NHL GPP Barn Burner: 10-8-15

Goalies

While Pekka Rinne is one of the chalkier goalies tonight, he is a hard one to avoid in all formats. Nashville is one of the more stout defensive teams in the league, and that starts with Rinne between the pipes. Rinne was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy last season, just being ousted by Carey Price, and really there is no shame there. He will look to get the 2015 season off on a good note, and has an excellent chance of doing so, against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Canes were one of the worst offensive teams in the league last season. They do have some young guns mixed in with some notable names, but the matchup is not in their favor tonight. Rinne had the third best goals against average last season, and I expect him to be up there again in 2015.

Top Skaters

Boston had one of the more eventful offseasons, trading away Milan Lucic and Dougie Hamilton. There are a lot of new faces, but Patrice Bergeron remains one of the top playmakers in Boston. On a night with a lot of stars, Berge will fly under the radar, and always has the chance for a multi-point night. He is listed on the first line this season, on both the power play and even strength. For such a talented player, Bergeron falls short of being a consistent play, with just 55 points last year. However, he is always in a position for a big game. The Bruins will need him to step up even more so on the offensive side this season.

Filip Forsberg is another young superstar in the making, and comes in underpriced in my opinion. He will be one of the higher owned guys on the slate, but a player I am not fading. He is a dynamic forward, who registered 69 points last season. Nashville scored 2.76 goals per game last season, and Forsberg was a big part of it, on the power play and even strength. This sniper has as much upside as any ahead of him, but at a discount price in comparison to Taylor Hall and Alexander Steen.

Paying up for defense is not always ideal, and generally goes towards building a GPP lineup. I suspect many will look towards the Blues' defenseman tonight, or go value, leaving Kris Letang lower owned. I expect this game to be a back-and-forth affair, and Letang benefits from being on the ice with some of the best playmakers and scorers in the NFL. Letang was tied for fourth in assists by a defenseman last year, seventh in power play points.

Nikita Kucherov is one of the many Lightning players you can play tonight, but I believe Kucherov is the play to give you the most bang for your buck. He had 87 points last season, and faces the Flyers tonight who struggled stopping teams, and had one of the worst penalty killing units in the league. Tampa is one of two teams with a 3.5 goal total tonight, with the other being St. Louis. Kucherov has excellent value on DraftKings tonight, where pricing is pretty soft to start the season.

Value Plays

Jonathan Drouin (W - TB) FD: $4,400 DK: $4,000

The Tampa Bay Lightning have a team that is built to last for a long time, and are scary good in the youth department. Jonathan Drouin is just another example, and is playing on the top line tonight, which gives him great value. He is a talented, 20 year old, winger, who has been electric in the preseason.

Ryan Suter (D - MIN) FD: $4,300 DK: $4,000

Ryan Suter has one of the better price tags for a defenseman tonight, and he plays on the top lines of both even strength and power play. Suter has averaged 40 points per season, and is a precision passer on a dangerous power play. Colorado allowed 2.72 goals per game last season.

Thomas Vanek (W - MIN) FD: $5,200 DK: $4,900

The only disappointing aspect of this play, is Thomas Vanek on the third line for even strength. He does headline the second power play unit, and made a strong finish to the season in 2014. Minnesota was one of the better offenses, because they have waves of talent coming in each line, posting a 2.77 goals for a game.

Kyle Turris (C - OTT) FD: $5,900 DK: $5,500

For a line one center, Kyle Turris is underpriced compared to the other players around the league. Now center is stacked tonight, but Kyle Turris has the chance to surpass value easily. He headlines the power play unit, and is on even strength line one. Buffalo is in a transition period, but allowed the second worst goals allowed per game. (3.28) Turris is coming off of a 66 point season, where 18 points came from the power play.