This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
After some reshuffling by the NHL, there will be single-game contest Saturday at 8:00 p.m. EDT for Game 1 between the Stars and Avalanche. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
Colorado will be favored after outscoring the Coyotes 14-2 in Games 4 and 5 of their five-game first round series, but Dallas comes in with plenty of momentum as well after scoring the final seven goals in Thursday's 7-3 Game 6 win to eliminate Calgary
GOALIES
N/A (No goalies in FanDuel single-game contests).
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Nathan MacKinnon ($16,500) will be the chalk play in the Captain spot. The Hart Trophy finalist is making a push for the Conn Smythe as well, as MacKinnon has at least one point in each of Colorado's eight postseason games, with a 4-9-13 line in the Edmonton bubble.
Tyler Seguin ($13,000) is an interesting against-the-grain play. Dallas' second-most expensive skater (Jamie Benn - $14,500) has just three assists in eight games this postseason, but all three of those points have come in the past three games. The six-time 70-point scorer also has 16 shots in the last five games after totaling only five shots in the previous three, so it feels like Seguin's on the verge of breaking out.
Corey Perry ($7,000) could be worth a flier as a cheap filler. The power forward, who split the 2011 Rocket Richard Trophy with Alex Ovechkin, is no longer a premier scorer, but Perry owns a 2-2-4 line this postseason and still has the skills to step up when it matters most for the veteran Dallas club.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Joe Pavelski (C - $9,500), Denis Gurianov (W - $8,500), Roope Hintz (C - $7,500) (Stars)
Pavelski has two monster performances in his last three games, with a hat trick in Game 4 against Calgary followed by a goal and two assists in Game 6. The veteran center's net-front presence has made him an effective postseason performer, as evidenced by Pavelski's career 54-54-108 line in 143 playoff games. Gurianov lit the lamp four times in Game 6 against the Flames, showcasing the goal-scoring ability that helped him pot 20 in the regular season. Hintz came up one goal short of 20 in 60 regular-season games, and he's getting into a groove with three assists and 15 shots over his last five games.
Nazem Kadri (C - $12,000), Andre Burakovsky (W - $8,000), Joonas Donskoi (W - $7,500) (Avalanche)
Colorado's second line has provided some wonderful secondary scoring this postseason. Kadri recorded four goals and an assist over the last two games against Arizona, giving him a 6-5-11 line in eight games this postseason. Burakovsky comes in riding a four-game point streak (2-3-5), while Donskoi has a 3-3-6 line in seven appearances this postseason.
DEFENSEMEN
Miro Heiskanen ($10,500) was Dallas' best player against Calgary, and the third overall selection in the 2017 draft is emerging as a premier source of offense from the blue line. The 21-year-old Finn has a 3-9-12 line in nine games this postseason.
With Colorado's offense firing on all cylinders, it's no surprise Cale Makar ($10,000) is enjoying a productive postseason. The standout defensemen owns a 2-5-7 lines in eight playoff games after posting a 12-38-50 line over 57 appearances during the regular season.
If you load up on expensive options to lead your lineup, you'll need to save cap space elsewhere, and that's where Ian Cole ($6,000) comes in. Cole is still looking for his first point this postseason after averaging a respectable 0.4 points per game in the regular season (4-22-26 in 65), so this could be a buy-low opportunity on the steady Avalanche blueliner, who topped 16 minutes of ice time in all but one game against the Coyotes. Just getting consistent ice time is a win for a player at this valuation, and the extra offensive opportunities that come from sharing the ice with Colorado's talented forward group are just a bonus.
