This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Here we go! 16 NHL teams are out with the other 16 vying for the Stanley Cup. Saturday kicks the playoffs off with four teams in action, all of them calling the Central Division home. The first game is at 6 p.m. EDT. Here are my NHL DFS lineup recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
We obviously don't get back-to-backs during the playoffs and most teams intend for one goalie to see every minute of action. We know who will be in net Saturday. I will note a few injuries that will keep notable players out: Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Dylan Holloway.
GOALIE
Jordan Binnington, STL at WPG ($7,400): If you're going to try to save some salary by not rostering Connor Hellebuyck, you might as well go all the way with it. You can save a full $700 with Binnington, who was better than Mackenzie Blackwood and Jake Oettinger down the stretch posting an 1.98 GAA and .924 save percentage over his last eight starts. It's one game and you never know what may happen, especially if the Blues are disciplined and their bottom-five penalty kill isn't involved too much.
VALUE PLAY
Mark Scheifele, WPG vs. STL ($7,300): With only four teams, it often doesn't make sense to fully avoid players from any given club. If the Jets get anything going offensively - and there's a decent chance they do - Scheifele will likely be involved. He tallied 39 goals and 48 assists on the season while only being held off the scoresheet twice in his last 13 games. Winnipeg's other offensive star, Kyle Connor, is $700 higher and that's enough of a reason to go with Scheifele.
FORWARD LINE STACK
Stars vs. Avalanche
Wyatt Johnston (C - $6,800), Mikko Rantanen (W - $6,500), Evgenii Dadonov (W - $4,000)
The Avs ranked 12th in penalty-kill percentage. That's not bad, but this is the postseason while eight from the top-10 have advanced. The Stars are at home and they offer up this line featuring two members from their top power play.
Johnston took a slight step forward offensively going from 32 goals to 33 and 65 points to 71. Most of his increase comes down to his newfound role on the top man-advantage where he notched 25 points. Rantanen proved a fine addition to the Stars with 18 points and 37 across 20 outings while recording five PPPs. Dadonov likely won't receive much time on the power play, yet he's been a solid supporting forward with 20 goals and 20 assists.
DEFENSEMAN
Thomas Harley, DAL vs. COL ($5,200): With Miro Heiskanen out at least one more game, Harley will be the Stars' top defenseman for the opener. The young defenseman came out of nowhere last season to score 15 goals, though he's proved not to be a fluke at 16 goals and 34 assists with 171 shots. I mentioned Mackenzie Blackwood slightly scuffled of late. And while it was only four games, he posted a 3.86 GAA during April.
