This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
It's a 10-game slate for FanDuel with both the Rangers at Bruins (1 p.m. EST) and Stars at Blue Jackets (5 p.m.) unavailable for the main slate.
Note that Golden Knights at Blues (8 p.m.), Sharks at Ducks (10 p.m.) and the Oilers are playing the second half of back-to-back.
GOALIES
Semyon Varlamov, NYI at NJ ($8,700): During the Islanders' seven-game winning streak, they have kept their opponents to 26 shots or less five times - including Jersey on Thursday. Losing Anders Lee will hurt, but the Isles' defensive structure should be able to stifle the Devils' offense and their goaltending has been shaky with 22 goals allowed in their past four games excluding an extraordinary 1-0 win against the Bruins.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB vs. NSH ($8,500): Only with Vasilevskiy do we consider eight goals allowed in three games as a "slump" or "underperformance". The Predators' offense simply has no bite scoring three goals or more only five times since Feb. 5. Vasilevskiy will probably be one of the night's most popular picks.
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA vs. CHI ($8,000): The Blackhawks' attack has been strong all season, but it's gone quiet over the past four contests averaging just 22.5 Shots/GP and getting buried with a 39.1 CF%. Bob might get overlooked because he's still a fairly average goalie and the Blackhawks represent a popular upset pick, but note he's played well over the past month and carries a four-game winning streak into this matchup.
Tristan Jarry, PIT at BUF ($7,700): No matter who starts, Pittsburgh goalies will be a popular pick. An already struggling Sabres' offense is now being forced to play Riley Sheahan – 69 career goals in 537 games – as their top center.
Jacob Markstrom, CGY vs. MON ($7,500): Head coach Darryl Sutter sounded pretty pleased with his team's performance on Thursday, though he did say he expected a better Habs' team to show up Saturday. Regardless, the Flames played a controlled, structured game and kept scoring chances to a minimum. That's music to a goalie's ears, while the Flames should dictate the play on home ice.
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. EDM ($7,000): The downside to Demko is the Canucks' porous defense and his own career numbers versus Edmonton: 0-4, .901 Sv%. The upside is that the Canucks have played very well in Elias Pettersson's absence and Demko has been excellent - even in the 5-1 loss on Wednesday. The Canucks have not lost four straight to the Oilers since 2005.
VALUE PLAYS
Josh Bailey, NYI at NJ ($4,600): Bailey's only scored two points in his past six games, but seems the most likely candidate to take Anders Lee's spot on the top line. The Isles are pretty deep on the wings so there's a chance for Oliver Wahlstrom ($3,800), Anthony Beauvillier ($4,300) or even Michael Dal Colle ($4,300) to step in. Note that Beauvillier's possession stats rate the best at 5v5 (70.59 CF%) according to Natural Stat Trick, with Bailey (0:34) and Wahlstrom (0:18) being the least common options for Barry Trotz.
Eric Staal, BUF vs. PIT ($4,200): Value play or pity play? The Sabres just don't have a lot of options at center ice and Staal is the only proven top-six pivot. He's lost a step and has scored 10 points this season, but he'll get a lot of offensive opportunities. Sheahan ($3,400) is arguably the better value play because he's the more likely option to step on the top line, but his offensive ceiling isn't nearly as high as Staal's and even recently sat out as a healthy scratch.
Daniel Sprong, WSH at PHI ($3,200): The Flyers' goaltending has been an issue all season. In Tom Wilson's absence, Sprong has seen his role increase. With an assist Thursday against the Flyers, he managed to score a point in consecutive games for the first time this season. There's some value added with Sprong playing on PP2.
LINE STACKS
Lightning vs. Predators
Brayden Point (C - $7,500), Ondrej Palat (W - $6,200), Anthony Cirelli (W - $5,800)
The drawback is Cirelli plays PP2, but otherwise this trio has been very effective for the Lightning. The Preds will be without captain and top defender Roman Josi.
Penguins at Sabres
Evgeni Malkin (C - $7,700), Kasperi Kapanen (W - $5,100), Evan Rodrigues ($3,100)
Both Malkin and Sidney Crosby's line will be good stacks against the lowly Sabres, but Malkin's line represents the better value play. Kapanen has played very well with five points over his past three games and Rodrigues has some offensive upside because he likes to shoot.
Oilers at Canucks
Connor McDavid (C - $9,000), Leon Draisaitl (W - $8,200), Kailer Yamamoto (W - $4,600)
I wonder if the Oilers need to stack McDavid and Draisaitl, considering how successful both of them have been anchoring their own lines against the Canucks. Their speed has always been very effective against a Canucks' defense that isn't particularly mobile (excluding Quinn Hughes) or stout defensively (including Hughes). McDavid and Draisaitl will be dangerous on the power play while the Canucks maintain the sixth-worst penalty differential at minus-11 and the most penalties taken with 125.
DEFENSEMEN
John Carlson, WSH at PHI ($6,400): I like the matchup for Carlson, who is on a three-game point streak and gets to shoot on some terrible Flyers' goaltending. He's the only other defenseman other than Victor Hedman who I would consider elite tonight.
Aaron Ekblad, FLA vs. CHI ($5,800): The Blackhawks' wide-open style is a double-edged sword, as they often leave themselves vulnerable on defense and allow the seventh-most high-danger chances per 60 minutes at even strength per Natural Stat Trick. Ekblad already has two points in two games against them this season.
Mikhail Sergachev, TB vs. NSH ($4,700): Sergachev has notched a point in three straight games, including a goal and career-high nine shots against the Red Wings last time out. He's a solid alternative to Hedman and has already recorded seven points in four outings against the Preds this season.
Rasmus Andersson, CGY vs. MON ($4,100): We'll have to see if Sutter can improve the Flames' 17th-ranked power play, but Andersson remains the quarterback for now. He should get plenty of opportunities against the Habs, who enter with the league's worst penalty differential at minus-20.
