This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
You'll have to set your NHL DFS lineups Sunday around watching Alex Ovechkin go for the goal record. Hey, maybe he'll score early against the Islanders and then you can get on with your day! We have five games on the slate for DFS purposes, the first of which start at 5 p.m. ET. Now, onto my DFS recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Of these 10 teams, seven are on the second leg of a back-to-back. Only three of those teams are facing opponents who did not play Saturday. All three are also on the road. However, the Penguins and Canadiens face the Blackhawks and Predators, two lackluster offenses. The Panthers are not so lucky, as they have to face the Red Wings.
GOALIES
Linus Ullmark, OTT vs. CLM ($7,900): The Senators decided to save Ullmark for this game. Though he has not been in Vezina-winning form much of the season, he still has a .908 save percentage on the campaign. Both of these teams may be on the second day of a back-to-back, but Ottawa has the benefit of having two home games in the mix, and also of playing Saturday afternoon. Columbus is above-average offensively, but poor defensively, so that increases Ullmark's chances of getting a win.
Cam Talbot, DET vs. FLA ($7,300): Yes, this is partially owing to the fact the Red Wings are rested while the Panthers are on the road for their second game in as many days. Beyond that, though, Talbot has been in fine form. Over his last four outings he has an 1.91 GAA and .938 save percentage.
VALUE PLAYS
Drake Batherson, OTT vs. CLM ($6,400): Well, I just mentioned Columbus is poor defensively. It is in the bottom eight in both GAA and shots on net allowed per game. Batherson has his third 20-goal season in a row, and this year he has 27 points with the extra man as well. On top of everything else, the Blue Jackets have a bottom-10 penalty kill, and they aren't likely to be in peak form on the second day of a back-to-back for good measure.
Frank Nazar, CHI vs. PIT ($5,100): The rookie Nazar, picked 13th in 2022, is working as the second-line center for the Blackhawks right now. Over his last five games he has two goals, two assists, and 15 shots on net, and the opposition has not been easy. That changes Sunday. The Penguins, playing their second game in as many days, are in the bottom four in GAA and shots on goal allowed per contest.
STACKS TO CONSIDER
Red Wings vs. Panthers
Dylan Larkin (C - $7,000), Alex DeBrincat (W - $7,400), Patrick Kane (W - $6,900)
It would make sense to consider Detroit's top line, rested as it is, against a Panthers team on the road for the second day of a back-to-back, regardless of who was going to be in goal. However, Vitek Vanecek is getting the nod, and that means it's time for a stack. Over the last two seasons, Vanecek has an .887 save percentage.
Larkin had been experiencing a cold spell, but he just picked up two assists in Detroit's last game. Cold stretches have been rare for the Michigan native this year, as he has 28 goals and 36 assists in 75 games, his fourth season in a row with over 60 points. After two campaigns in a row with exactly 27 goals, DeBrincat has gotten back over 30 for the fourth time in his career. He's also put over 200 shots on target for the fourth season in a row. Since the start of March, Kane has 18 points in 16 games. After scoring against Carolina in Detroit's last contest, he has 20 goals in 65 games, his fourth-consecutive 20-goal season.
Predators vs. Canadiens
Ryan O'Reilly (C - $5,800), Michael Bunting (W - $4,800), Luke Evangelista (W - $4,800)
The Predators are going to finish last in goals per game. It's not like this trio is blameless on that front, as only really Filip Forsberg shoulders no blame. However, they have provided some offense as of late, and they do have a good matchup. The Canadiens are one of the teams on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. There was a moment there when it seemed like Jakub Dobes might help provide some security in net for the Habs, but that swiftly dissipated. He's now made 14 NHL appearances, and he has a 3.02 GAA and .897 save percentage.
O'Reilly has a point in every-other game over his last six games. He's scored 17 goals through 73 games, which is low for him. Of course, his 12.6 shooting percentage is also low for him, not that he has much time to improve his puck luck. Twenty-nine of Bunting's 33 points came with the Penguins. He has four points in 12 games with Nashville. However, all four of those points have come in his last eight outings, and he has 18 shots on net in that time as well. It's been a tough season for Evangelista, but he's finally finding some success. He has eight points in his last eight games, and he has four multi-point games since the start of March.
DEFENSEMEN
Owen Power, BUF vs. BOS ($5,200): Hey, incremental improvement is better than no improvement at all. Now in his third season, one-time first-overall pick Power has set personal best with seven goals, 39 points, and 134 shots on net. He also has three assists in his last four games. Getting to be at home for both games of a back-to-back, hopefully Power's young legs will have enough energy in them for this matchup. The Bruins are reeling, and they now find themselves locked into the bottom eight in GAA.
Nick Blankenburg, NAS vs. MON ($4,600): I wasn't expecting to go back to the worst offense in the NHL, but here we are. When you're rested and at home, and your opponent is neither of those things and also in the bottom 10 in GAA, that sort of thing can happen. Blankenburg has six points in his last 14 games, four of them coming on the power play. He's taken a spot on the top power-play unit with Roman Josi injured. Though the Canadiens are just above average in terms of killing penalties, they are also on the road for the second day of a back-to-back, and with Dobes in net, said penalty kill may not be as strong.
