This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Sunday is the day to really start getting into the NHL season. Am I saying that because I'm a Detroit Tigers fan? Maybe! After a busy Saturday on the ice, there's only three games on the Sunday docket and the first one starts at 8 p.m. EDT. Here are my lineup recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Dallas-Seattle and Edmonton-Calgary are both battles between teams on the second leg of a back-to-back. Vegas and Winnipeg are rested, while Anaheim and Minnesota are not.
GOALIE
Ilya Samsonov, VGK vs. ANA ($8,300): Samsonov is a pretty easy call for me in net. I don't want any of the netminders in the two games between teams that both played on Saturday. Jake Oettinger would've been a solid pick had he been held for Sunday, but that didn't happen. Connor Hellebuyck is a better goalie than Samsonov, though the latter has the best matchup at home facing a team that averaged 2.48 goals and 26.8 shots playing for the second straight night.
VALUE PLAYS
Ivan Barbashev, VGK vs. ANA ($6,200): Mark Stone and Jack Eichel aren't two players you want to bet on staying healthy. But for now, both are with Barbashev sharing a line with them. That has certainly helped the winger tally a whopping six points through only two games. And the 60.0 shooting percentage has also helped. With John Gibson hurt, the Ducks picked James Reimer up off waivers. He's a veteran who apparently people like well enough to keep giving him chances, though he posted a 3.35 GAA and .895 save percentage the previous two seasons.
STACK TO CONSIDER
Stars vs. Kraken
Wyatt Johnston (C - $7,700), Jamie Benn (W - $6,100), Evgenii Dadonov (W - $3,900)
Both teams are on the second day of a back-to-back, but the Stars are at home for both while the Kraken were dealt two consecutive road outings. Seattle opted for Joey Daccord on Saturday, leaving Philipp Grubauer for this one. Remember when he was good for the Avalanche? Maybe he misses the mountains as he's recorded an .893 save percentage since joining the Kraken. While this is Dallas's third line, it isn't your typical one as both Johnston and Benn participate on the top power-play unit. Those are easier minutes for players on the second straight night, and harder ones for the Kraken killing penalties.
Johnston emerged as a key player for the Stars last year with 32 goals on 216 shots. He produced 65 points, even though he only averaged 1:46 on the man-advantage. Now on the lead group, Johnston could rack up even more PPPs. Now that Benn's deep into his career, he certainly enjoys easy defensive assignments and limited five-on-five minutes after notching 22 points with the extra man last year and 30 the season before. Dadonov is also here with 23 points in 51 games last season with five shots so far.
DEFENSEMEN
Evan Bouchard, EDM vs. CGY ($6,600): Bouchard and his booming slap shot got a lot of love in the playoffs, yet that came after 82 points during the regular season - including 35 on the power play. We can trust him to carry a huge role and log plenty of minutes with the extra man. The Flames will be on the road for the second straight night and will likely be going with Dan Vladar in net. He's appeared in 76 NHL games across five seasons and lists an .892 save percentage.
