This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
It's an early start to a 10-game slate for Hockey Day in Canada, meaning only one North Division team – the Oilers – will not be in action. FanDuel has broken up the games into an early slate, which features Senators at Jets (3:00 p.m. EST) and Golden Knights at Sharks (4:00 p.m.), and the main slate which starts at 7:00 p.m. EST. Let's break down some of the matchups:
Lightning at Panthers (7:00 p.m.): There were some weird bounces in the last game, but a win is a win. The Lightning will once again be shorthanded with Steven Stamkos in COVID protocol and Anthony Cirelli's status uncertain. The winner claims top spot in the Central.
Canadiens at Maple Leafs (7:00 p.m.): Carey Price is Mr. Saturday Night, but the Habs have lost three of their past four while scoring a total of six goals. It's a far cry from where they were in the first month of the season. Perhaps the Leafs are better after all.
Blue Jackets at Blackhawks (8:00 p.m.): Their last match was a 6-5 barnburner, and I expect more of the same. The more aggressive the Jackets are on offense – they have to be or otherwise why trade for Jack Roslovic and Patrik Laine – the looser they seem on defense, though Zach Werenski is expected to return.
Flames at Canucks (10 p.m.): Can the Canucks stop the bleeding? Despite outplaying the Flames, they were haunted by their former teammates. Jacob Markstrom is 3-0 against them this season and ex-Canuck Chris Tanev saved a goal.
GOALIES
Tuukka Rask, BOS at NYI ($8,500): The Bruins are on a roll and the Isles are struggling with only four wins in their past 10 games and once again are having a hard time scoring goals. The Bruins just shut down a more talented Rangers' offense (even without Artemi Panarin) and it shouldn't be a difficult challenge.
Jacob Markstrom, CGY at VAN ($8,000): The Canucks have yet to really beat Markstrom with a clean shot this season and his revenge tour continues after allowing just one goal last time out. The best part is, the Canucks actually played well and yet Markstrom stoned them at every opportunity.
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG vs. OTT ($7,800): Hellebuyck stood on his head last game and extended his unbeaten streak against the Sens to 7-0. The Jets were outplayed but they're also trying to find a fit for Pierre-Luc Dubois, and it will take some time before everyone gets used to each other. Hellebuyck continues to be outstanding and sports a .947 Sv% over his past three games.
Pekka Rinne, NSH vs. DET ($7,100): No one's really saying it out loud, but has Rinne become the Preds' starter again? Juuse Saros is struggling while Rinne has allowed six goals across his past four outings - and those were against Tampa and Florida twice. The Wings kept it close because Nashville's special teams stunk - even against the league's worst PK - but they still have the clear advantage.
VALUE PLAYS
Brett Connolly, FLA vs. TB ($3,400): Connolly's first and only goal of the season was an empty netter and didn't register a shot in five of six games, so he's been a low source of offense this season. That hasn't stopped Joel Quenneville from playing him on the top line, and Connolly responded pretty well with three shots in 15 minutes - both season highs.
Kevin Stenlund, CBJ at CHI ($3,500): A few more performances like this and Stenlund won't be a value play anymore. The former second-round pick has notched five points in four games since getting called up and finds himself as the second-line center with Max Domi and Alexandre Texier moving to the wing.
Tyler Johnson, TB at FLA ($3,700): Johnson played a slightly bigger role taking Stamkos' place on the top line, though the downside is he's rarely seen on the power play. Johnson's offense just hasn't been the same since his injuries, but at least he gets to play with Brayden Point.
Pius Suter, CHI vs. CBJ ($4,100): Suter runs hot and cold, and right now he's running red-hot with two goals on eight shots from his past two games. The Jackets will have Werenski returning to the lineup, but they've been quite porous over the past few games and their last matchup featured 11 combined goals.
Yanni Gourde, TB at FLA ($4,400): Gourde played a season-high 20 minutes last time out with Johnson moving up to the top line and he's going to receive even more minutes if Cirelli doesn't play. The Lightning's forward depth isn't as solid as last year and it's likely head coach Jon Cooper will opt for an 11-7 setup, meaning more ice time to go around. Gourde enters this contest with four goals on the season.
LINE STACKS
Blackhawks vs. Blue Jackets
Pius Suter (C - $4,100), Patrick Kane (W - $8,300), Alex DeBrincat (W - $6,600)
DeBrincat has been amazing of late and bouncing back after a tough season with five goals in his past four games and 15 points on the campaign. The Jackets have allowed 22 goals over their past five.
Blue Jackets at Blackhawks
Jack Roslovic (C - $4,700), Patrik Laine (W - $7,500), Cam Atkinson (W - $6,100)
I don't expect the rematch to feature 11 goals, but the Jackets now boast a legitimate top line with Laine shooting the puck and Roslovic producing like a top-line center. Kevin Lankinen has been solid, but it's time he came back down to Earth.
Bruins at Islanders
David Krejci (C - $5,500), Nick Ritchie (W - $3,900), Craig Smith (W - $4,300)
Ritchie accounted for the Bruins' only goal yesterday while both he and Krejci and Ritchie played on the top power play with Matt Grzelcyk nursing an injury. Smith provides a nice floor because he shoots the puck enough, also making this line stack a decent value play.
Canucks vs. Flames
Elias Pettersson (C - $6,800), Brock Boeser (W - $7,100), J.T. Miller (W - $6,200)
The stats don't tell the story, but Miller has been a big reason why the Canucks have struggled. But when this line gets going on offense - and it usually does - it's one of the league's best and both Pettersson and Boeser have looked excellent. They also drive the Canucks' top power play, and even on the best of nights Markstrom will find it very difficult to keep them off the scoresheet.
DEFENSEMEN
Alex Pietrangelo, VGK at SJ ($6,400): Be prepared for Pietrangelo to see major ice time again with Shea Theodore out of the lineup. The Knights' workhorse plays in all situations and didn't miss a beat in his return by playing 26 minutes. Pietrangelo's offensive upside isn't nearly as high as Theodore's or Brent Burns' ($6,600), but he also consistently gets shots and blocked shots.
Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. CGY ($5,700): Hughes offers plenty of upside and on any night could outscore any of the defensemen in the $6,000 salary range. The Canucks' power play generates 105.65 CF/60 on the power play according to Natural Stat Trick, which is eighth-best in the league.
Charlie McAvoy, BOS at NYI ($5,500): Tough to go wrong with Charlie, who had his point streak snapped but also blocked five shots to help Jaroslav Halak earn the shutout. He also ranks eighth among defensemen in fantasy points per game.
Neal Pionk, WPG vs. OTT ($4,800): Pionk's on a five-game point streak and could very well extend it against Marcus Hogberg, who loses his net more than any goalie I've ever seen. Pionk has also scored double-digit fantasy points in 10 of 13 contests this season.
Zach Werenski, CBJ at CHI ($4,800): Werenski is expected to play after missing one week. He'll be playing a lot and generally offers more offensive upside than Seth Jones. Werenski managed an assist and five shots in his last outing and the Blackhawks allow a league third-worst 58.16 CF/60 at 5-on-5 according to Natural Stat Trick.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, ARI vs. STL ($4,500): Jakob Chychrun led the team in minutes but OEL was once again a key cog by playing 22 minutes and directing two shots on goal. Chychrun continues his ascent as No. 1 defenseman, but Rick Tocchet still seems to prefer OEL on the man advantage. The Blues will likely start backup Ville Husso, who has endured a pretty bumpy start to the season with a .870 Sv% and 3.69 GAA.
Christian Djoos, DET at NSH ($3,700): Detroit's power play is really bad, but it can't stay this horrible for long and what better team to help them get back on track than against the league's worst penalty kill? Djoos has been eating into Filip Hronek's minutes on the power play as Jeff Blashill tries to find solutions. He offers some upside but isn't guaranteed to find the scoresheet and should only be thought of as a deep value play.
