This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
DraftKings has decided to go with a three-game featured slate for Sunday's NHL action. They have included the three games starting at 6 p.m. ET or later. That means only a smattering of DFS options, but you do have choices to make, and so I have recommendations for you.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are, among these six teams, four that are on the second leg of a back-to-back, The Coyotes and Blue Jackets are squaring off, and also happen to be two of the worst defensive teams in the NHL. There is offensive opportunity in that one. Meanwhile, the Devils host the Jets, while the Maple Leafs visit the Blackhawks.
GOALIE
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG at NJD ($7,500): With Ilya Samsonov a question mark due to illness, while being the highest-salaried goalie to boot, I am going to go with the potential value in Hellebuyck. The Devils do have a top-10 offense, but they are on the second leg of a back-to-back, while the Jets are rested. Plus, Hellebuyck has been a top-10 goalie, probably a top-five goalie. He has a 2.41 GAA and .924 save percentage.
VALUE PLAY/ONE-OFF
Boone Jenner, CLM at ARI ($5,700): Jenner has been on a nice run, tallying eight points and 44 shots on net in his last 11 games. On the year, he's notched 145 shots on target in 45 games. The Coyotes rank 31st in shots on goal allowed per contest, and Karel Vejmelka struggled so badly Saturday that both he and Connor Ingram played, so neither goalie is rested.
FORWARD LINE STACK
Coyotes vs. Blue Jackets
Barrett Hayton (C - $4,100), Clayton Keller (W - $5,900), Nick Schmaltz (W - $5,500)
The Blue Jackets rank 30th in shots on goal allowed per game, only one spot above the Coyotes. They also rank 30th in GAA. Ah, but on the second leg of a back-to-back, Elvis Merzlikins will presumably be in goal for Columbus. He has a 4.28 GAA and .873 save percentage, and over his last 82 games he has an .898 save percentage. Arizona doesn't have much depth, but it does have this line.
Hayton's play has picked up owing in part to a move up to the top line for the Coyotes. Over his last nine games he has seven points and 32 shots on net. Keller has three games with three points in his last nine outings. All in all he has 52 points in 56 games, including 14 with the extra man. The Blue Jackets rank 20th on the penalty kill. Schmaltz has seven goals and seven assists in his last 10 games in his own right. That includes four power-play points.
DEFENSEMAN
Rasmus Sandin, TOR at CHI ($3,000): Hopefully the 22-year-old defenseman in Sandin will be primed to play on the second leg of a back-to-back Sunday. He has two points in each of his last two games, which is encouraging. One of those games, by the way, was against the Blackhawks. That's not surprising, as Chicago is in the bottom seven in GAA and shots on net allowed per contest, and also rank 22nd on the penalty kill. Right now, Petr Mrazek is also serving as the primary goalie in Chicago, and he has a 3.95 GAA and .885 save percentage.
