This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
Only Columbus gets the night off on a 15-game slate, 10 of which will be featured on the DraftKings slate.
The highlight will be a battle between the Capitals and the Bruins for Eastern Conference supremacy. It should be a hard-fought game despite featuring some of the league's top offensive stars. The Bruins just recently snapped a 14-game losing streak against the Caps that dates back to 2014 by winning 1-0 in February.
The red-hot Jean-Gabriel Pageau and the Senators visit Buffalo, but he has only managed two points in 20 career games against the Sabres. So it's a matter of when, not if, his hot streak ends. The Devils, who have won two of their past three, will try to climb back to .500 against the Canadiens, who are playing the second half of a back-to-back. The Panthers are clawing their way back to the top of the standings and host the Rangers, who are 6-3-1 in their past 10.
The Islanders can continue their torrid start against the Flyers, who are 3-1-1 in their past five but all have been one-goal games. The Isles don't mind grinding out wins but they had a slight scare in a close 5-4 win against the Leafs on Wednesday, and three of their past four wins have also been one-goal contests. The Maple Leafs and Penguins wrap up the Eastern Conference games with both teams missing key offensive players.
The road team for all four Western Conference games will be the underdog, except maybe for the Avalanche as they visit the Canucks. The Avs' offense has not skipped a beat despite losing two-thirds of their top line, which has been a relief since both their starting goalie and backup are currently injured.
The Blackhawks and Red Wings, former Central Division powerhouses and now annual doormats, will have a tough time with the Predators and Sharks, respectively. Detroit possesses the bigger upset potential with San Jose struggling, and both games could turn into high-scoring affairs. The Ducks have the toughest assignment against the defending champion Blues.
GOALIES
Carey Price played last night so Keith Kinkaid ($8,300) will likely get the rare Saturday night start, though it's a little perplexing why his price tag is higher than everyone else. The Devils are awful and Kinkaid has allowed 13 goals in three games, so can you really trust him? Jordan Binnington ($8,300) is the same price and the more logical play.
Martin Jones ($8,100) may or may not get the win. And for such a dicey situation, his past performances do not justify the price tag. The Red Wings may only have one line but it's one of the best in the league. The Sharks are unbeaten with Radim Simek in the lineup (5-0-0), but he's not a guy who should be tipping the scales in their favor so much.
Sergei Bobrovsky ($8,000) and Carter Hart ($7,900) are tempting picks. But Bob's play has been arguably the league's worst relative to expectations, and the Panthers' offense has to bail him out all the time. The Rangers sit slightly behind the Panthers in GA/GP (3.59 vs. 3.58). Hart faces a very tough Isles' squad and Thomas Greiss ($7,700) has allowed two goals or less in six straight games, making him a stronger buy with a cheaper price.
Jaroslav Halak ($7,800) faces his former team, who are coming off a 5-2 loss, and the B's have traditionally been strong at the Garden. Home ice is also a reason to go with the Canucks goalies, as Jacob Markstrom ($7,800) has been quite good all season and Thatcher Demko ($7,800) is 3-0 with a .937 save percentage at home.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Former top prospect Curtis Lazar ($3,000) played just eight minutes in his Sabres debut but made the most of it with a goal, two shots and two blocked shots. His role is unlikely to expand after just one game, but the Sens rank 21st in GA/PG and he's playing on a high-upside line with Casey Mittelstadt.
Rangers' center Filip Chytil ($4,500) has been unbelievable with five points in four games, giving him seven points in eight on the season. He faces a plus matchup against the Panthers, who have mediocre defensive depth and continue to receive poor value goaltending from their big free agent.
Canucks' winger Tanner Pearson ($4,600) has registered four points and 12 shots in three games. He's a fixture next to Bo Horvat, a strong play driver, and gets ample time with the second PP unit. The Avs' defense is thin and will likely be starting their third-string 'tender.
Vincent Trocheck ($5,300) scored two goals on six shots in his most recent game after a slow start to the season. At this best, he's an all-around forward and high-volume shooter and hopefully his recent performance is a catalyst to a turnaround. For similar FPPG production, most of his peers are more expensive.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Florida Panthers (TOTAL: $21,500)
C – Aleksander Barkov ($7,600)
W – Jonathan Huberdeau ($7,500)
W – Evgenii Dadonov ($6,400)
Barkov is riding a seven-game point streak and up to 25 points in 19 games, while Huberdeau is at 24 in 19. It's no coincidence the Panthers' strong play has coincided with Barkov's outburst, and he gets a favorable matchup against the Rangers, who are one of five teams without a goalie with either a save percentage above .910 or GAA below 3.00.
Vancouver Canucks (TOTAL: $19,100)
C – Elias Pettersson ($6,900)
W – Brock Boeser ($6,200)
W – J.T. Miller ($6,000)
Josh Leivo ($3,500) skated in Miller's spot at practice and could be a strong value play if he stays there. Otherwise, this is the Canucks' best and usual top line playing against a team which Pettersson and Boeser torched for 12 points last season. Miller has been their best overall player this season.
DEFENSEMEN
For one night, John Carlson ($7,800) may not be worth the premium because of the quantity of quality choices. Roman Josi ($6,800) and Alex Pietrangelo ($6,200) are probably your best bets for overall point production.
Alexander Edler ($6,000) and Morgan Rielly ($6,100) both log a ton of minutes for their teams and accumulate stats in every category, so their floors remain stable and high. Chris Tanev ($3,300) is a shot-blocking savant and the Canucks are one of the league's best in that department. But Cale Makar ($5,500) easily boasts the most offensive upside, followed by Thomas Chabot ($5,700) and the Rangers' two talented offensive rearguards, Anthony DeAngelo ($5,000) and Adam Fox ($4,600).
Keith Yandle ($5,400) should be a popular pick with the Panthers' offense rolling, and he basically does half his scoring on the power play. He's tallied seven points in four games after scoring just four in his first 10 games.
