This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
The Panthers and Maple Leafs should be the featured matchup between two offensively gifted teams with shaky goaltending. This matchup tilts heavily in the Leafs' favour if Aleksander Barkov does not play.
The Rangers and their 10th-ranked offense by GF/GP face a tough test against one of the league's stingiest team in the Stars. The Rangers have won two straight, but both games were against the Red Wings.
The Red Wings have lost eight in a row and it's not even their longest losing streak of the season. That's how bad their season has been. The Flyers, meanwhile, have won three of their past four and like clockwork Alain Vigneault's first season with a new team is reaping immediate dividends.
GOALIES
Ben Bishop ($8,600) will be a popular pick, but keep in mind the Rangers' offense is quite underrated and the Stars' offense doesn't usually provide good goal support. Artemi Panarin has nearly double the points of the Stars' top scorer, Tyler Seguin. Both Igor Shesterkin ($7,900) and Henrik Lundqvist ($7,600), who is coming off a 1-0 shutout win, can steal the game.
Frederik Andersen ($8,400) has had two straight starts and gets a lot of goal support. Sergei Bobrovsky ($8,200) showed well for two games and then had three subpar games, continuing his roller-coaster season. His play is currently trending down, and stealing a game in Toronto, where the Leafs have lost just six times in regulation, will prove difficult. The Panthers and Leafs are both top 10 in giveaways per 60 minutes.
That leaves Brian Elliott ($8,000), who could be a good value play against the Red Wings. Elliott has played well in Carter Hart's absence, winning three of his past four games, including wins against the Penguins and Blues.
VALUE PLAYS
After Barkov left the game against the Habs, Noel Acciari ($4,100) got first crack on the top line before Joel Quenneville went with Vincent Trocheck ($5,600) instead. Neither did anything in a 4-0 loss, but Acciari, who has 18 goals this season, could be a good value play in Barkov's absence. Trocheck hasn't been nearly as good he was last season and remains an underachieving second-line center.
Robby Fabbri ($4,200) scored two points in back-to-back games against the Rangers and has fit in well in Detroit's top six. He's not a high-volume shooter but he's been pretty efficient his entire career with a 13.2 S%, and the Flyers goaltending is not stellar by any means. He also gets playing time on the power play, which gives him some added value.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Detroit Red Wings (Total: $16,200)
C – Dylan Larkin ($6,800)
W – Tyler Bertuzzi ($4,800)
W – Andreas Athanasiou ($4,600)
Athanasiou skated on the top line at practice, which means Jeff Blashill is loading up on the top line. Athanasiou and Larkin are two of the team's fastest players. Scoring against the Flyers should not be particularly challenging.
Philadelphia Flyers (Total: $16,700)
C – Sean Couturier ($6,600)
W – Joel Farabee ($3,500)
W – Jakub Voracek ($6,600)
The trio looked excellent in a 6-3 win against the Avs. Couturier had three assists, Farabee is getting into a groove again and Voracek has a point in three straight games.
Toronto Maple Leafs (Total: $19,700)
C – Auston Matthews ($8,600)
W – Mitch Marner ($7,700)
W – Zach Hyman ($5,400)
It's a tad expensive but well worth it, especially if Barkov is out.
DEFENSEMEN
Tyson Barrie ($5,400) has excelled under Sheldon Keefe and recently had his four-game point streak snapped against Ottawa. The Panthers porous defense and their tendency to turnover the puck makes a transition defenseman like Barrie particularly dangerous. Anthony DeAngelo ($4,900) is in the same boat and the Stars are the fourth-most giveaway-prone team in the league.
Jacob Trouba ($5,300) and Aaron Ekblad ($5,000) are safe choices if you're looking for a steady return for relatively less risk. Esa Lindell ($4,100) also falls in this category, as does Miro Heiskanen ($4,400).
Rasmus Sandin ($3,700) has drawn rave reviews since his call-up and now has three points in three games. His ice time remains limited but the offensive upside is evident. He's a strong value play against a team on a road trip that hasn't been good defensively all season.
