This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
GOALIE
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB vs. FLA ($8,100): The Panthers scored the eighth fewest goals in the league last season, and then the organization lost four forwards that accounted for 71 of their 205 tallies. There are some intriguing replacements, but overall, a weak offensive attack might have gotten worse. Vasilevskiy posted a respectabled .924 save percentage at five-on-five and .917 mark overall, so behind the healthy and deep Lightning, he's a strong lean from the three-game slate.
CENTER
Tyler Seguin, DAL vs. VGK ($7,400): Expect the top line from the Stars to be a popular stack, but with the salaries manageable and a favorable matchup, building around Seguin is a strong start to assembling lineups. He registered a career-high 301 shots last season, and despite it being a down year, Seguin still posted 26 goals and 46 helpers with a rock-solid 2.9 points per 60 minutes.
Vadim Shipachyov, VGK at DAL ($4,200): The price is right to take a flier on Shipachyov. He's locked into a top-line role and should be the focal point of the No. 1 power-play unit, and his offensive numbers (76 points through 50 games last season) in the KHL highlight his scoring upside. Additionally, the supporting cast at the top of the Vegas depth chart is respectable.
WING
Nikita Kucherov, TB vs. FLA ($7,200): This salary isn't prohibitive enough to ignore Kucherov. He's emerged as an elite scorer and is coming off a monster fantasy campaign with 3.5 points per 60 minutes with 45 goals and 40 assists. Kucherov is expected to skate with Steven Stamkos in all situations, which is a tremendous boon for the fantasy floors and ceilings of both scorers.
Alexander Radulov, DAL vs. VGK ($5,800): Montreal's offensive woes capped Radulov's offensive upside last season, but he still recorded a respectable 2.3 points per 60 minutes. In particular, his 1.1 primary assists per 60 minutes highlights his ability to generate offense. Playing with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn has Radulov in line for a monster season, and the Russian's salary won't be in his price range long.
Vladislav Namestnikov, TB vs. FLA ($4,900): A strong stacking option with Nikita Kucherov, Namestnikov projects to play with Kucherov and Steven Stamkos in all situations and helps mitigate the cap hits of his two linemates. Namestnikov took a slight step backward offensively last season, but he's currently in a position to succeed and has flashed chemistry with both his linemates in the past.
DEFENSE
Victor Hedman, TB vs. FLA ($5,800): Following a breakout offensive season, look for Hedman to pick up where he left off. He posted a high-end 2.2 points per 60 minutes while also registering 166 shots and 136 blocked shots. Hedman offers a high-floor, high-ceiling combo as the top offensive defensemen for the Lightning, and his salary doesn't matchup his upside.
John Klingberg, DAL vs. VGK ($5,200): With Klingberg's affordable salary, he's easy to slot into a Dallas stack alongside the Stars' high-scoring forwards. Klingberg has averaged an impressive 0.67 points per game while also posting over a shot and blocked shot per contest since entering the league. Dallas projects to have a strong showing against the expansion Golden Knights, and Klingberg's go-to role shouldn't be overlooked.
