This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
GOALIE
Ben Bishop, DAL vs. BUF ($8,100): Just two games on tap and the Penguins-Lightning matchup could go either way, so the smart money is still on Bishop even though he comes at a premium. The Stars beat the Jets in their last game before the All-Star break and hopefully some of that momentum has carried through. Bishop has a .926 save percentage at home.
CENTER
Steven Stamkos, TB at PIT ($6,500): You can't really go wrong with any of the top centers but Stamkos' price seems to offer the most bang for your buck. The Lightning captain has 33 points in 31 career games against the Penguins and played at a point-per-game pace for the past three seasons. Brayden Point ($6,900) may have more points but Stamkos has been more consistent lately.
Casey Mittelstadt, BUF at DAL ($3,100): With an assist against Columbus last night, Mittelstadt now has three points in four games, all of them on the road. He's not getting a lot of ice time but his skill is apparent, and he plays with guys who can score in Evan Rodrigues and Conor Sheary. The only worry is that the Stars defense comes together in the second half with a healthy John Klingberg and new (old?) addition Jamie Oleksiak, but Mittelstadt at this price seems like a decent gamble.
WING
Tyler Johnson, TB at PIT ($5,200): Thanks to a three-game scoring drought that ended up with an injury heading into the break, Johnson's price hasn't been this low in recent memory. He's expected to return with no real concern, resuming his scoring duties in the top-six and on the power play. Johnson has yet to score a goal in January and that cold streak should get snapped soon.
Jamie Benn, DAL vs. BUF ($5,000): In his first game back after a tumultuous first half, the Stars captain needs have a statement game. The bruising power forward needs to show everyone that he can lead this team despite strong criticism, and the Sabres aren't a tough opponent with a young roster. Benn has traditionally been a better performer at home where the Stars dictate the matchups and in 13 career games against the Sabres has scored eight goals and 15 points.
Evan Rodrigues, BUF at DAL ($4,200): Opposite winger Conor Sheary ($3,500) is also an option, but the Sabres' second scoring unit clicked with five points against Columbus. Rodrigues is the slightly better bet because he shoots more, and among second-tier forwards he has more upside than Alex Killorn ($4,300) or Bryan Rust ($4,600).
DEFENSE
John Klingberg, DAL vs. BUF ($5,500): Klingberg is one of my favourite second-half picks because the Stars have fallen to such depths the only way to go is up. With 25 points in 31 games he's averaging very per-game numbers and the Stars scored a power-play in both games against the Sabres last season. Miro Heiskanen ($4,600) has been great but he's no threat to Klingberg's job.
Marcus Pettersson, PIT vs. TB ($3,300): This might be Pettersson's last chance to show what he can do on the second power-play unit before Justin Schultz returns, and so far he's played very well since coming over from the Ducks. He's playing well in spite of being paired with Jack Johnson, and two of his nine assists have come on the power play. He may not get many chances, but he could score a few points if this game turns out to be high-scoring.
