This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
With a holiday Monday, the featured contests at DraftKings begin at 4 p.m. EST, and there are five games included. Calgary is the largest favorite hosting the Ducks, and the marquee matchup has Tampa Bay visiting the Avalanche. The bout between the Islanders and Arizona projects to be a low-scoring matchup, whereas the Florida-San Jose and Washington-Vegas games have the potential to have a high goal total.
GOALIES
Not only has Andrei Vasilevskiy ($7,500) won eight consecutive starts, he hasn't lost in regulation in over two months and gone 19-0-2 with a .934 save percentage and 1.98 GAA during that stretch. So, even with a daunting opponent, the Russian netminder has proven to be matchup proof. Additionally, the risk of it being a road matchup against Colorado (15-9-4 on home ice) is built into his diminished salary.
While David Rittich ($8,200) is considerably more expensive, and coming off a disastrous start against the Blackhawks, he's eyeing a favorable matchup to rebound. Anaheim is playing its second road game in consecutive days and has scored just 2.43 goals per game on the road this season. It's also worth noting that Cam Talbot ($8,200) had a 44-save shutout against the Ducks on Thursday, so if he receives the starting nod, he's definitely in play, too.
Both Semyon Varlamov ($7,200) and Thomas Greiss ($7,200) are low priced, and as noted, this game has the potential to be low scoring. The Coyotes haven't scored more than three times in a game since Jan. 14, and have just three wins and scored only 2.3 goals per 60 minutes during the stretch. The Islanders, meanwhile, have surrendered the seventh fewest goals per hour and own the sixth best team save percentage in the league this season.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
With just a single goal on 30 shots through his past eight games, Anders Lee ($5,000) is a candidate for statistical correction to his shooting percentage. His salary is manageable, and he's also locked into a top offensive role. The Coyotes have also surrendered a healthy 3.04 goals per 60 minutes through their past 12 contests, so it sets up as a potential sneaky matchup.
Skating in a favorable role between Jonathan Marchessault ($5,700) and Reilly Smith ($4,700) at even strength, Paul Stastny's ($4,700) modest salary stands out. The veteran center has recorded 10 points through his past 11 games, and Washington starter Braden Holtby ($7,500) owns an underwhelming .897 save percentage and 3.19 GAA on the road this season. Additionally, this is also the Caps' third consecutive road game, which could put them in a vulnerable schedule spot.
Lars Eller ($4,500) is expected to continue centering Washington's second line with Evgeny Kuznetsov ($5,100) out with an upper-body injury, so the former's modest salary and current form make him a potential target. The 30-year-old center has recorded three tallies and five helpers through his past nine contests and is cruising to career-high marks in the goals and points columns.
At minimum price, Cody Glass ($2,500) is worth considering after being recalled from the AHL and logging 10:58 of ice time against the Islanders on Saturday. The rookie is skating down the lineup at even strength, but he's receiving power-play time and has chipped in offense already this season. For what it's worth, he also had a two-point showing in the only game of his AHL conditioning stint with Chicago.
Another option from the bottom of the salary list, Dylan Gambrell ($2,500) is projected to remain in a top-line role, and he's marked the scoresheet in consecutive games. The Sharks are riddled with injuries, and his ceiling is probably low, but Florida has also surrendered the third most goals per hour in the league this season.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Even with the potentially tough matchup against Colorado, Brayden Point ($6,700), Steven Stamkos ($7,400) and Nikita Kucherov ($7,600) are worth considering. They've totaled 23 tallies, 33 helpers and 20 multi-point showings through Tampa Bay's past 14 contests, and Stamkos and Kucherov both missed time during that stretch. The trio is also up to an elite 8.21 goals per hour for the campaign.
With Anaheim a sizeable underdog and allowing a healthy 3.16 goals per hour on the road this season, Calgary's reunited No. 1 line should be popular. Sean Monahan ($5,600), Johnny Gaudreau ($6.400) and Elias Lindholm ($5,800) have clicked for 5.1 goals per hour over the past two seasons, which includes 11 tallies and 16 helpers through the past 10 games. Their combined cap hit doesn't break the bank, either.
As noted, the Sharks have oodles of players out of the lineup, so Florida stands to have a solid showing, especially since San Jose's top two centers -- Logan Couture ($5,800) and Tomas Hertl ($5,200) -- are out of action. Enter Aleksander Barkov ($7,200), Jonathan Huberdeau ($6,800) and Evgenii Dadonov ($5,600). They've combined for just three goals and two assists over five games since Barkov returned from a lower-body injury, so look for this soft matchup to help them return to form. Dating back to the beginning of last season, they've combined for a high-end 6.53 goals per 60 minutes, after all.
DEFENSEMEN
If you're looking to spend up for a defenseman, John Carlson ($7,500) continues to post eye-popping numbers with two tallies, 11 helpers and six multi-point showings through his past 11 outings. He offers contest-winning upside, but as highlighted he's also failed to record double-digit DraftKings points in five of those 11 most recent games, so there is a risk-reward factor.
Sticking with the Panthers, Keith Yandle ($5,000) remains a target and cost-effective option in a Florida stack. It should prove to be a soft matchup, and the veteran quarterbacks the No. 1 power-play unit. Additionally, Yandle owns top-10 marks in points per 60 minutes among regular defensemen both this season and over the past three years, and he's eyeing statistical correction with just two assists through his past 10 games.
Quarterbacking the No. 1 power-play unit and recording an assist in three of his past four games, Rasmus Andersson ($3,400) stands out as an excellent value. In addition to Anaheim's already noted struggles, the Ducks also own a target-worthy 77.4 penalty-kill percentage. The price is obviously right as an addition to a Calgary stack, too.
