This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
We're now two weeks away from the end of the regular season, and the games are only getting more impactful as we near the finish line. If you want to make a FanDuel lineup to go along with your watching of tonight's nine games, I have some recommendations for your consideration.
SLATE PREVIEW
Colorado is playing in the second half of a back-to-back set, so typically, I'd caution that the Avalanche might be battling fatigue tonight. However, the Avalanche are 6-3-1 when playing on no rest and have averaged 3.40 goals per game over those outings, so you don't necessarily need to worry about them as much as you might for other squads playing in a similar situation. I'd still be a little shy about taking individual Avalanche players today, but I wouldn't bet against them either.
GOALIES
Jake Oettinger, DAL vs. NAS ($8,100): Oettinger is on a five-game winning streak in which he's allowed just nine goals on 161 shots (.944 save percentage). He's consequently improved to 35-15-3 with a 2.47 GAA and a .911 save percentage in 53 outings this season. Nashville ranks last in goals per game with 2.52, so this is a favorable matchup for Oettinger.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TBL at OTT ($7,700): Tampa Bay is gunning for the top spot in the Atlantic Division, and Vasilevskiy has been a huge part of that push. The netminder is 6-1-0 with a 1.28 GAA and a .942 save percentage across his past seven starts, which brings him up to a 36-19-3 record, 2.16 GAA and .921 save percentage in 58 outings overall. Vasilevskiy will look to continue his recent success against Ottawa after beating the Senators twice in February -- he stopped 52 of 56 shots (.929 save percentage) in those contests.
Darcy Kuemper, LAK at UTA ($7,500): Kuemper is one of the hottest goaltenders in the league, winning eight of his past 10 appearances while saving 207 of 218 shots (.950 save percentage). He's 26-10-7 with a 2.08 GAA and a .918 save percentage in 44 outings in 2024-25. Utah is tied for 21st in goals per game with 2.81.
VALUE PLAYS
Sam Colangelo, ANA at CAL ($4,800): The 23-year-old Colangelo has eight goals and 10 points in 24 appearances this season, which are interesting but not stunning numbers. However, his goals seem to come in bunches. He collected five markers and one assist across four outings from March 4 to 9, and Colangelo seems to be hitting his stride again with two goals and an assist across his past two games, so take advantage while he's hot.
Christian Dvorak, MON vs. BOS ($4,600): Dvorak has been an effective value play recently, supplying four goals and nine points over his past nine appearances. Montreal will look for him to remain hot for a little longer as the Canadiens attempt to hold onto the second wild-card spot.
Cameron Lund, SJS vs. EDM ($4,200): This has been a predictably rough season for the Sharks, but their young talent has given fans something to be hopeful about. Lund is the latest to do that, scoring two goals over four appearances since making his NHL debut last Thursday. I suspect he'll continue to do fairly well for the remainder of the campaign after supplying 18 goals and 40 points across 37 NCAA games with Northeastern University prior to joining the Sharks.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Lightning at Senators
Brayden Point (C - $7,900), Nikita Kucherov (W - $9,100), Jake Guentzel (W - $7,800)
This has been one of the league's best lines all season, and it seems like they'll end the campaign on a strong note. Kucherov is battling for both the Art Ross Trophy and the Hart, and he's making a great push for both by collecting an unreal 13 points (three goals) over his past four appearances. He's up to 33 goals and 111 points across 70 outings in 2024-25.
It helps that he has great linemates. Guentzel has five goals and 10 points over his past six games, giving him 38 goals and 74 points in 73 outings overall. Meanwhile, Point has collected six goals and nine points over his past six appearances, which brings him up to 38 goals and 75 points across 69 contests in 2024-25.
It's an expensive line, but you get plenty back in return.
Canadiens vs. Bruins
Nick Suzuki (C - $7,000), Cole Caufield (W - $6,900), Juraj Slafkovsky (W - $6,000)
If you need something cheaper, you could attempt to bank on Montreal against the Bruins, who have lost nine straight (0-8-1) and have allowed 3.65 goals per game across their past 20 outings.
Suzuki is in a prime position to take advantage of the Bruins' woes. He's scored 10 goals and 27 points over his past 18 outings, propelling him to 25 goals and 79 points across 74 appearances this campaign. Slafkovsky is coming into this game hot, too. He has three goals and six points over his past six outings, bringing him up to 17 goals and 47 points in 71 appearances in 2024-25.
By contrast, Caufield hasn't stood out recently, being limited to a goal and three points over his past five appearances. However, I'd still recommend taking him to round out the unit because he is having a solid season overall, supplying 34 goals and 64 points across 74 outings.
DEFENSEMEN
Victor Hedman, TBL at OTT ($6,300): Like the Lightning overall, Hedman has been hot recently, recording two goals and six points over his past three outings. That gives him 14 goals and 60 points through 71 appearances in 2024-25. This is the third time in four years that he's reached the 60-point mark. He's also one marker away from collecting 15 goals for the fourth time in his career.
Evan Bouchard, EDM at SJS ($6,300): Bouchard has been held off the scoresheet just twice over his past 15 appearances, supplying four goals and 15 points over that span. He's up to 13 goals and 60 points in 74 outings in 2024-25. The Sharks rank last in terms of goals allowed per game with 3.74, so he's in a good position to add to those offensive totals.
Lane Hutson, MON vs. BOS ($5,800): Hutson is coming off back-to-back three-point efforts, pushing him up to 62 points (five goals) across 74 appearances in 2024-25. That kind of production out of a rookie defenseman is practically unheard of, but he still has some time to pad those numbers further. At the rate he's been going recently, even a 70-point finish can't be ruled out.
