This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
Note it's an early start for Canucks at Senators (5:30 p.m. EDT), otherwise it's mostly late starts with mostly West and North Division teams in action. The Canadiens will try to maintain their hold on the final playoff spot playing host to the Maple Leafs (8 p.m.) and the Jets will at least make an attempt to stop Connor McDavid and the Oilers (9 p.m.) The key nightcap will be Avalanche at Golden Knights (9:30 p.m.) in what may be a preview of the conference final.
GOALIES
Jack Campbell, TOR at MON ($8,100): Campbell's back on track with two straight wins, and both the season series and current trends favors the Leafs. The Habs have only managed to score more than three goals just three times in April, and they'll certainly need to score more than that if they want beat the Leafs since their goaltending has not been particularly strong this season.
Mike Smith, EDM at WPG ($7,900): I wouldn't be picking Smith if he also didn't have McDavid on his roster, who has absolutely shredded the Jets this season. Something about the Jets just doesn't feel right, and certainly not having Nikolaj Ehlers – arguably their MVP this season – is a big reason. This is not an indictment against Connor Hellebuyck, but the Jets just don't seem to have an answer for the Oilers this season, who have won five straight with a 12-goal differential.
Cal Petersen, LA vs. ANH ($6,900): Petersen should be a good value play, who beat the Ducks 4-1 in his last start. His April numbers have not been good (1-6-0/.899/3.30) but the Kings are 3-0 with a combined 13-3 score against the Ducks in their last three matchups. The Kings should have the edge in every position and every situation on the ice.
VALUE PLAYS
Mason Appleton, WPG vs. EDM ($3,400): It was ugly for the Jets last game but Appleton looked good moving up the depth chart in Ehlers' absence. He skated 21 minutes and finished with seven shots, and he's slated to play in the top six again. It's a good value play considering Appleton's role.
Nick Schmaltz, ARI at SJ ($3,700): I like the matchup, I like Schmaltz's skill set on a team short on playmaking centers, and he's playing with two very productive wingers in Clayton Keller and Michael Bunting ($3,300), who is also a solid value play.
Josh Norris, OTT vs. VAN ($4,500): A goal last game gives Norris 13 points in 13 games in April, and the Sens' top line has given the Canucks fits all season. They can't stop Drake Batherson's speed and Brady Tkachuk is an all-round elite player who can play all kinds of roles. The Canucks defense is still very thin and after two wins against the Leafs in their return following their COVID break suddenly look tired, getting hemmed in their own end for long stretches last game.
LINE STACKS
Wild vs. Blues
Victor Rask (C - $3,900), Kirill Kaprizov (W - $6,600), Mats Zuccarello (W - $5,300)
The Wild have not fared well against the Blues in their three matchups this season, highlighted (lowlighted?) by a 9-1 loss on April 9. But things have certainly changed since; the Wild have won seven straight and Kaprizov, fuelled by some chatter that Dallas' Jason Robertson has supplanted him in the Calder race, has scored in five straight games. Feel free to exclude Rask in this stack and replace him with Nick Bonino ($4,000), who has scored a point in six of his past seven games and shares the ice with Kaprizov on the power play.
Maple Leafs at Canadiens
Auston Matthews (C - $8,900), Mitch Marner (W - $7,700), Nick Foligno (W - $4,200)
Matthews and Marner have combined for 17 points in six games against the Habs, while Foligno has two helpers in two games since joining the Leafs. Montreal's goaltending has not been particularly good this season despite big investments in Carey Price and Jake Allen.
Oilers at Jets
Connor McDavid (C - $9,300), Jesse Puljujarvi (W - $3,800), Dominik Kahun (W - $3,400)
McDavid against the Jets this season: seven goals and 19 points with 36 shots in eight games. I have nothing more to add other than to say Puljujarvi and Kahun are optional stacks on a line that is truly carried by one player.
Golden Knights vs. Avalanche
Chandler Stephenson (C - $4,500), Mark Stone (W - $7,600), Max Pacioretty (W - $8,200)
The Avs have a very good defense but their goaltending is so weak right now it'd be smart to take advantage of Dubnyk, who has a 3.04 GAA since the trade. Reilly Smith's status is questionable, but if he is able to play then both of Vegas' top two lines are stack-worthy. Stephenson has scored nine points in 10 games in April and a strong value play if he can keep this up.
DEFENSEMEN
Tyson Barrie, EDM at WPG ($6,300): Normally, Barrie's not a particularly strong play, but against the Jets he's certainly a good pick because he will share the ice with McDavid. He assisted on McDavid's first goal despite finishing with zero shots and one blocked shot. Barrie can be hit or miss but rolling the dice with him against the Jets has usually provided good results.
Alex Pietrangelo, VGK vs. COL ($5,700): Vegas is at home which means they'll be dictating the matchups, and with Devan Dubnyk in net, it's a fair to assume that there will be plenty of goals scored. Pietrangelo may not have as much upside as Shea Theodore, but when there's so many goals to go around, it's likely both will be part of the action.
Jakob Chychrun, ARI at SJ ($5,300): Chychrun scored two goals and added an apple against the Sharks last game, and for the third straight game registered at least five shots on goal. He's a dependable pick with a favorable matchup; the Sharks have allowed at least three goals in every game since April 9.
