This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
It's a busy Monday in the NHL with 26 teams in play. The featured contests at DraftKings are comprised of the 11 evening games beginning at 7 p.m. EST. The Flyers, Islanders, Lightning and Blackhawks are all receiving notable chalk, but interestingly, there aren't any significant favorites on the slate. Instead, most of the matchups are projected to be close. It's worth noting that the Rangers, Coyotes and Golden Knights are the only three clubs playing for the second consecutive night.
GOALIES
There have been a lot of peaks and valleys through Alexandar Georgiev's ($6,800) short career, and the Rangers are in the noted back-to-back set and a notable underdog. However, at this price, the Russian is definitely in flier territory. He's in the midst of a slump with an .850 save percentage and 4.03 GAA through his past three starts, so banking on a bounce-back showing could be prove profitable. He's stopped 30 or more pucks in 11 of 17 games this season, after all.
St. Louis should handle the Kings on Monday, so both Jordan Binnington ($8,000) and Jake Allen ($7,800) are options. The pair have combined for a .923 save percentage, and the Blues have allowed the sixth fewest goals per hour at five-on-five this season (2.11). Fittingly, Los Angeles has scored the sixth fewest with just 2.2.
Robin Lehner ($8,100) has won three consecutive starts and lands in a layup, home matchup against the lowly Devils. He owns an elite .928 save percentage dating back to last season, and New Jersey has scored the fewest goals in the league since Nov. 30 -- just 1.71 per hour. Corey Crawford ($8,100) is also in play, if he receives the starting nod.
With a 5-2-1 record, .918 save percentage and 2.63 GAA in December, Linus Ullmark ($7,400) appears to have solidified himself as the No. 1 goalie in Buffalo for the time being. At this salary he's a contrarian option on the road against the Sens, who've been surprisingly sound on home ice (10-5-1 with 3.27 goals per 60 minutes).
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
With Arizona playing for the second consecutive night, Ryan Johansen ($3,700) jumps out at his price. He's collected two goals and four assists through his past three outings and continues to skate atop the depth chart in all offensive situations. The Coyotes will also be turning to No. 3 netminder Adin Hill ($6,900) for his first start of the campaign, or rolling out Antti Raanta ($6,900) for the second straight game.
Taylor Hall ($7,400) has found the scoresheet in three consecutive games as a Coyote, and he's rattled off nine shots through his past two showings. He's a potential standalone option with Nashville allowing 3.27 goals against per hour since Nov. 1.
The Lightning have struggled defensively for a prolonged stretch and won just five of their past 13 games while allowing 3.23 per contest. Florida, meanwhile, has scored in bunches all season with 3.5 per game. With that in mind, both Aleksander Barkov ($5,900) and Jonathan Huberdeau ($5,600) check out as value leans. Huberdeau has 10 points -- two goals -- through his past three games, and Barkov has a tally and three helpers during the stretch. The pair could also be paired as the go-to scorers on Florida's No. 1 power-play unit. Just note, they aren't projected to skate regularly together at even strength Monday.
This is a manageable salary for Artemi Panarin ($6,600). He's exploded for seven tallies, four helpers, three power-play points and 21 shots during an active seven-game point streak and is up to an elite 3.76 points per 60 minutes for the campaign -- 10th best in the league. A potential low ownership percentage could help his contrarian value, too.
On the flip side of the Flyers-Rangers bout, Jakub Voracek ($4,500) sports a three-game point streak consisting of a pair of tallies and assists. New York has allowed the most expected goals per 60 minutes in the league, too, so the matchup checks out for the veteran winger. Additionally, Voracek is skating down the lineup with rookie center Morgan Frost ($3,800), so the duo could see softer five-on-five matchups and could be a cost-effective, mini stack.
The Devils enter the Sunday's road matchup against Chicago with a disastrous 4-11-1 record while allowing 3.54 goals per 60 minutes, so view New Jersey as a target-worthy opponent. Dylan Sikura ($2,500) is projected to skate with Jonathan Toews ($5,300) and Dominik Kubalik ($3,300) in a meaningful role Monday. While Sikura's only played three NHL games this season, the 24-year-old has recorded a rock-solid 51 points -- 26 goals -- through 68 career AHL contests, so the offensive upside is there.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
With the Oilers allowing a healthy 3.61 goals per game during their active 4-8-1 stretch, Vancouver's go-to line of Elias Pettersson ($6,600), Brock Boeser ($5,800) and J.T. Miller ($5,200) should have a solid showing. The trio has clicked for 5.54 goals per 60 minutes and driven possession with an elite 62.1 Corsi For percentage at even strength. The trio has also clicked for five goals and five assists over the past two games.
A new-look line in a projected soft matchup, Dylan Strome ($4,400), Patrick Kane ($7,100) and Alex Nylander ($2,600) have scored an impressive 5.49 goals per hour at even strength this season and don't break the bank. As noted, New Jersey is a cakewalk matchup, too.
Brayden Point ($7,000), Nikita Kucherov ($7,300) and Ondrej Palat ($4,800) have combined for six tallies and eight helpers through the past five contest to improve to an impressive 5.75 goals per hour over the past two seasons. The trio have also dominated possession with a 62.1 Corsi For percentage, and they land in a potential soft matchup against the Panthers. Florida has allowed 3.42 goals per 60 minutes on the road and own the fifth worst team save percentage away from BB&T Center.
DEFENSEMEN
Look for a breakout showing from Victor Hedman ($6,300) Monday, as he's recorded just two helpers through his past seven contests. Even with the recent dip in production, he boasts a fifth-ranked 2.38 points per hour for the campaign. There's nothing scary about the matchup, either.
While Quinn Hughes ($4,700) has cooled off with just three assists and 16 shots through his past nine contests, a date with Edmonton's struggling penalty kill -- just 72.0 percent in December -- could be just what the rookie needs to find his offensive groove again. Hughes still boasts an impressive 2.03 points per hour for the campaign and remains the quarterback of the No. 1 power-play unit.
Up to two tallies and three helpers through three games with Taylor Hall ($7,400) around, Oliver Ekman-Larsson ($4,300) is in the midst of his best stretch of the year. The veteran defenseman has been on the ice for nearly half of Hall's minutes with the Coyotes, and there's been instant chemistry, as the duo have combined for 14.49 high-danger scoring chances per hour.
A sneaky option playing well of late is Connor Murphy ($3,900). He's recorded a rock-solid four points, 14 shots and 28 blocks while averaging 23:30 of ice time over his past eight outings, including earning the block bonus in seven of the eight games. The matchup boosts his potential to find the scoresheet, too.
Close to minimum price, Chris Tanev ($2,600) offers value with his recent uptick in fantasy production. He's collected a goal, three assists, nine shots and 10 blocks through his past five outings, including earning the block bonus in consecutive games.
