This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
The game of the night will be Oilers vs. Avalanche featuring Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon going head-to-head. Since McDavid, who has owned the Avs with 23 points in 12 games, entered the league, the Avs and Oilers have scored five goals or more in every game they've played against each other.
The Bruins are the only team playing the second half of a back-to-back tonight after trouncing the Habs, 8-1. The Senators lost 5-2 the last time they met and their chances of winning haven't improved much since.
The Rangers, among the worst in the league in possession and defensive metrics, are also likely to face a barrage of offense from their opponent, the Hurricanes. Sheldon Keefe's unbeaten Maple Leafs have scored eight goals in two games and they should have no problems scoring against the Red Wings.
The Blue Jackets are coming off a shutout win and host the Flyers, who've suddenly forgotten how to score. The Blues and Lightning are an intriguing Cup matchup possibility, otherwise Golden Knights-Predators, Jets-Sharks, Ducks-Coyotes and Panthers-Capitals should be close intraconference battles.
The Islanders will try to snap their two-game losing streak against the Kings in their California road trip, while the Canucks and Flames continue their road trip facing the Penguins and Sabres, respectively. The Flames will try to be all business as usual with Geoff Ward running the bench for the first time in his career.
GOALIES
Tuukka Rask ($9,000) will be a popular pick, but it'll be an expensive one with 25 other starters to potentially choose from.
Andrei Vasilevskiy ($8,700) is usually popular, but the Blues are the stronger team right now and only recently has he started to play like he did last season. Jordan Binnington ($8,600) was victorious last time they met thanks to a lackluster performance from the Lightning. Braden Holtby ($8,500) has the upper hand against Sergei Bobrovsky ($7,700), who's basically unplayable unless the Panthers score a lot of goals, which will be difficult to do against Washington.
Matt Murray ($8,400) should be solid facing the struggling and very unlucky Canucks, who are coming off a listless 2-1 loss to Philly. Antti Raanta ($8,100) should be a good pick against the Ducks, and so should Frederik Andersen ($8,200) against the Wings.
The Oilers-Avs and Sharks-Jets games feature a lot of good offensive players and either thin defensive corps or poor goaltending, so their matchups aren't the most ideal. If I had to pick, Connor Hellebuyck ($8,300) has played the best.
ONE-OFFS/VALUE PLAYS
Oliver Bjorkstrand ($5,200) continues his hot streak with two goals and five assists in his past four games. The Jackets offense was clicking but managed just one goal against Ottawa, so it's feast-or-famine for them lately, but Bjorkstrand's still managed to consistently produce. Jared McCann ($4,500) has also been very productive with three points in two games since becoming the Pens' second-line center.
His four-game goal streak was snapped but Anthony Cirelli ($4,700) extended his point streak with a helper on a shorthanded goal. Steven Stamkos' absence means more ice time for everyone. Robby Fabbri ($3,800) will play on the first line with Anthony Mantha hurt, and after a two-goal debut has scored five points in eight games. Calle Jarnkrok ($3,800) is in a similar situation and has four points in three games while taking Viktor Arvidsson's spot the Nashville top line. Sam Gagner ($3,000) has been the biggest beneficiary with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins sidelined, and in his absence logged 15 minutes with two shots on goal and an assist.
Morgan Frost ($4,200) and his offensive ability is already evident with 13 shots in four games, and despite being held without a point in his last two faces a sub-.500 opponent with poor goaltending. He's playing on a line with Claude Giroux and Travis Konecny.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Carolina Hurricanes (TOTAL: $21,300)
C – Sebastian Aho ($7,500)
W – Andrei Svechnikov ($6,700)
W – Teuvo Teravainen ($7,100)
The Hurricanes are one of the best transition teams thanks to a mobile defense and that's a scary proposition for the Rangers, who don't have enough defensive depth and their goaltending has been unreliable all season. Aho has nine points in his past seven games, Svechnikov's on an eight-game point streak and Teravainen has three straight multi-point games.
Toronto Maple Leafs (TOTAL: $18,900)
C – Auston Matthews ($8,400)
W – William Nylander ($5,700)
W – Andreas Johnsson ($4,800)
Matthews continues to drive this line with three goals in his past five games, but the value proposition is a matchup against the Wings, who are dead last in team GAA (3.73) and fifth last on the PK (73.5%).
DEFENSEMEN
John Carlson ($7,400) was held without a point for just the fifth time all season against the Canucks. He's still more likely than not to be a worthwhile pick. Dougie Hamilton ($6,700) is another elite scorer who's worth the price, as is Kris Letang ($6,600), who has not scored since Oct. 18 but has registered 26 shots since (3.7 S%), which means he's due for a goal soon (career 5.8 S%).
Torey Krug ($5,900) is a great value pick because of his point production and has scored five points in two games since returning from injury, and he's facing an easier matchup against the Sens. Keith Yandle ($5,500) is owed a goal by the hockey gods after losing nine teeth, but joking aside he's been a consistent producer despite a four-game drought. Cale Makar ($5,100) and Anthony DeAngelo ($4,600) will also be popular choices as premier power-play quarterbacks.
