This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Welcome back, hockey fans. The second round of the NHL playoffs is here, and that means DraftKings hockey is back. There are two games Wednesday, and you should get used to that because there won't be more than two contests on the schedule for any date going forward. You'll have to make do, and here are some players who can help you do that.
GOALIE
Pekka Rinne, NAS at STL ($7,500): Literally nobody was better than Rinne in the first round, as he posted a 0.70 GAA and .976 save percentage against a Chicago team that averaged 2.93 goals per game during the regular season. The Blues were also impressive during the opening round, but it wasn't because of their offense, which isn't terribly dynamic. St. Louis averaged 26.8 shots on goal per contest in the first round, and that number was only 28.4 during the regular season. This is looking like it could be a rather low-scoring series, which works to Rinne's benefit.
CENTER
Ryan Johansen, NAS at STL ($5,900): There are only four teams in action, and every one was good enough to make the playoffs and win a round, so you aren't going to find great matchups. This is more about the quality of Johansen's play. He notched at least one point in every game in the first round, and he tallied 61 points during the regular season. Johansen also averaged 3:01 per game with the extra man, and even though St. Louis has a strong penalty kill, that still offers extra potential value.
Paul Stastny, STL vs. NAS ($4,500): Okay, so Rinne was great in the first round. However, as impressive as that was, it was only four games. During the regular season, Rinne had a .918 save percentage, which is good but not great. The Predators also allowed 2.68 goals per game, which is the highest of any team left in the playoffs. Stastny only played in one game in the first round, but he scored a goal on four shots. He also tallied 13 power-play points in 66 games, and the Predators had the 20th-ranked penalty kill after the All-Star break.
WING
Corey Perry, ANA vs. EDM ($5,400): Perry experienced bad luck during the regular season, scoring only 19 goals on 215 shots for an unusually low 8.8 shooting percentage. He then only scored just once on 12 shots on net in the first round, but he also added two assists. Perry puts lots of shots on net, and if that continues, his luck should eventually turn. This run of bad fortune has dropped his price, which helps from a value perspective as well.
Jordan Eberle, EDM at ANA ($4,900): Eberle only had one point in the first round, but he did tally 12 shots on goal. He's also averaged 2.9 fantasy points per game, and he ended the regular season with a four-game point streak. Eberle's a prolific shooter -- 208 this season -- and the Ducks did allow 34.5 shots on net per tilt in the first round, so the former 70-point man provides a solid floor with significant upside.
Vladimir Sobotka, STL vs. NAS ($3,500): There's not a ton to go on for Sobotka this season, as he only played in one game before the playoffs. He did score in that game, though, and he added three points in the first round. Sobotka has also averaged 2:54 per game on the power play since rejoining the Blues. At this low price, he's well worth a roll of the dice because he has the potential to deliver significant bang for your buck.
DEFENSEMEN
Colton Parayko, STL vs. NAS ($4,800): Nashville averaged 58.6 shot attempts per 60 minutes, which ranked eighth in the NHL. That's the most of any team in action Wednesday. Parayko blocked a relatively modest 117 shots in 81 games during the regular season, but he's been busier on that front in the postseason. He got in front of 16 shots over five games against the Wild, and he put 14 shots of his own on goal. The Predators also allowed 2.90 goals per game away from home this season.
Andrej Sekera, EDM at ANA ($4,000): Sekera started the first round off slowly, but he ended things with assists in his final two games. He had a solid season for the Oilers, tallying 35 points in 80 games, including 12 on the power play. Naturally, he continued playing a significant role in the first round, averaging 23:10 per game of ice time, and he's blocked three shots in each of the last four games. That comes after a regular season that saw him block 166 shots while putting 128 on net himself.
