This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
GOALIE
Roberto Luongo, FLA vs. EDM ($7,300): The Panthers return home after the splitting the Global Series and should be well-rested after a five-day break. They're the only team without a win at home and the Oilers still aren't very good on the road with a 5-4-0 record and a 5-2 loss in Tampa on Tuesday. Luongo allowed just two even-strength goals when he faced the Oilers last season.
CENTER
Steven Stamkos, TB vs. NYI ($7,200): He's back! He's scored eight points in his past five games and returned to form after a frustrating slow start. The Islanders defense is stingy and Stamkos can have the occasional off night, but the shots are starting to go in and the Lightning are rolling with three straight wins. Stamkos has 56 points in 47 games against the Panthers.
Alex Galchenyuk, ARI at PHI ($5,500): He's scored two goals, including one on the power play, and two assists in his past five games and making the Coyotes' poor offensive start seem like a distant memory. The Flyers were victorious on Monday and will start Calvin Pickard again, but he hasn't been able to string together two good games all season.
WING
Jeff Skinner, BUF at MON ($7,000): He was minus-2 in a 3-1 loss against the Rangers but played over 21 minutes, the second time in three games. He's living up to the billing as a first-line scorer after the Sabres traded for him and finally looking good with Jack Eichel. Since Jason Pominville joined the top line, the trio has been dynamite.
Brady Tkachuk, OTT vs. VGK ($5,900): A game after trouncing the Devils in a 7-3 win after Uber-gate, the Sens will get star rookie Tkachuk back in the lineup. That's trouble for the Knights, who are 2-6-0 on the road and lost Erik Haula to injury against Toronto. Sometimes an embarrassing moment can be galvanizing, and a second straight win, this time with Tkachuk back in the lineup, could boost morale.
Ilya Kovalchuk, LA vs. MIN ($5,200): Lost in all the drama behind the bench has been Kovy's awesome comeback in the NHL, scoring nine points in his past four games and averaging a point per game for the season. The Kings power play has been very good with Kovalchuk and Dustin Brown, and the Wild have taken the sixth-most penalties in the league. Willie Desjardins wasn't bad in his first season with a veteran Canucks squad; maybe he can turn the Kings around.
DEFENSE
Thomas Chabot, OTT vs. VGK ($6,500): Chabot has 20 points in 15 games this season, seven of which have come in the last four games. The second-year pro is five points away from matching last year's total and already plays more than any other player. Rookie Max Lajoie ($4,600) is also playing well and getting a lot of minutes, and it's clear that the franchise's reins are being handed over to Chabot right now.
Derrick Pouliot, VAN at BOS ($3,400): He mans the top power play unit, which means he's the guy on the blue line feeding pucks to Elias Pettersson. Pouliot is a fairly one-dimensional defenseman who's getting a sweet gig because he's the least unqualified to take the job, and Travis Green's insistence on using him despite his relative mediocrity means he still has some fantasy value. The Bruins get penalized a lot and the Canucks have the forwards to capitalize.
