This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
With 15 games on tap, only the Hurricanes and Kings will be sitting out from what was supposed to be the final night of the 2021-22 season since there's a rescheduled Kraken-Jets matchup on Sunday. With all playoff positions locked up, the only thing that matters is the seeding.
The Penguins, Capitals, Wild, Blues, Predators and Stars are still jostling for higher seeds in the hopes of getting a better first-round matchup. They're the teams most unlikely to rest players, whereas other clubs - like the Panthers on Thursday - will choose to sit key veterans to keep them fresh for the playoffs.
Half of the 30 clubs will be playing the second half of a back-to-back while the Maple Leafs, Penguins, Blues, Ducks and Red Wings last saw action on Tuesday.
GOALIES
Jake Oettinger, DAL vs. ANH ($8,000): Oettinger should get the start after Scott Wedgewood started the last one, and he'll have a chance to extend his winning streak to three. He's already defeated the Ducks twice this season while only allowing four goals on 51 shots. And with still something to play for, don't expect the Stars to take their foot off the pedal.
Casey DeSmith, PIT vs. CBJ ($7,900): DeSmith can be a dicey play, but note the Jackets played last night and the Pens have had two days' rest. He's also already beaten Columbus earlier this years and has given up just six goals in three career appearances against. The Pens have won all but two of their meetings since the 2017 playoffs.
Connor Ingram, NSH at ARI ($7,700): Ingram is expected to start for the first time since getting called up and making two appearances earlier this season. Once a highly-touted prospect, he can get his career back on track against the West's worst offensive side. The Coyotes have also lost four of their past five meetings with the Preds.
Anton Forsberg, OTT at PHI ($7,000): Forsberg has allowed four goals in each of his past two starts, but has also faced more than 40 shots in both. He's been excellent for much of the campaign and has gone 1-0-1 against the Flyers with a .925 Sv%. Ottawa's offense should also provide plenty of goal support – or, at least, more than Philly.
VALUE PLAYS
Alexander Holtz, NJ vs. DET ($3,000): The Swedish winger represents one of the Devils' top prospects and logged 16 minutes in his first game since Jan. 4 while forming a trio with fellow countrymen Jesper Bratt and Jesper Boqvist. Holtz has yet to show off his goal-scoring ability, but that's what he's known for and it could be on display against one of the league's worst teams in net.
Ryan Donato, SEA vs. SJ ($3,900): Donato is coming off a two-point effort and remains a fixture on the top line opposite Jordan Eberle with Matty Beniers. Only on the Kraken's thin offense will Donato get opportunities like this, and expected Kaapo Kahkonen wasn't particularly sharp in his last start letting in four goals on 30 shots.
Taylor Raddysh, CHI at BUF ($3,900): Raddysh cooled off after a hot start with his new club, but managed to pot two goals on Wednesday. The winger has been dropped to the third line, but there should still be plenty of scoring chances against the Sabres as they allowed five goals last night and will be either forced to start Dustin Tokarski for the second straight outing or third-stringer Aaron Dell, who has posted a .893 Sv% and 1-8-1 record this season.
Mike Hoffman, MON vs. FLA ($4,000): Hoffman is riding a four-game point streak with three goals and an assist skating with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. The veteran winger still offers plenty of scoring touch if he's involved with the right players, but note the Panthers will likely dress most of their veterans - including Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau - after giving them the night off Thursday.
Travis Boyd, ARI vs. NSH ($4,000): The Coyotes will face Ingram, who is starting his first NHL game since November. The Preds are playing the second half of a back-to-back after giving up four goals against the Avs. Boyd is on a two-game goal streak and has a good chance to extend it facing a potentially tired team and their No. 3 netminder.
LINE STACKS
Panthers at Canadiens
Sam Bennett (C - $6,300), Anthony Duclair (W - $6,000), Jonathan Huberdeau (W - $9,200)
Expect Huberdeau to dress after resting Thursday to get a final tune-up before the playoffs begin. Bennett and Duclair are both coming off solid games against the Sens, with the former registering two points.
Senators at Flyers
Josh Norris (C - $6,800), Brady Tkachuk (W - $6,900), Drake Batherson (W - $6,800)
All three members of the Sens' top line pretty much list the same salary, and will likely finish first, third and fourth in team scoring. The Flyers should be an easy opponent to score upon, and note Batherson is basically a point-per-game player with 44 points in 45 games while providing decent value.
Stars vs. Ducks
Roope Hintz (C - $7,100), Jason Robertson (W - $7,300), Joe Pavelski (W - $6,700)
Pavelski's has notched a point in six straight while Robertson has done so the last five, and this matchup is very favorable for the Stars. They should be plenty motivated to win to avoid a first-round matchup against the Avs, and in both previous meetings against the Ducks managed to score three goals.
DEFENSEMEN
Noah Dobson, NYI vs. TB ($6,200): Dobson has recorded three points in his past two games and there's a chance the Lightning may rest their key players after electing to play a full lineup on Thursday. Should that be the case, Dobson's chances of scoring a point significantly increase.
Jared Spurgeon, MIN vs. COL ($5,400): The Avs allowed four goals against the Preds on Thursday and the motivation may not be there after clinching the conference title. The Wild, on the other hand, can lock up home-ice advantage in the first round with a win, and Spurgeon is expected to play after missing the previous two due to injury.
