This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
The Avalanche finished the regular season as the best team in the Western Conference. They left no doubt in the postseason, losing just two games through the first three rounds. Now, they'll host the Lightning, who are aiming for a third straight Stanley Cup. The Lightning have trailed in a series on four separate occasions this playoffs, but they did manage to sweep the Presidents' Trophy-winning Panthers. We're set for an excellent series.
FanDuel Sportsbook lists Game 1 at a 6.0 O/U with the Avalanche (-155) as the favorites.
CAPTAIN
Valeri Nichushkin, COL vs. TB ($10,000): Nazem Kadri underwent thumb surgery last week and hasn't officially been ruled out, but it seems unlikely that he plays. As a result, Nichushkin has been skating on the top line during practice, while Mikko Rantanen was shifted to the second unit. Nichushkin is an excellent two-way player that broke out for 25 goals and 27 assists through 62 regular-season games. He has a chance to be the highest-scoring player in this slate, and he'll bring a contrarian element to your lineup.
UTILITY
Nathan MacKinnon, COL vs. TB ($16,000): If Nichushkin hits, it's nearly impossible that MacKinnon doesn't. Both are qualified for the Captain slot. I just defer to Nichushkin in large DFS tournaments. MacKinnon has buried 11 goals and dished out seven helpers through 14 games while firing 82 shots on net. Andrei Vasilevskiy's game has been merely average on the road this postseason, too, as he has a .910 save percentage and a 2.80 GAA away from home.
Devon Toews, COL vs. TB ($10,500): You're not going to get Makar's ceiling from Toews, but the latter has registered 13 points this postseason while firing 34 shots on net through 14 games. He averages nearly 26 minutes of ice time per game, too. Gabriel Landeskog ($12,000) would also fit in this slot, but Toews is more contrarian.
Brayden Point, TB at COL ($9,500): It's a gift to roster a player of Point's talent at this low of a salary. He's coming off a leg injury and isn't even a guarantee to play, but he was a full participant in practice Monday and is certainly trending in the right direction. If he does crack the lineup, he'll likely skate in the bottom six with power-play opportunities. Point has a 41-goal campaign on his resume, and he tallied 28 goals through 66 games this year. Even if his ice time is limited, his usage on the power play will be key, as the Avalanche have a 75.7 penalty-kill percentage this playoffs. I'm swapping in Alex Killorn ($8,500) if Point ends up scratched.
Brandon Hagel, TB at COL ($7,500): Hagel has just one point over the last 11 games, but he managed to fire 25 shots on net in that time. The 23-year-old racked up 25 goals during the regular season, signaling his ability to boom under the right circumstances. Hagel is skating on the second line, and he'll take aim at either Darcy Kuemper or Pavel Francouz. Neither goaltender has been particularly convincing this postseason.
