This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
This is the most robust weekend of NHL action I can recall. What a good time for it, given how hyped the 4 Nations Face-Off seemed to make people. Hopefully, hockey is getting some new fans, which will in turn lead to more NHL DFS players. Saturday featured almost every NHL team in action, and Sunday sees 20 teams in action. However, "only" 16 are playing for the DFS docket starting at 6:00 p.m. ET. Here are my lineup recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Given that so many teams played Saturday, needless to say, there are a lot of back-to-backs happening Sunday. Only four teams aren't in such a situation, and two of them are playing one another. Those would be the Sharks and the Flames. Tampa Bay gets to host Seattle, and the Islanders get to host the Stars. However, the Stars did save Jake Oettinger for this one.
GOALIES
Alex Lyon, DET vs. ANA ($8,200): This is a matchup between two teams on the second leg of a back-to-back, but the Red Wings get to be at home for both. Also, the Wings played at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, so they get a bit of extra rest. Oh, and the Ducks are last in goals per game, so that bodes well for Lyon.
Karel Vejmelka, UTA vs. VAN ($8,000): Vejmelka was over his illness enough to serve as Connor Ingram's backup Saturday, which means he's in line for the home start Sunday. Though the Czech netminder has fallen off some, he still has a 2.57 GAA and a .909 save percentage. The Canucks had to play in Vegas late Saturday night and they rank 31st in shots on net per game.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Bo Horvat, NYI vs. DAL ($5,900): I don't want to stack against Oettinger and a top-five penalty kill, but I will take a rested Horvat against a Stars team that played Saturday. Since the start of the new year, Horvat has tallied nine goals on 54 shots on net through 17 games. Also, only five of his 40 points on the season have come with the extra man.
Nick Paul, TAM vs. SEA ($5,100): Paul has waited a while to try and build upon the fact he scored a goal in each of Tampa's last two games. He has 16 goals on the campaign to go with 14 assists. Seattle played Saturday, and there's a chance Joey Daccord may have to make two starts in a row. Otherwise, 28-year-old Ales Stezka will be making his NHL appearance.
FORWARD LINE STACKS TO CONSIDER
Flames vs. Sharks
Nazem Kadri (C - $7,000), Jonathan Huberdeau (W - $5,900), Matthew Coronato (W - $5,400)
The Sharks have allowed 32.1 shots on net per contest – bottom-three in the NHL. More to the point, they have a 3.72 GAA, still comfortably the highest in the NHL even after the Penguins got routed by the Capitals on Saturday. Calgary's top line was playing well before the break. This matchup should be beneficial for staying hot now that they are getting back on the ice.
Kadri was on a five-game point streak before the NHL took a breather. He also put at least three shots on net in each of those contests, and he's put 183 shots on target through 55 outings. Huberdeau is on a four-game point streak himself, and he's found a bit of his old scoring touch from his Florida days. The 31-year-old has hit the 20-goal mark for the first time as a Flame. Coronato has soared in the new year. He has 11 points in his last 16 games. Coronato also has put 41 shots on net through that time. His 12.2 shooting percentage is entirely sustainable.
Red Wings vs. Ducks
Michael Rasmussen (C - $3,700), Alex DeBrincat (W - $6,100), Vladimir Tarasenko (W - $4,700)
As I noted earlier, the Red Wings both get to be at home for both games of a back-to-back and get a few extra hours of rest. The Ducks are in the bottom eight in shots on net allowed per contest and penalty-kill percentage. They have only stayed afloat defensively due to both John Gibson and Lukas Dostal outplaying expectations. Being on the road for the second night of a back-to-back won't be beneficial on that front, especially with a tired defense in front of the goal.
Rasmussen hasn't always been in this spot in the lineup, and he only has 15 points on the season, but he's been active recently. That includes putting seven shots on net against the Wild on Saturday. It's also to Rasmussen's benefit he is skating next to an in-form DeBrincat. He's now on a five-game point streak with three of those games featuring multiple points. Tarasenko has been playing better recently as well. He had an assist against the Wild, and he's put at least three shots on net in five of his last eight games.
DEFENSEMEN
Victor Hedman, TAM vs. SEA ($6,300): Hedman got a bit of an extra break since Sweden went out before the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game and Tampa didn't play Saturday. That's a plus, given his 34-year-old legs. The future Hall of Famer has 44 points through 53 games, including 18 with the extra man. Seattle has a below-average penalty kill and is on the second day of a back-to-back.
Morgan Rielly, TOR at CHI ($5,800): Rielly had a point in the four games before the break and also put multiple shots on net in all four of those outings. Though both of these teams are playing their second game in as many days, the Blackhawks are the team in the bottom five in GAA and shots on net allowed per game. Also, Arvid Soderblom will be in net. He started the season unexpectedly well, but he has a 3.57 GAA and .900 save percentage in his last eight outings.
