This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
The Panthers! The Oilers! Two great teams loaded with talent! So much promise…and the series might be over Saturday. Florida is on the verge of a sweep, which I don't want to see. I want more hockey! I want more DFS opportunities! Also, wouldn't it be cooler if the Panthers win the franchise's first Cup at home?
Game 4 starts at 8 p.m. EDT. You get $55,000 in salary for your five-player lineup. One is your Captain, who nets you 1.5 times the points. Hopefully this isn't the last time, but here is the roster I landed on.
CAPTAIN
Aleksander Barkov, FLA at EDM ($14,000): Well, the Panthers have taken every game this series with six straight wins overall. While my roster features entries from both Florida and Edmonton, I wanted my Captain to be from the team up 3-0. Barkov has averaged 21:26 in ice time during the playoffs as he plays on the power play while holding a prominent defensive role. He's a Selke winner, but also the Panthers' top scorer this postseason with 21 points.
UTILITY
Evan Bouchard, EDM vs. FLA ($11,500): The Oilers are at home facing elimination. There hasn't been a sweep in the Stanley Cup Final since (my beloved) Detroit took down Washington in 1998. Edmonton provides Bouchard plenty of ice time and the opportunity for him to fire the puck on net. On Thursday, he recorded six shots and also blocked two shots. Bouchard is also tied for second in playoff scoring with 28 points.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, EDM vs. FLA ($10,000): Edmonton relies on its top power-play unit a lot as is, but it's gone even further in this series. Nugent-Hopkins is part of that group and has averaged 5:49 with the extra man. He notched 26 points on the man-advantage during the season, and eventually the Oilers are bound to get the power play on track…right?
Sam Bennett, FLA at EDM ($9,500): If not for a five-and-some-change-game absence, Bennett might be the Panthers' top scorer. He's been red hot with a point in eight of his last nine outings. Stuart Skinner has posted an .868 save percentage this series, so I can easily see Bennett continuing his success on the scoresheet.
Gustav Forsling, FLA at EDM ($9,000): Due to Forsling's defensive role, he logged 28:41 in Game 3. He also managed an assist, four hits, and two blocked shots. Forsling has tallied 12 points across 20 postseason games. His offensive output is a bonus for the to-be champs. But if nothing else, Forsling's primed to receive plenty of ice time.
