This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs begins Tuesday with a pair of Game 1s after 7:00 p.m. EDT. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective DraftKings DFS lineup. All game lines and odds used below are pulled from DraftKings Sportsbook.
SLATE PREVIEW
The Maple Leafs and Stars are both favored on home ice Tuesday against the Panthers and Kraken, respectively. Toronto's game has an over/under of 6.5 goals, while Dallas' comes in at 5.5.
GOALIES
Jake Oettinger, DAL vs. SEA ($8,200): Oettinger followed up a strong regular season with a stellar first round against the Wild, posting a 2.01 GAA and .928 save percentage as the Stars moved on in six games. There's a good argument that he's the best goalie left in the playoffs after a few big names bowed out in the first round.
Ilya Samsonov, TOR vs. FLA ($7,900): Samsonov posted his best performance of the playoffs to knock off Tampa Bay in Game 6, stopping 31 of 32 shots. He's riding high, as are the rest of the Maple Leafs, who have finally lifted the weight off their shoulders by winning a playoff series for the first time since 2004.
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA at TOR ($7,500): Florida needed vintage Bobrovsky after falling behind 3-1 against the Bruins in the first round, and the two-time Vezina Trophy winner delivered as the Panthers pulled off a historic upset. Bobrovsky allowed 11 goals in those last three games, but his 106 saves over that span included numerous high quality stops, and he has a high ceiling given the high volume of chances against him in Florida's fast-paced system.
Philipp Grubauer, SEA at DAL ($7,200): Grubauer's a sensible value play in what's expected to be the lower-scoring of Tuesday's games. He made up for a lackluster regular season by going 4-3 with a 2.45 GAA and .926 save percentage to stun the Avalanche in the first round, including 33 saves on 34 shots in Game 7 on the road.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Auston Matthews, TOR vs. FLA ($9,300): Matthews scored five goals on 18 shots over his four-game goal streak to close out the first round after opening the series with four helpers in two games. He comes with a hefty price tag, but Matthews also has the highest ceiling among the players in action Tuesday.
Carter Verhaeghe, FLA at TOR ($6,100): Verhaeghe scored 42 goals in the regular season, and while he added only two goals in seven first-round games, his second tally was the Game 7 overtime winner. He also dished six assists in that series and is tied for second on the Panthers with eight points this postseason.
Jaden Schwartz, SEA at DAL ($4,400): Schwartz is a proven postseason performer, and he led Seattle with 28 shots in the first round while posting a 2-3-5 line. The veteran winger had a 12-8-20 line in the 2019 postseason, helping lead the Blues to the Stanley Cup that year.
Evgenii Dadonov, DAL vs. SEA ($4,000): Dadonov lit the lamp three times in the first round. The 34-year-old winger came into this postseason having drawn into only four playoff games in his career, so he knows these opportunities can be rare and is doing all he can to make the most of this chance while skating on the second line.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Stars vs. Kraken
Roope Hintz (C - $6,900), Jason Robertson (W - $7,700), Tyler Seguin (W - $5,700)
Hintz is the leading point producer this postseason with a 5-7-12 line. Robertson has backed up his 109-point regular season with a 2-5-7 line through six playoff games. Seguin will likely remain on the top line for Game 1 even if Joe Pavelski ($5,300) is cleared to return from a concussion, as Seguin thrived in this role with a 4-2-6 line in the first round.
Maple Leafs vs. Panthers
John Tavares (C - $6,600), Mitchell Marner (W - $6,700), Calle Jarnkrok (W - $3,800)
Marner was outstanding in the first round, racking up a 2-9-11 line in six games. Tavares' 4-3-7 line included the series-clinching OT winner in Game 6, and Jarnkrok chipped in with a 1-1-2 line. With plenty of open ice against a Panthers team that likes to play at a breakneck pace, this line should continue to thrive in Round 2.
Panthers at Maple Leafs
Sam Bennett (C - $5,300), Matthew Tkachuk (W - $8,000), Nick Cousins (W - $2,700)
Tkachuk did exactly what he was brought in to do in the first round, compiling a 5-6-11 line to lead the Panthers past the Bruins. The elite winger has shown excellent chemistry with Bennett, who battled through injury to produce a 3-2-5 line in six first-round appearances. Cousins is known more for his physical presence, but he was a surprising source of offense against Boston with four assists.
DEFENSEMEN
Miro Heiskanen, DAL vs. SEA ($5,700): Heiskanen averaged a point per game against Minnesota in the first round. That elite level of production is nothing new for the talented blueliner, who racked up 73 points in the regular season.
Brandon Montour, FLA at TOR ($5,600): Montour leads all defensemen with five goals this postseason, and he's added three assists. This production comes on the heels of a standout regular season, in which Montour tied Heiskanen and Rasmus Dahlin for fifth among defensemen with 73 points.
Morgan Rielly, TOR vs. FLA ($5,000): Rielly's three goals have him second behind Montour among blueliners in the playoffs, and he's dished out five assists to boot. Toronto's top defenseman should continue to see plenty of power play time, and Rielly's passing ability should create plenty of chances at even strength as well.
Justin Schultz, SEA at DAL ($3,800): Schultz surprisingly chipped in five points in the first round, including a pair on the power play. His usage in offensive situations makes Schultz a nice bargain option on the blue line.
