This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
GOALIE
Ben Bishop, TB at COL ($8,500) – The Lightning weren't very sharp last night and allowed the Stars to come from behind in a 4-3 loss, but should have a much easier time closing out the lowly Avalanche. Despite having a lot of talent on the roster, the Avs have scored just eight goals in their past six games, with their only win coming against Carolina in overtime. Bishop hasn't played very well this season, but he has won his past three starts, all against Western Conference teams.
WINGERS
Nikita Kucherov, TB at COL ($7,500) – He is undoubtedly the team's best player, and that's even when Steven Stamkos is in the lineup. He's been held to just two shots in his past three games, but Colorado's penchant for poor defensive play and turnovers should create some odd-man rushes, especially for such a strong two-way player. His speed will also force a poor Avs defense to back off, giving him even more room to operate.
David Pastrnak, BOS at SJ ($6,900) – Pastrnak has scored five goals and five assists in his past five games, and regardless of who's standing behind the Boston bench, he's simply been dynamite. The Sharks are good, but teams coming off their bye weeks have not fared well this season, and expected starter Martin Jones seems very vulnerable at the moment — especially having been pulled less than two weeks ago in Boston after just one period and then allowing six goals against Florida in his most recent loss.
William Nylander, TOR at CAR ($5,700) – He's not quite as slick as Mitch Marner, but has first-line talent and is playing a team that has lost four straight and allowed a total of 10 goals in back-to-back road games. It's strange; the Leafs are just one point out of a playoff spot but seem weirdly underrated, despite having one of the league's most explosive offenses. They make a lot of mistakes but play fast, and Nylander's been making a lot of teams pay with two goals and four points in his past three games.
Jonathan Drouin, TB at COL ($5,500) – Drouin's minutes fluctuate quite a bit, playing 22 minutes against Anaheim and then just 14 against Winnipeg three games later. He's had modest production with two goals and two assists in his past five games, but he's playing a defense that can easily be exploited and a goalie that undeservingly has been thrust into a No. 1 role. He's a bit of a boom-or-bust type player in this matchup, but this doesn't seem like a situation where Drouin will have much difficulty generating some offense.
CENTERS
Jeff Carter, LA at ANH ($7,900) – He's on a three-game point streak with two goals and four points, and even if he doesn't score, he's a high-volume shooter that should be able to provide DFS owners with a few points. The Ducks have lost five of their past seven, and Carter has three points in two games against them this year.
Auston Matthews, TOR at CAR ($7,400) – Former coach Marc Crawford was right when he predicted this kid would get a lot of pucks on net. Matthews is yet another high-volume shooter, but the difference between him and Carter is that Matthews has a much higher ceiling and is playing against a weaker defense. He played 20:44 against Carolina last time and registered four shots on net, which bodes well for his scoring chances Sunday.
DEFENSE
Brent Burns, SJ vs. BOS ($8,500) – He's just three goals away from 30 and a must-play in nearly every single format. He is third in the league in scoring at a price that's much lower than a forward with comparable stats, and with a league-leading 235 shots, there's almost no chance of him not paying off for DFS owners.
Victor Hedman, TB at COL ($6,300) – He's quietly putting together one of the best seasons of his career, sitting third in scoring among defensemen with 47 points and second in assists with 37. Picking a high-caliber player playing against the league's worst team only seems logical, and with three goals and two assists in his past two games, it also makes sense to go with the hot hand. Hedman is a power-play fixture and the Avs are fifth in the league in penalties, so there should be opportunity for Hedman to do some damage with the man advantage, as well.
