This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Here we are, down to four teams left in the NHL playoffs. Since there's now only one game on any given day, every contest is going to stretch over two days. That includes Friday's contests, which of course also involve Saturday. Here are some players to target on FanDuel as we begin the conference finals.
GOALIE
Pekka Rinne, NAS at ANA ($8,700): How can you not go with Rinne at this point? He's had an amazing postseason, and he's topping the league in GAA (1.37) and save percentage (.951). Despite that, he's not even the most expensive goalie. Given how impressive Rinne has been and the fact that there are only four teams in action, the Finn seems like a smart choice. Why not just go with the best of the bunch?
CENTER
Evgeni Malkin, PIT vs. OTT ($8,500): Malkin has been the Rinne of forwards, one could argue, as he's leading the league in postseason scoring (18 points). This comes after he tallied 33 goals and 39 assists in 62 games during the regular season. While Craig Anderson was very good this year, he has a modest .914 save percentage in the playoffs. The Senators also had the 27th-ranked penalty kill after the All-Star break, while Malkin tallied 23 power-play points this year. He's pricey, but he's well worth it.
Derick Brassard, OTT at PIT ($4,700): It's been a tale of two postseasons for Brassard, who tallied eight points in six games in the first round, but then he only one point in the second round. However, he did put 18 shots on goal against the Rangers while averaging 2:29 per game on the power play. Brassard also started 37.7 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, second-most among Ottawa forwards. Maybe this round will treat Brassard better. At this price, it's worth finding out.
WING
Mike Hoffman, OTT at PIT ($6,500): Hoffman has averaged 13.5 fantasy points per game, and he's tallied seven points in the playoffs. Only one of them has come on the power play, which is a bit surprising, given that he tallied 26 points with the extra man in 74 games. It wouldn't be unexpected for Hoffman to have a little more power-play luck. The Penguins have allowed a league-high 35.3 shots on net per game in the playoffs, and that comes after they gave up 32.6 shots per contest during the regular season.
Rickard Rakell, ANA vs. NAS ($6,200): Yes, Rinne has been great, but with only four teams in action, it's hard to completely write off everybody on the Ducks for the entire conference finals. Rakell, who started 36.4 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, is a sound bet. After tallying 33 goals in 71 games, he's added 10 points, including six goals, through a dozen playoff games. He's also been quite prolific at putting the puck on net, registering 37 shots.
Viktor Arvidsson, NAS at ANA ($5,800): Arvidsson may have only tallied one point against the Blues, but we're still talking about a guy who's averaged 13.7 fantasy points per game this year. That's more than any other remaining winger. He put 246 shots on net during the regular season, and he's added 29 more in the playoffs. While the Blues only allowed 2.09 goals per game before they were eliminated, the Ducks have given up 3.00 goals per contest and John Gibson posted an .891 save percentage against the Oilers. Arvidsson should be able to find the back of the net against Anaheim.
Bryan Rust, PIT vs. OTT ($4,400): Rust scored a huge goal for the Penguins in Game 7 of their series against Washington. You don't get extra points for that, but Rust also potted four goals against Columbus in the first round. Perhaps most importantly, Rust is currently listed on the depth chart as a top-liner alongside Sidney Crosby. That certainly could be a boon for the 25-year-old, and you're going to have to fill your lineups out with some lower-priced players. His line grouping makes him one of the highest-upside bargains.
DEFENSE
Ryan Ellis, NAS at ANA ($5,300): Ellis had an under-the-radar regular season, but it's been hard for him to go unnoticed in the playoffs. He's tallied nine postseason points, all of which came during a seven-game point streak. Ellis also blocked 137 shots on goal over 71 regular-season games, and he's added 25 more blocked shots in the playoffs. It doesn't hurt that the Ducks have had the second-worst penalty kill in these playoffs, ahead of only the Jackets, who went out in five games.
Cody Ceci, OTT at PIT ($3,300): Speaking of blocked shots, Ceci got in front of 159 pucks in 79 games, and he's notched 37 more in 12 playoff games. He's had four separate games with at least five blocked shots. The Penguins averaged 58.8 shot attempts per 60 minutes this year, sixth-most in the NHL, and the most of any team remaining. Ceci is quite cheap, and a few blocked shots could more than justify selecting him for your lineup.
