highlights game scripts, injury effects, and five defensemen who figure to see heavy minutes.
Playoff context and caveats
Overtime does not count toward TOI in the playoffs. That rule can alter totals compared with the regular season.
Minutes can shift quickly. Injuries, line changes, and special-teams duties drive late adjustments.
Games can turn physical. Benchings, misconducts, or coaches resting stars can derail an over play.
Recent minute trends and script notes
Game 1s often show teams feeling each other out. That produced some surprising minute splits.
Mikhail Sergachev logged under 25 minutes in a tight contest. Rasmus Dahlin barely cleared 24 minutes.
Cale Makar appeared script-dependent. He may see fluctuating TOI until Colorado faces a must-win.
Recommended TOI plays and reasoning
| Player | TOI Line | Matchup & Time (ET) | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quinn Hughes | 27.5 | at Dallas Stars — 9:30 p.m. | Hughes was limited by a blowout in Game 1. A tighter game should push him past this mark. |
| Erik Karlsson | 24.25 | vs. Philadelphia Flyers — 7:00 p.m. | Karlsson played near 26 minutes in Game 1 and skates on both PP1 and PK1. |
| Miro Heiskanen | 25 | vs. Minnesota Wild — 9:30 p.m. | Heiskanen returned from injury in Game 1. Expect his minutes to rise with a second game under his belt. |
| Thomas Chabot | 25.75 | at Carolina Hurricanes — 7:35 p.m. | Artem Zub left Game 1 and did not return. Chabot and Jake Sanderson may shoulder a heavier load. |
| John Carlson | 24.5 | at Edmonton Oilers — 10:00 p.m. | Carlson saw fewer minutes late in the regular season. He looks primed for a larger playoff role. |
Notes on Thomas Chabot and the Senators
Artem Zub exited Game 1 in the first period and did not return. That absence changes the Senators’ defensive rotation.
Nikolas Matinpalo skated with Jake Sanderson at morning skate. Matinpalo averaged under 16 minutes per game this season.
Notes on John Carlson
Carlson’s minutes were eased late in the season. That appears aimed at preserving him for playoff intensity.
There’s a minutes-sharing dynamic with Jackson LaCombe. One usually inherits the heavier workload each night.
How to use these plays
Expect late changes. TOI projections and PrizePicks plays can shift with skates and injury news.
Check lineup updates and goalie deployments prior to puck drop. Comments often carry last-minute intel.
For comparison and betting context, consult Top NHL Player Props & Picks for April 20 on PrizePicks and Filmogaz.com resources.
Disclosure
The original analyst participates in daily fantasy contests. He uses FanDuel and DraftKings accounts under the handle lennykarl1.
