This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Sunday's NHL main slate features four games and begins at the unusual time of 5:00 PM Eastern time. Below, you'll find an overview of the matchups and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
Despite the lack of selection, there are plenty of fantasy-friendly situations to choose from. The Lightning will be overwhelming favorites in New Jersey as both teams finish off back-to-back sets, and a Sabres team that's playing its second game in as many nights will still be favored in Detroit. Meanwhile, the battle of top-five offenses between Toronto and Florida figures to feature plenty of offense, while Pittsburgh-Arizona should be a more defensive-minded affair.
GOALIES
Adin Hill ($7,400) has proven he can hold the fort behind Arizona's stout defensive system with a .925 save percentage in five appearances. The affordable netminder figures to get the nod at home against Pittsburgh after Antti Raanta appeared to re-aggravate a lower-body injury Friday and exited after two periods.
After a much-needed day off Saturday, Linus Ullmark ($7,200) is primed for a strong performance against a league-worst Detroit offense that's scoring just 2.18 goals per game. Ullmark has grabbed the reins as Buffalo's No. 1 netminder with a 13-12-3 record, 2.87 GAA and .910 save percentage.
Curtis McElhinney ($7,700) should get the nod in Tampa Bay's net after Andrei Vasilevskiy started Saturday. The Lightning's backup will be heavily favored to pull out the win over a Devils team that ranks among the five worst both offensively and defensively.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Noel Acciari ($4,300) is on an amazing goal-scoring run that's seen him pot 12 in his last 12 games. The red-hot Panthers winger is worth riding while he's hot, especially against the subpar Toronto defense.
Dominik Kahun ($4,300) is making the most of his spot on the top line with Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust for the injury-riddled Penguins. Kahun has five points in his last two games, making him a nice value play against Hill and the Coyotes.
Phil Kessel ($6,900) hasn't lived up to expectations in his first year with Arizona, but he'll be extra motivated to deliver for his new club in this revenge game against the Penguins team that traded him this past offseason. The veteran winger currently owns a 9-18-27 line after scoring 174 points over his last two seasons with the Penguins.
If you want to go against the grain and lock in some Red Wings with the team having won two in a row, Robby Fabbri ($3,800) stands out as a low-risk, high-reward play against the Sabres. Fabbri has quietly put up a 10-10-20 line in 28 games with the Red Wings after coming over from St. Louis early in the season.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Maple Leafs at Panthers
Auston Matthews (C - $8,800), Mitch Marner (W - $8,100), Zach Hyman (W - $4,700)
Few things terrify goaltenders more than a locked-in Auston Matthews, and Matthews has been at the top of his game for the better part of a month, with 12 goals and 20 points in his last 11 games. He sports a 31-23-54 line through 45 games. Marner's hot streak dates back a little further, as his 7-17-24 line over the past 15 games has him up to 11-31-42 in 34 games overall. Hyman has dealt with injuries as well but owns a solid 10-6-16 line in 26 appearances. With a mysterious affliction forcing starting Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky out of Saturday's practice early, a Florida team that's surrendering 3.30 goals per game could be even more vulnerable than usual.
Sabres at Red Wings
Jack Eichel (C - $8,500), Sam Reinhart (W - $5,200), Jimmy Vesey (W - $3,600)
Eichel will look to build on his outstanding 27-31-58 line through 48 games, and Detroit's league-worst defense (3.76 goals allowed per game) is unlikely to stop him. Reinhart ranks second on the team with 36 points, 15 of which are goals. Vesey has struggled in his first year with Buffalo but is worth locking in at his affordable valuation given his favorable deployment and matchup here.
Lightning at Devils
Anthony Cirelli (C - $4,700), Alex Killorn (W - $5,500), Tyler Johnson (W - $4,000)
Tampa Bay comes into this one riding a 10-game winning streak, and the team's affordable second line should provide strong value against the lowly Devils, making these guys nice consolation prizes if you can't afford to lock in the expensive top line. Cirelli has a 9-18-27 line in 43 games, Killorn's tracking toward a career season with an 18-19-37 line through 42, and Johnson's at a respectable 10-10-20 in 39 appearances despite spending much of the season buried in a bottom-six role.
DEFENSEMEN
Victor Hedman ($6,000) should be worth paying up for against the Devils. The standout Lightning defenseman won the Norris Trophy as the league's top blueliner in 2018, and he's hanging around the outskirts of the Norris conversation this season thanks to a 9-31-40 line in 42 games.
Rasmus Dahlin ($4,900) is a steal against the lowly Red Wings. The first overall pick from the 2018 draft has 25 points through 37 games, ranking fourth on the Sabres in points despite missing eight games.
Keith Yandle ($5,200) is primed for success against a Maple Leafs penalty kill that has been the seventh-worst in the league at 76.2 percent. The veteran Panthers defenseman has scored 34 points in 44 games, with 18 of those points coming on the power play. Dating back to the start of last season, Yandle has 96 total points and 57 with the extra man.
