This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
A key Metro matchup awaits between the division-leading Capitals and the Flyers, who have won six straight and now sit only three points behind. However, the Flyers are just 15-15-3 on the road this season.
The Avalanche can climb within one point of tying St. Louis for first place in the Central with a win against the Ducks, who have allowed a conference-high 211 goals. Another win will also extend the Avs' winning streak to eight games, their longest of the season.
It'll be a high-stakes night for the Flames and Canucks, who sit one point apart and vying for the third place in the Pacific. The Flames will host the scrappy Blue Jackets, who came from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Vancouver on Sunday. No team busts up playoff dreams better than John Tortorella's squads. The Canucks, meanwhile, will face the Coyotes, who sit only two points back, and a win in regulation will move them into a three-way tie with the Canucks and Jets.
GOALIES
Pavel Francouz ($9,000) once again seems like the safest pick. He's won six straight games, allowing two goals or less in each of those games. He was just named one of the three stars of the week, and the only team that's scored fewer goals than the Ducks are the Dead Things.
Antti Raanta ($8,500) is expected to start but he's not a strong play against the Canucks, who went 1-3 on their road trip but have been strong at home all season. The Canucks' 3.71 GF/GP this season ranks second in the league behind only Tampa Bay. Thatcher Demko ($7,300) has struggled but he's been far better at home this season (7-1-1) and in his career (11-2-1).
It's a toss-up between Braden Holtby ($8,200) and Carter Hart ($8,100). Hart has not been strong on the road (4-10-1, .857 Sv%) but Holtby has not been good anywhere. The Flyers only have two road wins during their streak, and both came against obviously weaker teams (Blue Jackets, Rangers). A win for Holtby seems a little more likely given Hart's road woes, but he's probably going to allow a few goals along the way.
Joonas Korpisalo ($7,500) and David Rittich ($7,200) is also another toss-up, but it's more difficult to say which team will win. The Blue Jackets comeback win was particularly impressive, and the Flames goal differential (minus-5) and recent record (5-4-1) suggests they're not a good team, and their home record (14-12-4) is among the West's worst. The Flames do have the edge in analytics (51.9 SAT% vs. 47.3 SAT%) over the past two weeks.
VALUE PLAYS
Sonny Milano ($3,600) is getting first-line minutes next to Ryan Getzlaf in Anaheim. He has four points in four games.
Tyson Jost ($3,800) continues to play well, as is Martin Kaut ($3,100). Jost has more upside because he gets way more minutes. We're starting to see Kaut get some time on the power play, too, so that's some added value.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Arizona Coyotes (TOTAL: $13,200)
C – Derek Stepan ($4,700)
W – Lawson Crouse ($3,300)
W – Clayton Keller ($5,200)
Just in case the Canucks defense – which may be without Quinn Hughes and Tyler Myers – and goaltending implode, Keller has been on fire lately with two three-point games.
Philadelphia Flyers (TOTAL: $21,100)
C – Sean Couturier ($7,600)
W – Claude Giroux ($7,500)
W – Jakub Voracek ($6,000)
With six assists in his past two games he has now reached 40 in five straight seasons, and this line has been dominant during the Flyers' streak. It is an expensive line stack but worthwhile against a team that has allowed three goals or more in eight straight games.
DEFENSEMEN
John Carlson ($7,100) and Mark Giordano ($6,200) are the elite mainstays and both will likely be popular picks. Zach Werenski ($6,500), the first defenseman to score 20 goals this season, is likely the best overall play. He's logging tons of minutes and putting more pucks on net than ever.
With Cale Makar out and Quinn Hughes ($5,200) potentially out, the talent level dives off a cliff. Samuel Girard ($4,200) is the biggest beneficiary from Makar's absence on the power play, and likewise for Alexander Edler ($4,400) for the Canucks. Both are generally solid choices anyway, especially Edler, who is leaned on in all situations.
In the next tier below I like Ivan Provorov ($4,300), though more for shot blocking than points because he'll most likely be seeing a lot of Alex Ovechkin. Erik Gustafsson ($4,100) had a strong debut but his play has once again tailed off, so there's some upside but he's a boom-or-bust play. Troy Stecher ($3,900) could play a ton of minutes if Tyler Myers is also injured. He's got some offensive upside but you're hoping for some action on the second power-play unit.
