This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
Three games are on the docket tonight. The Canadiens will visit the Bruins in the 7 p.m. EDT game, with both teams kicking off their first of back-to-back games. The Kraken – who are facing the Stars on the road tonight -- will also be playing Thursday. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs, who are taking on the Coyotes on the road, are the only team that played last night.
The Bruins (-320) are the strongest favorites, but the Maple Leafs (-300) aren't far behind, according to the FanDuel Sportsbook. The Stars (-200) are also heavy favorites, and all three games have a 6.0 O/U.
All advanced statistics are courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.
GOALIES
Jake Oettinger, DAL vs. SEA ($7,800): Oettinger is proving that his solid rookie season was just the beginning, as he has accrued a .923 save percentage and an 8-2-0 record through 11 games. The Kraken are coming to town with a six-game losing streak in tow, and they'll be without Jaden Schwartz, who leads the team with 14 assists.
Jake Allen, MON at BOS ($6,500): Allen comes at a seismic discount and has actually been fine in net this season, posting a .901 save percentage on the road. If he starts, he'll face off against Linus Ullmark, who has recorded a marginally worse .896 save percentage at home this season. It's useful to go after Allen – the contrarian option – in the small slate, and this game could be closer than we expect. The Bruins and Canadiens rank eighth and ninth, respectively with 2.73 and 2.7 xGF/60 over the last month.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Clayton Keller, ARI vs. TOR (W - $6,300): Keller has registered 12 goals and 14 assists through 33 games this season. The Maple Leafs rank fifth in the league with an 83.7 penalty-kill percentage, but Keller – who has just three points on the man advantage this year – doesn't need the power play to generate fantasy production. In fact, he has a high upside at even strength, as Petr Mrazek has posted an .880 save percentage and a 4.13 GAA through just three starts this year.
Jared McCann, SEA at DAL (C - $5,600): McCann has scored on 17.7 percent of his shots this season, which is about 2.6 higher than last year. While he may face some regressions, he's shooting 2.8 times per game and can keep up that volume in the long term, especially with his ice time rising recently. I still like Oettinger in this matchup, but the Stars' 20th-ranked PK (78.8 percent) is enticing for a player like McCann, who has put up seven points with the man advantage.
Charlie Coyle, BOS vs. MON (C - $4,800): Coyle has scored eight goals – more than last year – through 32 games, and he's skating on the top power play. If you're not keen on the Jake Allen tip, then Coyle is an intriguing way to hedge against the league's 30th-ranked PK (71.6 percent).
Cole Caufield, MON at BOS (W - $4,000): Caufield has had a turbulent (technically) rookie season, but when he's on the ice he's directing a ton of rubber on net, averaging 3.2 shots per game over the last 10 outings. He has just four assists in that span, but he should start scoring again soon after converting on 10.8 percent of his shots last year. Ullmark's suspect home record could be a chance to break the ice.
LINE STACKS
Auston Matthews (C - $10,200), Michael Bunting (W - $4,700), Ondrej Kase (W - $5,700)
Matthews continues his tear with 15 goals, six assists and 61 shots on net over the last 14 games while averaging 20:18 of ice time. Bunting and Kase are reasonably priced and have decent chemistry with Matthews, as the two have combined for 36 points this season. There are few road matchups better than one against the Coyotes. Karel Vejmelka has recorded an .859 save percentage and a 4.79 GAA through 10 home games this year.
Roope Hintz (C - $6,800), Joe Pavelski (W - $6,600), Jason Robertson (W - $7,800)
This trio's chemistry dates back to last season, and they're red-hot right now. They've stacked up 10 goals and 13 assists over the past six games, combining for 59 shots on net and seven power-play points in the process. This is a smash spot for the Stars' first line, as Philipp Grubauer has recorded a 3.91 GAA through nine road games this year, and the Kraken rank 21st in the league with a 78.2 penalty-kill percentage.
DEFENSE
John Klingberg, DAL vs. SEA ($4,900): Rumors have swirled that Klingberg wants out of Dallas, but his production has been fine this year. The 29-year-old has posted 17 points through 27 games, including seven with the man advantage. He operates on the same power play as Hintz, Pavelski and Robertson, so he could be a solid stack addition against the Kraken's putrid PK.
Matt Grzelcyk, BOS vs. MON ($4,300): Grzelcyk ranks 28th among defensemen with 2.89 xGF/60 at even strength this year, and he finally enjoyed some upward regression Monday night with five points against the Capitals. Much like Coyle, he has some intrigue because he skates on PP2, and he continues to average around two shots on net and one blocked shot per game to provide a solid floor.
Rasmus Sandin, TOR at ARI ($3,600): Sandin has been fantastic at even strength this season, ranking second among defenders (over 200 minutes) with 3.45 xGF/60 this season. Even more importantly, he skates on the second power play. He and the Maple Leafs will take aim at the Coyotes' 29th-ranked PK (72.2 percent) on Wednesday night.
