Starting this month, as part of my NHL DFS column, I'm planning a Thursday feature that's tentatively titled "What's wrong with…(playoff teams)," and my first examination will be the Tampa Bay Lightning. No, they haven't collapsed, they're not tanking, they have no plans to enter the Connor Bedard sweepstakes – – in fact, not a lot.  Oh, if I'm looking, Andrei Vasilevskiy is a pedestrian 8-7-1, with a Sv% of 0.906, and while the top-6 and power play (28.6%, 5th in NHL) are getting results, look deeper. Nikita Kucherov leads the team with 35 points but is a minus-1.   Brayden Point is also minus-1. The bottom six has a combined minus-35, and Tampa's penalty-kill ranks below NHL average (20th).  Treading water through the regular season, expecting playoff success again?  It's worked before.

But something does feel different. This team isn't as deep. Ryan McDonagh is clearly missed on the blue line, and the bottom-6 is simply not as good, as they've paid out their stars. The Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs will be tougher "outs" in April.  

Daily fantasy options tonight, again using DraftKings:

WARM: those same Lightning players against the Flyers. We are playing Kucherov ($8200), Stamkos ($7300), and Point ($6100), plus the lowest-cost NHL starting goaltender (John Gibson, $6900), leaves me struggling to find value.

HOT:  Calgary Flames, hosting the Canadiens. Stack Elias Lindholm ($5100) with Tyler Toffoli ($6100), along with Jacob Markstrom ($7400), a far more affordable threesome. Add the wildly underpriced Jonathan Huberdeau ($4600), who is still on the top power play. 

BOILING:  Dallas Stars vs. Anaheim.   Jason Robertson ($7900) is the hottest player in the NHL, and yes, that includes you-know-who. Add newly-extended Roope Hintz ($5700), and Miko Heiskanen ($5300)… and I still have roster space for Jared Spurgeon ($4300) and Yegor Sharangovich ($3600), who has 5G-3A- 8 points and plus-4 in the Devils' past 7 games.

My play tonight are the four Flames, three Stars, one Devil, and the Wild captain.

My personal best wishes go to Kristopher Letang after his second (minor?) stroke. While a full recovery and return to the Penguins look likely, I hope it's not rushed. There are medical options to prevent more episodes, though I'm not his doctor.  

@dokhockey