This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Now that we are down to two series, and four teams, every daily fantasy contest features the same selection of players. Saturday's contests feature the games from Saturday and Sunday, and here are the guys I think you should target.
GOALIE
Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT vs. OTT ($8,200): Obviously, Pekka Rinne has been the best goalie in the playoffs, but I was struck by something I read recently. No goalie has ever finished the playoffs with a save percentage over .950 in the last 20 years, and only four have ever been better than .940. A little regression for Rinne seems likely. Additionally, Rinne is on the road, and the Ducks are a tougher opponent than the Senators. Ottawa only scored 2.51 goals per game this season, after all.
CENTER
Ryan Johansen, NAS at ANA ($6,100): Johansen notched 47 assists this season, and he was up to his playmaking ways in Game 1 of the Conference Finals. He picked up two assists (and three shots on goal), giving him four points in his last two contests. In the playoffs, he now has 11 points in 11 contests. Before Friday's Game 1, John Gibson had a 2.80 GAA and a .908 save percentage.
Kyle Turris, OTT at PIT ($5,200): Fleury has played well in this postseason, but he's had to, because the Penguins have allowed 35.3 shots on net per contest. That's the most of any team in the playoffs, and they gave up 32.6 shots on goal per game during the regular season. Turris scored 27 goals on 185 shots this year, and in his last seven games he's tallied five points. He also tallied 17 power-play points while averaging 3:19 per game with the extra man.
WING
Jake Guentzel, PIT vs. OTT ($6,200): Guentzel plays on Sidney Crosby's wing, which is always a good thing for a player. He's had an excellent postseason, tallying nine goals and five assists in 12 games. He also finished the regular season with a five-game point streak. Craig Anderson has a .914 save percentage in the playoffs, and the Senators have given up 2.75 goals per game in the postseason.
Patric Hornqvist, PIT vs. OTT ($5,200): Hornqvist has been banged up a bit, but he did score a goal on four shots in Game 7 against Washington. He also tallied 21 goals on 223 shots in 70 games this year, so if he's at full speed he's clearly a real offensive weapon. His price has dropped a bit, but that means if he plays up to his usual standards he could end up being a steal. Additionally, Hornqvist averaged 3:29 per game on the power play this year, and after the All-Star break the Senators had the 27th-ranked penalty kill.
James Neal, NAS at ANA ($4,800): After scoring a goal on six shots in Game 1, Neal has four goals and 25 shots on net in his last six contests. This season, he started 37.2 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, second most among Nashville forwards. As previously mentioned, Gibson had a 2.80 GAA and a .908 save percentage before Game 1, and in that game he let in three goals on 46 shots. That's not bad from Gibson, but the fact the Ducks let up 46 shots on net, even in an overtime game, is encouraging from Neal's perspective.
DEFENSE
Ryan Ellis, NAS at ANA ($5,800): Ellis has averaged 3.5 fantasy points per game, and after tallying 38 points in 71 games he's tallied nine points in the playoffs. He didn't register a point in Game 1, but he did put seven shots on goal, while also blocking two shots. Ellis notched 137 blocked shots this season, so he can definitely help you on both ends of the ice.
Olli Maatta, PIT vs. OTT ($3,200): Maatta returned from injury just before the playoffs, and since then he's averaged 19:51 per game. He's currently listed on the depth chart as a top pairing defenseman, and he picked up three assists against the Capitals. On top of that, Maatta blocked 102 shots in 55 games, and he's added 25 blocked shots in the playoffs. He's relatively cheap, which means he doesn't have to do much to be a nice value. The 22-year-old definitely has the potential to make something happen, especially if he keeps getting the minutes.
