This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
Round 2 officially began with the Avalanche and the Stars facing off. Today, we get our next two series with the Bruins-Lightning and Canucks-Golden Knights.
Boston came into their series with a poor round-robin record and some thought the Hurricanes had the chance to pull off an upset. They may have been able to if one of their best players, Andrei Svechnikov, had not gotten hurt and forced him out for the rest of the playoffs. Jaroslav Halak has been a wall for Boston and will need to be at the top of his game against the high-flying Bolts. Steven Stamkos' status is still up in the air thanks to continuous injuries, but the Lightning have managed without their star. Anthony Cirelli and others were able to carry the weight and helped lift Tampa Bay out of a thrilling series against Columbus.
The Canucks are one of only two teams left from the play-in round after they ended their last series with some thrilling play to top the defending champion Blues. They're working off their superstar Elias Pettersson and elite goaltending from Jacob Markstrom. These two will be key to the club's success and they'll need to elevate their game even higher as they battle Vegas. The Golden Knights have enjoyed a rather easy path of success so far through the playoffs after overpowering Chicago's mediocre defense, so they'll need to play a little more passive against a young and talented Canucks' roster.
GOALIES
Jacob Markstrom, VAN vs. VGS ($7,500): Vancouver may not win this series, but we know it will be fast and a lot of shots will be produced by both teams. Markstrom has been tested numerous times already and has shown up in each circumstance, barring a game or two. His contract expires at the end of the season and will be seeking a raise. So why not go and win a Stanley Cup on the front of a possible contract extension? Markstrom comes in as the lowest salaried goalie out of all projected starters, and he should see a lot of shots. Sign me up.
Jaroslav Halak, BOS vs. TB ($7,600): For $100 more, you can go from Markstrom to Halak who has slightly better odds of a win. Boston are playoff-experienced and have taken top honors, while Tampa Bay has gotten close with their star players and still not reached the final goal. The Bruins roll out plenty of veterans who know how to control the pace of key series. The Lightning will still generate their fair share of offense and that's why I like Halak as the second-lowest salaried goalie from the list of projected starters. He offers the potential to hit his ceiling in this matchup, given the projected shot total and his chance to win.
VALUE PLAYS
Charlie Coyle, BOS vs. TB ($3,700): After stabilizing the bottom-six for Boston during the last series, Coyle now has a chance to further his role in their playoff success. Coming in at the low salary point, he benefits from lining up on the top power-play unit. The chance to get someone with exposure to Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak at this cheap of a price seems like a no-brainer.
Alex Tuch, VGS vs. VAN ($3,700): Tuch has looked rather impressive throughout the playoffs, generating offense where he can and filling any roles that were left open by injuries. He's averaged three shots per game and now comes into a much easier matchup against Vancouver's bottom-six. Tuch also continues to see time on the Knights' second power-play unit and should see ample opportunities to succeed in this series.
LINE STACKS
Golden Knights vs. Canucks
Nicolas Roy (C - $2,600), Alex Tuch (W - $3,700), Nick Cousins (W - $2,500)
In order to comfortably access the top unit for Boston, we need some sort of salary savings and this line is exactly that with a high projected ceiling to boot. As previously stated, Vancouver's bottom-six isn't very good. Vegas's third line should have no problem generating their fair share of offense and both wingers also happen to skate on the second power play.
DEFENSEMEN
Shea Theodore, VAN vs. VGS ($6,000): Theodore represents the highest defender on the slate by $700. That's mainly because he's one of the best players for the Knights and shines at both ends of the ice while quarterbacking the first power play and generating multiple shots and blocked shots per game. Theodore typically finds his way onto the score sheet and will need to in order to pay off at this salary.
Alexander Edler, VAN vs. VGS ($5,100): On the other side of this series, we have the veteran Edler who continues to be a leader on a young Canucks' club. I mentioned earlier that this series will be full of shots and high flying offenses. The one thing that Edler does consistently well is block shots and he will have numerous chances to do so. He also gains an advantage playing on the second power-play unit.
Charlie McAvoy, BOS vs. TB ($4,200): If you are in need for a cheaper option but don't want to punt your defense, McAvoy is the shining star you're looking for. He's bounced around the first and second pairings throughout the playoffs, but finds himself back in his natural spot alongside partner Zdeno Chara. McAvoy represents your typical two-way blueliner and earns you shots and shots blocked along with time on the second power play. The value mostly comes from his even strength exposure to the top line of David Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand.
