This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
We may see the first series of this year's NHL playoffs end Sunday. The Bruins and the Avalanche have the Capitals and the Blues, respectively, on the ropes. From what I have seen of those series, I would not be surprised to see either of them end. I especially would recommend hockey fans in Denver to have their brooms handy. The first game of the day starts at 2:30 p.m. ET. Here are some DFS recommendations for what might be the first day we see eliminations this summer.
GOALIES
Philipp Grubauer, COL at STL ($8,300): As I said, I fully expect a sweep to take place in this series. Ergo, I strongly believe Grubauer is going to pick up another win. Winning and the German goalie have gone hand-in-hand recently, as since returning from an extended absence he is 8-1-0 in nine starts with an 1.67 GAA and .938 save percentage. He's playing great hockey, and he has the team that allowed the fewest shots on net per game in front of him as well.
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG vs. EDM ($7,500): I did not expect this start to the series. Hellebuyck played the hero for the Jets in the first two games, allowing all of one goal on 71 shots. Now Winnipeg heads home up two games to none. The Oilers' offense was quite good this season, but Hellebuyck had a .916 save percentage himself. That's after he had a .922 save percentage last year when he won the Vezina. This is a bit of a risk because you never know when Connor McDavid might explode onto the scene, but with Alex Nedeljkovic's performance in Game 3 against the Predators if I am going with anybody other than Grubauer on Sunday it's Hellebuyck.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Kyle Connor, WPG vs. EDM ($6,100): While Connor's four-game point streak ended in Game 2, he still put seven shots on net. That's not surprising, given that the 24-year-old put 166 shots on net in 56 games this year. The Oilers, meanwhile, allowed 30.7 shots on goal per game, just outside the bottom 10. Mike Smith had a truly surprising season at 39, and he hasn't been the issue for Edmonton. However, if Connor keeps getting so many shot attempts it could easily bear fantasy fruit.
Jordan Staal, CAR at NAS ($7,000): I feel like Staal kind of quietly had 16 goals in 53 games this year. What really stands out to me is that he averaged 2:40 per game with the extra man and notched 14 power-play points. Nashville really had issues with killing penalties, as it ranked 29th in that regard. While Staal doesn't have a power-play point yet in this series, he does have three goals already.
LINE STACKS TO CONSIDER
Bruins at Capitals: David Krejci (C - $4,500), Taylor Hall (W - $5,000), Craig Smith (W - $4,000)
I've gone to the well of Boston's second line before, and I apologize for nothing. In terms of combining salary and matchup, there isn't another line in hockey that I would prefer right now, certainly not one playing Sunday. The Capitals came into the playoffs with clearly the worst goaltending situation of any postseason participant, and that has proven out. Right now, Washington is going with Ilya Samsonov, who had a .902 save percentage this season. Krejci hasn't been as hot as he was at the end of the regular season when he had 21 points over his final 16 games, but he does have two points in four playoff contests. Hall, meanwhile, has stayed just as hot as he was after being saved from the Sabres by the Bruins. He has a three-game point streak and has notched 11 shots on net against Washington. Smith may not have the same name recognition, but he's registered 45 shots on goal over his last 15 games. He also has three points in this series and has tallied at least three shots on net in each of his last three outings.
Avalanche at Blues: Nathan MacKinnon (C - $8,800), Mikko Rantanen (W - $7,900), Gabriel Landeskog (W - $6,400)
Ever heard of these guys? If you go this route, it is not without complications. The salaries these three command will leave you with limited space elsewhere. In this case, though, I believe it will be worth it. For starters, Colorado is pretty top heavy, especially with Nazem Kadri suspended for eight games. I am not completely certain in this moment if Tyson Jost or J.T. Compher will be centering the second line, but either way I am not overly enthusiastic. Meanwhile, the Blues had the 25th-ranked penalty kill. Jordan Binnington had a .910 save percentage during the regular season and has allowed at least three goals in all three games of this series.
As for the Avalanche's elite first line, MacKinnon had 65 points in 48 games, including 25 with the extra man. He's averaged over four minutes per game on the power play in each of his last three seasons. Colorado likes to use him there, it would seem. Rantanen has 10 assists over his last five games, and playmaking isn't even his calling card! Let's not forget he had 30 goals in 52 contests as well. Landeskog has a five-game point streak, and he actually averaged 4:09 per game on the power play, the most of these three players. That helped him tally 15 power-play points.
DEFENSE
Matt Grzelcyk, BOS at WAS ($4,800): Since I offered up the Avalanche's pricey top line in my stacks, I wanted to look a little deeper on defense. I'm starting with Grzelcyk, who had 20 points this season in only 37 games. He also put 80 shots on goal, which on a per-game basis makes his the most-prolific shooter on Boston's blue line. The defenseman was able to get into a groove before the playoffs (five points in his last six contests) and has added three more points in the playoffs.
Ryan Graves, COL at STL ($4,400): I'm not overreacting to the fact Graves had three points in Game 3. While he is used more on the defensive end of things (he started 47.9 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone) he still managed 101 shots on goal in 54 games. The 26-year-old also had nine goals and 26 points last season. Don't forget, a defenseman can add DFS value on the other end of the ice as well, and Graves blocked 91 shots this year.
Jake Bean, CAR at NAS ($3,400): Why Bean? Simply put, power-play opportunity. Dougie Hamilton gets most of the man-advantage minutes, but Bean has averaged 1:50 with the extra man in this series. He's pretty much the only other defenseman who plays on the power play right now. Since the Predators had the 29th-ranked penalty kill, I feel like Bean is worth a roll of the dice.
