This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
Weekend hockey tends to mean afternoon hockey, and that can be tricky for DFS players. But Sunday shouldn't be too much for a problem since the first game starts at 2:00 p.m. ET. You'll probably want to try and play a full slate given the 2:00 contest features the Sabres on the road against a Flyers team on the second leg of a back-to-back. We're talking about the teams ranked 29th and 30th in GAA. Boston, Dallas, and Nashville are also all on back-to-backs, but Dallas and Nashville are playing each other, so there's not as much of an advantage. We've got seven games, I've got some recommendations, let's get to it.
GOALIES
Philipp Grubauer, COL at ANA ($8,500): Grubauer's last start was a disaster allowing seven goals to the Wild. After this, his numbers have tumbled all the way to…a 2.00 GAA and .919 save percentage. Yeah, I'm not worried especially since the Ducks have scored a league second-lowest 2.22 goals per game.
Marc-Andre Fleury, VGK vs. ARI ($8,100): Fleury and Robin Lehner have been trading starts, which means it would be Fleury's turn Sunday if that trend continues. While he's lost five of the last six, he still maintains a 2.17 GAA and .924 save percentage. Arizona has only managed 26.5 shots on net per contest - fewest in the NHL - so Fleury should at least not be too busy. I also would not be surprised if the Golden Knights beat the Coyotes at home.
Tristan Jarry, PIT at NJD ($8,000): Even with a completely disastrous showing recently against the Rangers, Jarry comes in with a 2.43 GAA and .923 save percentage over his last 10 appearances. And the Rangers are a top-eight team in terms of scoring goals. The Devils, on the other hand, are in the bottom-eight in that category with a 2.59 average. This is an entirely different kind of matchup: the kind I don't worry about.
Vitek Vanecek, WAS at BOS ($8,500): Like Vegas, Washington has been swapping starts and technically it would be Ilya Samsonov's turn Sunday. However, Samsonov has been struggling by posting a 4.89 GAA and .843 save percentage in his last four starts. Meanwhile, Vanecek has a 2.06 GAA and .929 save percentage over his most recent eight. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Capitals go with Vanecek in a big game and getting to face the Bruins on the second leg of a back-to-back should help out the Czech netminder.
VALUE PLAYS
Casey Mittelstadt, BUF at PHI ($3,700): The disaster in Buffalo has at least given some guys like Mittelstadt an opportunity to show if they may be part of the team's future. Once upon a time, the eighth-overall pick was considered a top prospect, but his NHL career has been rough. Mittelstadt is still only 22 and has notched a point in five of his last six games. The Flyers have been disastrous defensively and in net as they're in the bottom-three in GAA. Being on the second day of a back-to-back? That makes things even better for Mittelstadt.
Jakub Vrana, WAS at BOS ($4,200): Vrana has started 68.0 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, third highest on the Capitals. He tallied 52 points last season and he's at 24 this year. The Bruins are in a weird goaltending situation in addition to being on the second leg of a back-to-back. Daniel Vladar is "scheduled" to start Sunday after Jeremy Swayman started Saturday. He's looked good in limited action, but at best is the Bruins' 3A goalie - if not the fourth-string option. If we're talking potential value plays - and if you look at header of this section, you know I am - I see Vrana as a worthwhile roll of the dice with upside.
Chandler Stephenson, VGK vs. ARI ($4,100): Stephenson has gotten a chance to center Vegas's top line, which means playing alongside Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty. That's a good place to be, and it may not be a coincidence he had a goal and an assist when these two teams squared off Friday. Due to goaltending injuries, the Coyotes have had to rely on Adin Hill and he enters with a 3.05 GAA and .904 save percentage.
Jared McCann, PIT at NJD ($4,500): McCann has been Pittsburgh's second-line center since Evgeni Malkin went down and it's turned out well for all parties involved. The 24-year-old has racked up 10 points across nine games, including seven on the power play. Speaking of the power play, the Devils come in with the league's worst penalty kill, so I think you can put two and two together here.
LINE STACKS
Flyers vs. Sabres
Claude Giroux (C - $6,700), Jakub Voracek (W - $6,200), Travis Konecny (W - $5,900)
Yes, the Flyers are on the second day of a back-to-back. I don't particularly care given the matchup. The Sabres have a 3.48 GAA and have allowed 32.3 shots on net per contest. I still think stacking this line for Philly is a worthwhile option. Giroux has posted six points in his last seven and 31 overall, including eight power-play points. Voracek is not traditionally a goal scorer, but he's lit the lamp in two of his last three while adding 25 assists. Konecny won't score 24 goals for the fourth-straight season, but has managed 10 points in his last 10. You should also know these three are all on Philadelphia's top power-play unit.
Avalanche at Ducks
Nazem Kadri (C - $5,400), Brandon Saad (W - $4,500), Andre Burakovsky (W - $4,300)
The first line for the Avalanche is the obvious way to go. If you want to spend the salary on the big three, it's totally fair. The Ducks have struggled with a 3.20 GAA and an .898 save percentage. Kadri has been a little unlucky, as his 7.6 shooting percentage will show. But he's also put 132 shots on net in 40 games and produced 28 points, so maybe some regression could be coming. Burakovsky broke out with 20 goals and 45 points last season and has 11 goals and 26 points this campaign. Saad has actually done the most goal scoring of these three with 12.
DEFENSE
Kris Letang, PIT at NJD ($6,300): I mentioned New Jersey's woeful penalty kill. Letang has averaged 3:15 per game with the extra man with 12 points in 40 games. He's also tallied two points in each of his last three games. Can he make that four? I wouldn't put it past him.
John Klingberg, DAL at NAS ($5,400): Klingberg has been a power-play weapon having notched 15 points with the extra man in 38 contests. He's had at least 17 power-play points in each of the last five seasons, so this is no fluke. Nashville maintains a bottom-five penalty kill and being on the second leg of a back-to-back won't help either.
Devon Toews, COL at ANA ($4,700): The Avalanche actually have quite the impressive defensive corps. You might overlook Toews, but he's accumulated 22 points in 37 games. The fact he's averaged 24:35 is a big part of that, as that's more than four minutes than any previous season. While John Gibson's last two starts have gone well, he still has a .904 save percentage this year.
Rasmus Dahlin, BUF at PHI ($4,100): Dahlin has struggled this year with a minus-35 rating. On the other hand, he's riding a four-game point streak and notched 40 points the last two seasons. That talent didn't simply disappear. Playing the Flyers could easily extend that streak to five.
