This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Excitement is high for Sunday's Game 7 between the Maple Leafs and Panthers. Well, it may not be high in Toronto as anxiety reigns supreme. On FanDuel, you get a salary cap of $60,000 for your six-player roster for single-game competitions. Your MVP's salary is inflated 1.5 times over, but he'll also earn you 1.5 times the points. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. EDT. Here's my lineup.
MVP
Matthew Tkachuk, FLA at TOR ($16,500): It feels like Tkachuk can be trusted to rise to the occasion at a time like this. What about Toronto's projected starter in net Joseph Woll? He's only been playing due to Anthony Stolarz's injury and notched a shutout Friday, but still has a 3.28 GAA and .893 save percentage during the playoffs. Tkachuk missed half the season, yet still reached 20 goals and recorded a point per game. He's managed nine postseason points, with at least one from four matchups this series.
UTILITY
William Nylander, TOR vs. FLA ($11,800): I talked about tension in Toronto, a city that's been waiting for a Cup - or even reaching a Final - since 1967. However, there's nothing preventing the Leafs from breaking through. As a Red Wings fan who remembers the run up to the 1997 season, I can attest to that. Nylander produced his third consecutive 40-goal campaign and has added 15 points across 12 playoff appearances. And while he hasn't registered a point in any of his last three, he's directed 11 shots on net over that stretch.
Sam Bennett, FLA at TOR ($9,200): Bennett may be Florida's second-best Sam, but he's no slouch with 25 goals on the season to go with 241 shots. And in six playoff games, he's managed at least three shots. The Leafs have prevented shots well in the playoffs, but during the regular season they finished bottom 10 in that department.
Brad Marchand, FLA at TOR ($7,600): After an acclaimed tenure with the Bruins, Marchand joined the Panthers to bolster them in their quest for a repeat. He may not have played for either of the last two Florida teams, but he's no stranger to important postseason matchups and has contributed 10 points so far.
Morgan Rielly, TOR vs. FLA ($7,200): Rielly impressed with points in each of the first three games this series to repeat a similar feat against the Sens. He's also had five games with multiple shots while blocking 28 shots. You can count on Rielly to log 20-plus minutes in Game 7, which increases his offensive potential.
Max Pacioretty, TOR vs. FLA ($6,800): Will Pacioretty, a steady veteran presence who's played in some big games with the likes of the Canadiens and Golden Knights, come up big for his new team on Sunday? He's not the player he used to be, though he's tapped into the Fountain of Youth of late with eight points from seven outings while registering a goal, three shots, and two blocks during Game 6.
