Stanley Cup Final Game 4: Daily Fantasy Lineup Leans and Goalie Calls

With only one game on the slate, every lineup decision is magnified. Game 4 between the Hurricanes and Golden Knights hinges on elite forwards, banged-up blueliners, and two goalies locked into starting roles. Let’s sort out today’s start/sit calls, power-play angles, and matchup context so you can squeeze every edge out of this single-game slate and playoff pool lineup.

What’s New & Why It Matters

The projected lineups put Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho back atop the Hurricanes’ attack, while Jack Eichel continues to drive the Golden Knights’ first line. Both teams are leaning on their stars heavily, which concentrates fantasy value and makes stacking decisions more straightforward in daily formats.

In goal, Frederik Andersen is expected to start for the Hurricanes and Carter Hart is projected for the Golden Knights. There’s no real crease controversy tonight; the question is which side of the matchup you want to bet on, and whether you’re chasing win equity, save volume, or pure floor.

On the blue line, Brayden McNabb is playing through facial injuries but is still expected to log heavy minutes for Vegas, while Noah Hanifin’s status and effectiveness are worth monitoring. Their health shapes shot-blocking and peripheral production, and it can also subtly shift power-play and penalty-kill usage around them. Any sign of limitation could open the door for secondary defensemen to see more offensive-zone and PP looks.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

In points-only and daily scoring formats, this game tilts toward your core stars. Svechnikov’s role as a top-line winger for Carolina means prime even-strength deployment and a strong chance to be stapled to Aho in offensive situations. That’s exactly what you want in a one-game slate: concentrated usage and clear correlation. He should be locked into your starting lineup unless you’re making an extreme contrarian play.

Eichel is the same story for Vegas: top-line center, central figure in the Golden Knights’ offense, and likely to be on the ice in every key offensive situation. If you’re building around a Vegas win narrative, he’s your primary anchor. In playoff pools that allow daily moves, there’s no justification for sitting him given his role and the stakes.

On the back end, McNabb and Hanifin are less attractive in pure points formats. McNabb’s value comes more from minutes and defensive work than from offensive upside, and playing through injury doesn’t help his scoring outlook. Hanifin’s impact is more nuanced; if he’s clearly moving well and staying in offensive situations, he can chip in, but he’s still behind the forwards in priority. In a shallow points-only setup, you’re generally not forcing either into your active lineup unless your alternatives are very weak.

In net, Andersen and Hart are both viable starts in points-only goalie scoring because they’re locked into starting roles in a high-leverage Cup Final game. If your format rewards wins heavily, lean toward the team you expect to control play; if it emphasizes goals against, you might prefer the side you trust defensively. With only one game, though, benching either in favor of a non-starter elsewhere is a losing strategy—both should be active if your rules allow.

Categories / Bangers

In multi-cat leagues and playoff pools that count hits, blocks, and shots, the calculus changes. Svechnikov’s appeal jumps because he doesn’t just score—he also contributes in the physical categories. Top-line minutes plus a willingness to shoot and engage physically make him one of the most complete category contributors in this matchup. He’s a priority start across the board.

Eichel is more shot-volume and points driven, but in a game of this magnitude, he should see massive ice time and plenty of attempts on goal. If your format counts shots and power-play points, he’s a must-start, and pairing him with another Golden Knights forward can help you capitalize on any multi-point night from that top unit.

McNabb becomes much more interesting in categories. As a top-pair defenseman expected to play through injury and still log heavy minutes, he’s a prime source of blocks and potentially hits. Even if he’s not at 100 percent offensively, defensive-zone time and penalty-kill usage can rack up peripherals quickly. He’s a strong play in deeper category formats where blocks and hits are scarce.

Hanifin belongs on your radar as well. If he’s clearly in the lineup and not overly sheltered, he can contribute a mix of blocks, some shots, and the occasional point. The injury risk means his floor is a bit shakier, so he’s more of a fringe start in standard-depth category leagues but a justifiable play in deeper formats where every defenseman logging big minutes matters.

For goalies, categories formats that count saves, goals against, and shutouts make the decision between Andersen and Hart more nuanced. If you expect a tighter, lower-event game, Andersen’s profile as a stabilizing presence for Carolina might appeal more. If you think Carolina will push the pace and pepper the Vegas net, Hart could rack up saves even in a loss, which can be valuable if your scoring system rewards volume over ratios.

Dynasty / Keeper

Even in a single-game focus, there are dynasty and keeper angles. Svechnikov remains a cornerstone asset: top-line deployment in a Cup Final underscores how firmly he’s entrenched as a franchise piece for the Hurricanes. If anything, strong performances in this environment reinforce his long-term value and make him difficult to acquire in trades.

Eichel’s continued role as the offensive engine for Vegas similarly cements his long-term outlook. Heavy usage in all situations and trust in key moments are exactly what you want to see from a centerpiece in keeper formats. If your league allows offseason trading soon after the playoffs, managers might overreact to a hot or cold Final; that’s where using tools like the NHL Trade Analyzer can help you stay grounded.

On defense, McNabb is more of a depth dynasty piece whose value spikes in multi-cat formats. His willingness to play through injury and still handle big minutes reinforces his role as a reliable peripheral source, but it doesn’t dramatically change his long-term ceiling. Hanifin’s ability to play through injury and hold a significant role is a mild positive signal for his usage trajectory, but again, it’s more about confirming what we already know than creating a new tier of value.

In goal, Andersen and Hart both benefit from being trusted in a pivotal Cup Final game. For dynasty, the key takeaway is organizational trust: being the go-to starter in this spot suggests they’ll continue to get first crack at the crease. That said, goalie volatility remains high; don’t let one series completely reshape your long-term rankings, but do note who is getting the big-game starts.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

Andrei Svechnikov – Add/Start (all formats): Top-line deployment and multi-cat contributions make him a core play in any daily or playoff format.
Jack Eichel – Add/Start (all formats): Central to the Golden Knights’ offense and locked into massive minutes in a must-win environment.
Frederik Andersen – Start (goalie-heavy formats): Expected starter for Carolina with strong win equity and a solid ratios profile.
Carter Hart – Start (volume-focused formats): Projected starter for Vegas who could see significant shot volume and deliver strong save totals.
Brayden McNabb – Watchlist/Start (deep categories): Playing through injury but still set for heavy minutes, hits, and blocks.
Noah Hanifin – Watchlist (categories): Monitor his health and usage; viable in deeper leagues if he’s clearly handling regular minutes.

Fantasy Takeaways

Lock in Svechnikov and Eichel as automatic starts; their top-line roles and usage are too strong to fade on a one-game slate.
Start both Andersen and Hart wherever possible; with clear starting assignments, benching either is leaving guaranteed volume on the table.
In categories formats, McNabb is a sneaky source of blocks and hits despite his injury, making him valuable in deeper leagues.
Keep Hanifin on your watchlist and be ready to pivot based on his pregame status and early-game usage.
In dynasty and keeper leagues, treat this game as confirmation of roles, not a reason to overreact to short-term swings in performance.

Source: NHL.com. See the original for full details.