This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
In the wake of St. Patrick's Day, the NHL is delivering us a slate of 10 games. The first pucks are dropping at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Here's a deeper dive into what's going onto try and give your DFS lineups a boost.
SLATE PREVIEW
Winnipeg and Edmonton are playing each other and both are on the second leg of a back-to-back. Oddly, they didn't play against one another Wednesday. The Oilers are at home, but they were on the road last night so both teams have had to travel a bit. Also finishing off a back-to-back Thursday are the Flyers, and I am definitely fascinated to see how they respond to having lost to the Rangers by a score of 9-0 on Wednesday. The Sabres are in action against the Bruins, and they are absolutely reeling and just fired head coach Ralph Krueger.
GOALIES
Jaroslav Halak, BOS at BUF ($8,400): Might as well start with those Sabres. They are averaging a mere 2.07 goals per game, and Jack Eichel isn't even playing right now. With Tuukka Rask still a bit banged up, Halak is in line for another start, and also a likely win. Halak has a 2.15 GAA, and this matchup is not likely to be terribly challenging.
Tristan Jarry, PIT at NJD ($8,000): Taylor Hall left the Devils for the Sabres (with a detour to the desert), but the Devils are the ones who are doing better offensively this year. Of course, that's damning with faint praise, as Jersey has managed a mere 2.50 goals per game themselves. You may see Jarry's overall numbers (2.89 GAA, .906 save percentage) and wonder if he's worth the salary. However, over his last 12 games he has a 2.33 GAA and .928 save percentage.
Semyon Varlamov, NYI vs. PHI ($7,900): Being able to get a goalie with a 2.08 GAA and .926 save percentage at this salary is quite a surprise. Sure, the Flyers have scored 3.22 goals per game, but on only 28.0 shots on net per contest. That's a lot of puck luck to be scoring like that. The Islanders only allow 27.3 shots on goal per game, so the Flyers may have trouble pestering Varlamov. Don't forget, they are on a back-to-back.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE OFFS
Patrice Bergeron, BOS at BUF ($7,900): The Bruins are basically a one-line team, and trying to stack the terrific trio of Bergeron, David Pastrnak, and Brad Marchand would basically take up your entire salary cap. As such, I would eschew the stack, but you definitely want one of these guys. Buffalo does have a 3.39 GAA, after all, and lack the services of its best goalie Linus Ullmark right now. Bergeron has 25 points in 27 games, even though he's been held without a point on the power play for a while. He's averaged 3:19 with the extra man and had 20 power-play points last year, so I trust him to turn that around.
Patric Hornqvist, FLA vs. NAS ($6,300): Hornqvist has been loading up on the power-play time down in Florida. He's averaged 3:47 per game with the extra man and tallied nine of his 23 points in those situations. The Swede's old team in Nashville is the perfect matchup for a power-play aficionado such as Hornqvist, as the Predators have the worst penalty kill in the league.
Conor Garland, ARI at ANA ($5,900): Arizona's offense has been pretty punchless, and even Garland has fallen victim to that recently. The winger has been held without a point in his last five games. That being said, he has 22 points in 28 games, and he's started 65.2 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, which is second highest on the Coyotes. Fortunately for Garland, the Ducks have been maybe the worst defensive team in the NHL for the last month. John Gibson was playing terribly before he got banged up, and Ryan Miller is showing his age with a 3.66 GAA and .878 save percentage.
Anthony Beauvillier, NYI vs. PHI ($3,900): Anders Lee is out for the rest of the season unfortunately, which means a player like Beauvillier will likely be given the opportunity to step up. He tallied 18 goals in 68 games last season, but this year he's struggled with a 4.1 shooting percentage. Eventually, his shooting luck will need to turn around. After that 9-0 debacle, the Flyers now have the third-highest GAA in the league, and both goalies had to play last night. There's no rest in the city that never sleeps for Philly.
STACKS
Stars at Red Wings
Alexander Radulov (W - $6,700), Joe Pavelski (C - $6,600), Jamie Benn (W - $5,400)
Radulov is back from an extended absence, and he's wasted no time getting into the action with the Stars. He's put five shots on net in both of the two games he's played in and logged one goal. Pavelski is basically playing the role of Tyler Seguin here, and he's more than up to the task. The 36-year-old has a whopping 27 points in 25 games, including 14 goals. Sure, his 23.0 shooting percentage seems like a candidate to regress, but the Wings have a 3.30 GAA and the 30th-ranked penalty kill. Maybe being on this line can help Benn show some of that old level of play we remember.
Hurricanes vs. Blue Jackets
Sebastian Aho (C - $7,000), Nino Niederreiter (W - $5,500), Martin Necas (W - $5,100)
These three make up Carolina's top line, and both Aho and Necas are on the first power-play unit (with Niederreiter having a spot on the second). The Canes are playing host to the Jackets, and they will be facing Joonas Korpisalo in net, who has a 3.03 GAA and .899 save percentage. At this rate, he will have a sub-.900 save percentage for the third season in his career. Aho is the star here, obviously, and he has nine points in his last eight games. Niederreiter, meanwhile, has potted a goal in each of his last two games to move his season mark up to 13, while the promising younger Necas has 20 points in 25 games.
DEFENSE
Charlie McAvoy, BOS at BUF ($5,900): Much like how I have an issue trusting anybody beyond Boston's top line, I have the same reticence about any defenseman other than McAvoy. He logs a ton of minutes, playing 24:04 per game, including 2:04 with the extra man. The 23-year-old has 17 points even though he's been on a bit of a cold streak. Maybe the Sabres can help him there, as Carter Hutton has a 3.43 GAA and .884 save percentage, and his numbers are better than his backup Jonas Johansson.
Miro Heiskanen, DAL at DET ($5,500): It feels like a lot of people expected Heiskanen to make a huge leap this season, and instead he's made maybe a small step forward. That gives a perception he's been disappointing, but he's revved up his minutes to 24:37 per game and his six power-play points are only two off his career high already. The Finn has also been really engaged the last couple games, tallying 11 shots on goal and notching two points, both of which came against the mighty Lightning. Facing the Red Wings is a less-daunting task, to be sure.
Keith Yandle, FLA vs. NAS ($4,500): As I noted, Nashville has the worst penalty kill in the league. The Preds have killed a mere 68 percent of their penalties. Yandle and the power play are synonymous. He's averaged 3:57 per game with the extra man and notched 13 power-play points in 28 games.
