This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Thursday's daily fantasy hockey slate spans two rounds. Game 7 between the Predators and Jets is Thursday, but on Friday, Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Capitals and Lightning gets underway. Here are some recommendations…
GOALIE
Braden Holtby, WAS at TAM ($8,300): Holtby may have struggled during the regular season, but he's put that all behind him in the playoffs. Through 11 appearances he has a 2.04 GAA and .926 save percentage. Additionally, though he is on the road, two of his three losses have been at home, and one of them was a game where he appeared in relief of Philipp Grubauer.
CENTER
Evgeny Kuznetsov, WAS at TAM ($6,800): Kuznetsov heads into this series on a three-game point streak, and overall he has 14 points in 12 playoff games. If you go back to the regular season, his numbers are even better, as he has 33 points in his last 23 contests. Though the Lightning have been fine in the playoffs, they did have a 3.36 GAA after the All-Star break.
Paul Stastny, WPG at NAS ($5,600): Stastny didn't have a point in his last game, but that broke a six-game point streak. Overall, he has 11 points in 11 playoff contests. Though Pekka Rinne is coming off a shutout, he has a 2.94 GAA and .907 save percentage in the postseason.
WING
Viktor Arvidsson, NAS vs. WPG ($6,300): Arvidsson came up big in Game 6, scoring two goals and adding an assist. He has six points in this series, although to be fair they all came across only two games. Still, he has 40 shots on net in 12 playoff contests, so he's been active. The Jets, meanwhile, allowed 34.3 shots on goal per game on the road this year.
Tyler Johnson, TAM vs. WAS ($5,100): The glory days of the Triplets may be a thing of the past, but Johnson did score 21 goals on 186 shots this year. He also tallied 13 points with the extra man. In the playoffs, the American has 30 shots on net in 10 games. Though Braden Holtby has been impressive in the postseason, the Capitals had a 3.29 GAA on the road during the regular season.
Kyle Connor, WPG at NAS ($4,800): Yes, Connor has disappeared at times during the playoffs, but he averaged 12.3 fantasy points per game this year. He only has two goals in the postseason, but they both came against the Predators, and he had 31 goals in 76 games this season. His struggles have dropped his price considerably, so if he finds his old form he would be a steal.
DEFENSEMEN
Victor Hedman, TAM vs. WAS ($5,900): After being held without a point by the Devils, Hedman had a point in every game against the Bruins. None of them were goals, but the Swede had 17 goals during the regular season. As noted, the Capitals had a 3.29 GAA in away games, and even if Braden Holtby is playing well Hedman is good enough to be effectively matchup proof.
P.K. Subban, NAS vs. WPG ($5,800): Subban had 59 points during the regular season, including 25 on the power play. He averaged 3:05 per game with the extra man, and his power-play success has continued in the playoffs. Subban has five points in this series, and four of them have come on the power play. He's also blocked 13 shots against the Jets, giving him a little extra fantasy value.
