This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
It's Super Bowl Sunday, so it's an early start for the five-game slate starting with Flyers at Capitals at 12:00 p.m. EST. One of the biggest storylines this year has been the Panthers and they have a decent chance to extend their unbeaten-in-regulation streak to nine games against the Red Wings at 3:00 p.m.
Hurricanes at Blue Jackets – which should be an interesting game featuring plenty of Finnish talent – Blackhawks at Stars and Kings at Golden Knights comprise the remaining games at 3:00 p.m. The Panthers (-260) and the Knights (-275) come in as the biggest favorites and rightfully so as they're facing the league's 30th and 29th-ranked teams.
(All fancy stats courtesy Natural Stat Trick.)
GOALIES
Robin Lehner, VGK vs. LA ($8,700): Vegas didn't look rusty at all after their 10-day break and quickly showed why they should be one of the most feared teams. The upset potential is minimal and the Golden Knights should once again cruise.
James Reimer, CAR at CBJ ($8,300): I'm still not convinced the Jackets can score goals consistently even with Patrik Laine, and the Hurricanes usually provide enough goal support for Reimer to win. Three of the five goals he allowed in his last start came on the power play and the Jackets draw penalties at the fifth-lowest rate at 3.20 penalties per 60 minutes.
Carter Hart, PHI at WSH ($7,800): Both teams' goalies are available at this salary, indicating a toss-up. I lean slightly towards the Flyers because the Caps still carry injuries to key players while Hart is clearly the superior goalie and has gone 1-1-1 with a .926 Sv% and 2.29 GAA all-time against them.
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA vs. DET ($7,500): This represents an even better play should Chris Driedger get the start, but the Panthers should have no problems against the Wings. Either goalie should be a solid choice against arguably the league's worst team.
Kevin Lankinen, CHI at DAL ($7,200): I like the upset potential because the Stars are expected to start Jake Oettinger. Lankinen has been very good for the Blackhawks, who have suddenly found their offense in their past three games with 12 goals. The Stars have lost three of their last four and it looks like some of their power-play magic has disappeared, exposing them as a rather average team 5-on-5.
VALUE PLAYS
Jack Roslovic, CBJ vs. CAR ($3,700): This is Roslovic's big chance: first-line duty with Patrik Laine and Cam Atkinson. I like the value proposition but note that in nearly 300 minutes of 5v5 together from 2017-2020, Roslovic and Laine produced 46.94 CF% and 46.76 xGF%. In other words, they weren't that great a pair.
Philipp Kurashev, CHI at DAL ($3,700): Kurashev is centering the top line with Patrick Kane on his wing, but we should be wary of how lasts as he only played 6:56 last game and lost his spot to Pius Suter ($3,800). Kurashev is a nice value play only if he can stay on the lead group.
Filip Zadina, DET at FLA ($3,400): Zadina's one of the few Red Wings who's capable of generating offense on his own. Despite Florida's early success, they've also come very close to losing a few times - especially when Bobrovsky's in net. Zadina produced an assist and three shots in his last game, his first since his COVID-related absence.
Cody Glass, VGK vs. LA ($3,300): Vegas's prized prospect has scored a goal in two straight games, and offers substantial offensive upside even though he's stuck behind William Karlsson and Chandler Stephenson. The big bonus? PP1 duty with Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone and Shea Theodore.
Eetu Luostarinen, FLA vs. DET ($3,200): Luostarinen is currently centering the third line, which has getting its fair share of minutes lately. He's averaging 16 minutes over his past five games after averaging 13 in his first three. Luostarinen isn't known for his offense, but he's also only been held without a shot on goal just twice this season.
LINE STACKS
Golden Knights vs. Kings
Chandler Stephenson (C – $3,600), Max Pacioretty (W - $8,100), Mark Stone (W - $7,700)
I leave Stephenson in here just out of respect, but the fact is Pacioretty and Stone really do most of the heavy lifting with the puck. Even though they've spent much of the season playing with each other, Stone and Pacioretty have combined for 23 points yet Stephenson only has three.
Panthers vs. Red Wings
Aleksander Barkov (C – $7,400), Carter Verhaeghe (W - $4,500), Anthony Duclair (W - $4,800)
Everyone was ready to hop off the Verhaeghe bandwagon when he scored one goal in three games, but made everyone do a double-take with two points in 19 minutes against Nashville. In fact, it might be Duclair who should be omitted if we had to pick two of the three. The Wings have allowed 3.58 GA/GP, fifth-worst in the league.
DEFENSEMEN
Shea Theodore, VGK vs. LA ($6,400): Theodore will be a very popular pick and will offer as much upside as the players with a higher salary because of his favorable matchup against the Kings.
Keith Yandle, FLA vs. DET ($4,400): Yandle is a power-play specialist facing a team that has taken the 12th-most penalties in the league and rank 29th on the penalty kill.
Nicolas Hague, VGK vs. LA ($3,600): Alex Pietrangelo is expected to be absent again, which means Hague could be in line for a lot of minutes. He played 20 minutes last game while scoring a goal and two assists and blocking four shots.
