FanDuel NHL: Monday Targets

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Published on May 2, 2022

SLATE PREVIEW

Day 1 of the playoffs is finally here, and the eight matchups will be split up with four games per night starting Monday — Bruins at Hurricanes, Lightning at Maple Leafs, Blues at Wild and Kings at Oilers.

GOALIES

Antti Raanta, CAR vs. BOS ($8,000): The Canes swept the season series against the B's and outscored them 16-1, though note the injured Frederik Andersen was in net for all three of their matchups. Despite the regular season results, both teams are very well matched with excellent defense and excellent 5v5 possession numbers. In the past, the playoffs have been tighter checking and lower scoring, which bodes well for Raanta's individual stats.

Ville Husso, STL at MIN ($7,500): Husso is a contrarian play because the Blues are favored, but not expected starter Cam Talbot has a .814 Sv% and 5.92 GAA in three games against the Blues. The Wild may also be missing veterans Mats Zuccarello and Marcus Foligno, which will put a dent in their offensive capabilities. Husso was 2-0-0 against the Wild during the season but needed his offense to bail him out with a 3.92 GAA in those two games.

VALUE PLAYS

Brandon Hagel, TB at TOR ($4,200): Hagel is expected to play on the second line with Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli, potentially giving him an offensive boost after scoring just seven points in 22 games for the Lightning during the season. Like Barclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman in Tampa's previous Cup runs, expect Hagel to play a big role as a gritty two-way player that can move up and down the lineup.

Jesse Puljujarvi, EDM vs. LA ($4,500): Puljujarvi will play on the top line with Connor McDavid and Evander Kane, and you can't ask for better linemates. The Oilers draw a relatively easy matchup against the Kings, having scored 11 goals in their final three games against them. The Kings will be without top defenseman Drew Doughty.

LINE STACKS

Wild vs. Blues

Ryan Hartman (C - $6,700), Kirill Kaprizov (W - $9,700), Mats Zuccarello (W - $7,400)

Zuccarello returned to practice Sunday after suffering an injury and looks like the Wild's top line will stay intact for Game 1. They're a good stack because the Wild will be leaning on this line even more than usual to generate offense, especially against the Blues' deep offense. Kaprizov enters the playoffs on a seven-game point streak and should have a better showing in his second playoff appearance after scoring just three points in seven games last season.

DEFENSEMEN

Darnell Nurse, EDM vs. LA ($5,700): Nurse is expected to play in Game 1 though whether or not he's 100 percent remains to be seen. However, if he's in the lineup, it's more than likely he will lead them in ice time as their only top-tier option.

Tyson Barrie, EDM vs. LA ($5,000): Barrie had a nondescript season but still finished with 41 points and enters the playoffs on a four-game point streak. The Kings are stingy on defense but their penalty killing is among the league's worst, ranking 22nd. Barrie will quarterback their vaunted top power play and share the ice with McDavid and Draisaitl even if he doesn't at even strength.

Torey Krug, STL at MIN ($4,700): Krug has the most upside among Blues defensemen in what could be a high-scoring series considering Talbot's poor performances against them this season. Krug finished the season with 43 points in 64 games, and most importantly saw a bounce back in good puck luck with a 7.6 shooting percentage compared to last season's 1.8 percent.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.