This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
The Friday night slate was short and sweet, but Saturday provides us with 12 games starting at 7pm Eastern. When building your lineups, consider some of these value options to fit in with the high-priced studs such as Steven Stamkos, Tyler Seguin, and David Pastrnak.
Goalie
Steve Mason, WPG vs MTL ($7,300): Mason has had a rough start to his Jets' career, and his salary is indicative of that. However, the Canadiens continue to look completely lost on both ends of the ice. On offense, they are averaging just 2.54 goals per game (fourth-lowest in the league) and just 2.38 goals per game on the road. Mason's salary helps you pay up around a guy that has a good chance to win tonight against a team likely starting their backup goalie in Al Montoya. If Mason is not between the pipes, I really like Connor Hellebuyck at $8,200, as he's won each of his last three games allowing just four goals over that span.
Center
Vincent Trocheck, FLA vs NYR ($5,800): You'll be hard pressed to find a skater as hot as Trocheck is right now at such a nice value in such a great matchup. Over the last six games, the Panthers' second-line center has three goals, six assists, and 12 shots on goal. The Rangers have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing centers with 17 goals and 26 assists. Trocheck also receives a boost skating on the top power-play unit.
Jordan Staal, CAR at ARI ($5,000): The Hurricanes' captain hasn't been on fire thus far, but finds himself in a very good matchup at an affordable salary. The Coyotes have allowed the most fantasy points to centers with 21 goals and 27 assists against. Staal skates on a very talented top line with Elias Lindholm and Sebastian Aho and also sees power-play time. Expect him to produce against a Coyotes team allowing a league-worst 4.36 goals against per game.
Wing
Evgeny Dadonov, FLA vs NYR ($5,500): Dadonov has seen his salary rise from $3,900 to $5,500 and his production has warranted the increase. He's still a great value play with six goals and eight assists, including four markers and three helpers in his last four contests. He's skating alongside Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau on one of the league's most productive lines and also joins them on the top power play.
Elias Lindholm, CAR at ARI ($4,300): Lindholm, whom I mentioned when discussing Staal, has points in back-to-back outings and finds himself incredibly underpriced in a nice matchup. He makes for a nice mini-stack with Staal in a combination that holds great upside without hurting your salary cap.
Vladimir Sobotka, STL vs TOR ($4,200): While most will look to the other Vladimir on the Blues – Vladimir Tarasenko – consider Sobotka as a value option in a favorable spot against the Maple Leafs and their questionable defense. The Blues are averaging 3.67 goals per game at home and Sobotka finds himself in a good spot on the second line with Paul Stastny and Alexander Steen, and should continue his solid play after scoring goals in two of his last three contests.
Defense
Justin Faulk, CAR at ARI ($4,900): There is certainly a trend of Hurricanes in this column, but they boast several value options against a terrible Coyotes defense which has allowed plenty of production to opposing blueliners. It's been a slow start for Faulk, who only scored his first goal of the season on Monday, but he's getting shots to the net (3.55 per night) and is seeing a good amount of minutes (over 23 per game).
Ivan Provorov, PHI vs COL ($4,500): Provorov has been a beast and continues to be criminally underpriced in favorable spots. The Russian has tallied three points – all assists – nine shots on goal, and 14 blocked shots in his last three games. Considering he's skated at least 27 minutes in each of his last four contests, Provorov has an extremely high floor at such a bargain salary.
