This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are four games for the Valentine's Day slate, though only the Jets-Blackhawks and Oilers-Kraken feature divisional matchups. The Wild are coming off an impressive win against the Hurricanes in a litmus-test game, while the Jets and Oilers seem to have improved lately. The Oilers, in particular, could be a team to watch because they're laden with talent and Jay Woodcroft's coaching debut paid immediate dividends. It shouldn't take much for Connor McDavid and Co. to get going.
GOALIES
Petr Mrazek, TOR at SEA ($8,600): Mrazek should get the start even though he was tagged with the loss Saturday against the Canucks. Thatcher Demko stole a win even though the Leafs thoroughly dominated, and it'll likely play out similarly against the Pacific's worst team. Jack Campbell should still be a good choice if he gets the start, but he's mired in a slump and may need a lot more goal support to win the game.
Cam Talbot, MIN vs. DET ($8,400): The Wild managed to defeat the Canes on Saturday, who are a much more difficult opponent than the Wings. Despite a lengthy absence due to injury, Talbot has gone 4-0-0 in his return, allowing just five goals with one shutout win against the Hawks. Talbot is likely the safest yet most conservative list among the eight goalies in action.
Mike Smith, EDM at SJ ($8,200): Jay Woodcroft's debut was a success, and perhaps the Oilers can find some momentum. Smith should be starting after getting some rest, and the Sharks have cooled off considerably from their good start. They've lost five of their past six and may be rusty coming off a 12-day layoff.
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG vs. CHI ($8,000): Hellebuyck's season has not gone as planned but showed very well in Saturday's win against the Preds. The Jets are tough to gauge because they're maddeningly inconsistent, but that's now two wins in three starts and a significant improvement from a poor January (3-5-2, .896 Sv%, 3.49 GAA). Meanwhile, the Hawks have lost seven of their past nine.
VALUE PLAYS
Michael Bunting, TOR at SEA ($5,900): Bunting has been a fixture on a line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, and despite getting shut out against the Canucks on Saturday, at least finished with three shots. Beating the Kraken's goalies will surely be easier than beating Demko, and the Leafs deserved a better fate after dominating puck possession.
Alex Wennberg, SEA vs. TOR ($4,100): The Kraken stacked their top playmakers on one line in their last game with Jared McCann and Jordan Eberle on Wennberg's flanks. The Leafs have a distinct advantage down the middle, but their goaltending and defense has been a little shaky this season. Wennberg barely shoots the puck, but McCann and Eberle are Seattle's better shooters.
Cole Perfetti, WPG vs. CHI ($3,600): Perfetti remains in a top-six role playing on the second line. He's got Kyle Connor on the opposite side and Pierre-Luc Dubois at center, who has arguably been their best center this season. Marc-Andre Fleury has struggled
LINE STACKS
Wild vs. Red Wings
Frederick Gaudreau (C - $5,100), Matt Boldy (W - $5,200), Kevin Fiala ($6,600)
Boldy has gone two games without a point but remains effective at generating offense with Fiala, who has really picked up his game and scored 16 points in his past 13 games. Gaudreau is the luckiest, however, as the center with a low offensive ceiling but gets to play with two of the Wild's most talented wingers. Moritz Seider will likely get matched up against Kirill Kaprizov's line, which should open a lot more opportunities for Fiala's line.
Oilers at Sharks
Connor McDavid (C - $10,100), Jesse Puljujarvi (W - $5,000), Zach Hyman (W - $6,300)
Woodcroft wasted no time putting this line back together, and according to moneypuck.com's xGoals % model, they're one of the top 10 lines in the league (min. 200 TOI). Expect James Reimer to get the start, who had only two wins in January and has seen his numbers drop across the board after an excellent start to the season in October and November.
DEFENSEMEN
Moritz Seider, DET at MIN ($6,500): With Filip Hronek possibly unavailable due to COVID protocol, look for Seider to quarterback the power play again. The big German defender has already emerged as the Wings' best defender, and he's working on a two-game point streak after scoring his fifth goal of the season Saturday against the Flyers.
Matt Dumba, MIN vs. DET ($5,200): Dumba does a little bit of everything for the Wild, which makes him a safe pick. Jared Spurgeon gets significant time on the power play but generally has played fewer minutes lately. Dumba played 22 minutes in his return to the lineup and provided his usual diet of shots and blocked shots. Teammate Jon Merrill ($4,500) could be the sneaky choice here with three assists in six games.
