This article is part of our FantasyDraft NHL series.
We've "sprung forward" and lost an hour, but that just means we have to wait one fewer hour for hockey to start. There are five games Sunday, although the 12:30 p.m EDT game between Minnesota and Chicago is not included in these contests. That leaves four games in the evening, and here are some of the best values for Sunday:
GOALIE
San Jose, SAN vs. DAL ($16,800): The Sharks played Saturday, but it was an afternoon game, so that means a few more hours to recuperate. Plus, since Martin Jones started Saturday, Aaron Dell (1.88 GAA, .935 save percentage) will likely be in net. That's far from a step back from Jones. The Stars have allowed 3.21 goals per game, which means there's a good chance of the Sharks picking up a victory. Additionally, the Sharks are 21-8-4 at home, while the Stars are 9-18-4 on the road.
CENTER
Derek Stepan, NYR at DET ($11,700):Jimmy Howard has returned for the Wings, but Petr Mrazek (2.99 GAA, .901 save percentage) will be in net, which is a favorable turn of events for Stepan and the Rangers. Stepan has 35 shots on goal in his last 10 games, including a whopping 10 in his last outing. He also has 13 power-play points and has played 2:37 per game with the extra man, which gives his fantasy potential a little boost.
Tomas Hertl, SAN vs. DAL ($9,200): As mentioned before, Dallas has given up 3.21 goals per game, which is tied for second-most in the NHL. Hertl has missed a significant chunk of the season with an injury, but when he's played, he's started 34.5 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. He's also tallied five points in his last 10 games and he's put 80 shots on goal in 35 games. Hertl has averaged 10.58 fantasy points per game, and there's a good chance that he can at least match that against the Stars.
WING
Patrick Marleau, SAN vs. DAL ($11,800): The 37-year-old winger still has some life left in his legs, as he's notched 18 points in his last 19 games. Overall, he's scored 22 goals on 163 shots in 67 games. On top of that, he's averaged 3:10 per game with the extra man, and he's tallied 13 points in that time. In addition, the Stars have the league's worst penalty kill.
Chris Kreider, NYR at DET ($11,400): Kreider has averaged 13.25 fantasy points per game, and he's started 34.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, the most of any Rangers forward. He's put 163 shots on net in 62 games, and he's tallied 26 goals in that time. Plus, he's tallied 11 power-play points. Detroit has allowed 3.00 goals and 30.6 shots on net per game, and the fact the Wings are starting Mrazek is another point in Kreider's favor.
Pavel Buchnevich, NYR at DET ($7,500): Five of the eight teams in action are in the top 10 in goals allowed per game, and the Rangers will likely be starting Antti Raanta (2.32 GAA, .922 save percentage), which means your best bet is to load up on Sharks and Rangers. If you are looking for a slightly cheaper option, consider Buchnevich, who has started 34.2 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, the second-most of any Rangers forward. Buchnevich has missed a lot of time with injury, but he's healthy now has averaged 2:13 per game on the power play.
DEFENSEMEN
Marc-Edouard Vlasic, SAN vs. DAL ($9,100): Vlasic hasn't done a ton offensively, but he does have 21 points and 114 shots on goal in 62 games. He's also averaged 2:04 per game with the extra man. Pickles doesn't have a ton of power-play points, but considering that the Stars have the league's worst penalty kill perhaps he will find more luck than usual. Dallas is also sixth in the league in shot attempts per 60 minutes (59.8), and Vlasic has blocked 119 shots. Given how bad the Stars are defensively, Vlasic could contribute on both ends of the ice.
Andrej Sekera, EDM vs. MON ($7,700): Sekera has averaged 2:14 per game on the power play, and he's tallied eight points with the extra man. While the Canadiens have been strong defensively, they only have the 20th-ranked penalty kill. Montreal has also averaged 59.0 shot attempts per 60 minutes, seventh-most in the NHL. Meanwhile, Sekera has blocked 120 shots in 65 games, which is what makes him an interesting fantasy option despite how good the Canadiens have been at goal prevention. At this price, a few blocked shots could nearly be enough by themselves to make selecting Sekera worthwhile.
