This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
There are just three games scheduled tonight, but the first two contests should be fiercely competitive. The Metropolitan Division-leading Rangers will host the surging Lighting at 7:00 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs, who are trying not to fall behind Tampa Bay in the battle for the third seed in the Atlantic, will take on the visiting Stars, who are in a tight race with Colorado and Winnipeg for the Central Division title.
The Wild and the Blackhawks, who have a match starting at 9:30 p.m. ET, haven't done nearly as well this campaign, but Minnesota still has an outside chance of clawing back into the Wild Card race if it turns things around soon.
There's some good hockey ahead of it, and I have some recommendations if you want to indulge in some DFS to go along with it.
SLATE PREVIEW
In addition to being on the road, Dallas is in the second half of a back-to-back, so you might want to exercise some caution when selecting players from the Stars. Tampa Bay will play again Thursday, which might influence the Lightning's lineup decisions tonight.
GOALIES
Ilya Samsonov, TOR vs. DAL ($8,300): Samsonov's price is a little higher than I'd like, so on a night with more options I might pass on him. Still, with limited choices, there's enough here to recommend the goaltender. The 26-year-old is having a rough campaign (3.35 GAA, .879 save percentage), but he's turned a corner recently, posting a 3-1-0 record, 1.49 GAA and .942 save percentage over his past four appearances. As noted above, the Stars will also be going into this game tired, which increases the chances of Samsonov having a strong night.
Filip Gustavsson, MIN at CHI ($7,600): Gustavsson has a 13-13-2 record, 3.28 GAA and .896 save percentage in 29 outings in 2023-24, so he's left plenty to be desired. However, up against the Blackhawks, who are tied for last offensively with just 2.08 goals per game, he still has an opportunity to have a great night, making him a strong choice if you're looking for an inexpensive goaltender.
VALUE PLAYS
Anthony Cirelli, TBL at NYR ($5,200): Cirelli is enjoying one of his best runs of the 2023-24 campaign, supplying two goals and eight points over his last six appearances. That's pushed him up to 10 markers and 25 points across 49 outings in 2023-24.
Alexis Lafreniere, NYR vs. TBL ($5,200): Lafreniere hasn't developed into an offensive superstar, but he's made strides this season, providing 13 goals and 30 points in 50 games, which puts him on course to surpass his career high of 39 points, set in 2022-23. The 22-year-old has done particularly well recently, contributing two goals and four points over his last four appearances.
FORWARD LINE STACK
Lightning at Rangers
Brayden Point (C - $8,400), Nikita Kucherov (W - $10,100), Nick Paul (C - $4,900)
There are two red-hot players on this line. Point has recorded multiple points in each of his last three games, totaling four tallies and six points. He's having a fantastic campaign in which he's supplied 25 goals and 54 points across 50 outings.
As good as that is, though, Kucherov has been otherworldly, scoring 32 goals and 85 points through 49 contests. He's kept rolling with an unreal four goals and nine points over his last three appearances.
Paul is listed as a center on FanDuel but is projected to serve as a winger tonight. He provided a goal and an assist in Tampa Bay's last game before the All-Star break, giving him 13 goals and 27 points in 50 outings this season. If you want to swap him for someone with winger eligibility, Tampa Bay's Brandon Hagel ($6,400), has provided three goals and five points during his active three-game scoring streak.
DEFENSEMEN
Morgan Rielly, TOR vs. DAL ($7,000): This is shaping up to be one of the best seasons of Rielly's career. He already has seven goals and 41 points through 48 contests, and he's continuing to roll with four assists over his last three games. As noted above, the Stars are in the second half of a back-to-back, which might make their defense more vulnerable than usual.
Brock Faber, MIN at CHI ($5,700): In addition to struggling offensively, Chicago is one of the league's worst defensive teams, ranking 28th with 3.52 goals allowed per contest. That opens the door for Faber to potentially have a good night, especially after scoring an impressive two goals and nine points over his past seven appearances. He has four goals and 29 points in 49 contests overall.
