This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Thursday could be the final day of the NHL season. If the Capitals win, they will secure their first Stanley Cup. If the Golden Knights win, we will get a Game 6. This may be your last time to put together a daily fantasy lineup this season.
Here are my recommendations…
CAPTAIN
Evgeny Kuznetsov, WAS vs. VGK ($10,900): If the Capitals win the Cup, Kuznetsov has a great case to get the Conn Smythe (even if the storyline will assuredly put the trophy in Alex Ovechkin's hands. He has a whopping 31 points even though he got hurt in Game 2 and missed most of the contest. Not counting that game, he has a 13-game point streak. Nobody has been hotter, and that makes him a great choice for the captain spot.
FORWARD
Jonathan Marchessault, VGK vs. WAS ($11,000): The Golden Knights have their backs against the wall, but at least they are at home for the occasion. Washington had a 3.29 GAA in away games during the regular season, which feels at least somewhat encouraging. Marchessault doesn't have a goal in his last six games, but he has three assists in that time. More to the point, he has 30 shots on net in those contests. If his puck-luck returns for Game 5, he'll light the lamp again.
T.J. Oshie, WAS at VGK ($10,200): Oshie notched three points in Game 4, including two on the power play. That gives him six points in this series, and he has 17 points in his last 15 contests. Marc-Andre Fleury carried Vegas into this series, but it seems like that may have worn him out. In the Final, he has a 4.08 GAA and .845 save percentage.
Brett Connolly, WAS at VGK ($6,900): If you are going to load up on some of the pricier forwards, as I have here, you'll need somebody on the cheaper side. It makes sense to go with a Capital, given Marc-Andre Fleury's aforementioned struggles in this series. Connolly has some upside, as he had 15 goals in 70 games this season. In the playoffs, he's added six more goals, including two against the Golden Knights.
DEFENSEMEN
Shea Theodore, VGK vs. WAS ($8,500): In the regular season, Theodore had 29 points in 61 games, and he averaged 2:33 per game on the power play. He's gotten even more power-play time in the postseason (3:04). He also has nine points in 19 playoff games, including two in this series. Theodore also has seven shots in his last three outings, so he's staying active offensively.
Matt Niskanen, WAS at VGK ($7,500): Niskanen averaged 9.0 fantasy points per game this season, a solid number for a defenseman. There are a few defensemen available Thursday who are more expensive, even though they weren't as good this season. Niskanen doesn't have a ton of points — he's no John Carlson — but he has five assists in his last 10 contests. He's also blocked 18 shots in that time, so he could add a little fantasy value that way.
