This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
The final Saturday of February is a busy one for the NHL. There are 10 games on the slate, though three of them are in the afternoon. That includes a matinee game on ABC, which I believe is the first of those under the new TV deal for the league. I'm not here to talk business, though. I'm here to offer recommendations for DFS lineups based on the seven games starting at 7 p.m. EST or later.
SLATE PREVIEW
We have three teams on a back-to-back Saturday. Two, Vegas and Colorado, are playing each other. The other is Los Angeles, who will be at home against the Islanders, who rank 29th in goals per game. Also, Ottawa and Montreal are squaring off, which not all that long ago would have been a great opportunity on paper. However, the Sens have been much better at goal prevention recently and even the Habs have looked decent for a couple games. Although, I am less sold on Montreal than Ottawa.
GOALIE
Jeremy Swayman, BOS at SAN ($8,200): The Bruins aren't fully committing to making Swayman the clear-cut No. 1, but they maybe should. Through the 32 games of his career he has an 1.90 GAA and .931 save percentage. The Sharks have averaged 2.67 goals per contest, which is 24th in the NHL.
Matt Murray, OTT vs. MON ($7,400): Montreal has actually had a couple good games recently, like I said, but let's not oversell that or chalk it up to some Martin St. Louis magic. The Habs have managed a mere 2.29 goals per game, and Cole Caufield playing better is not enough to turn an offense around by his lonesome. Murray missed Ottawa's last game due to the birth of his child, but he's expected back for this one. He has an 1.73 GAA and .951 save percentage over his last seven games. If he's still on paternity leave, I do like Anton Forsberg ($7,400) in his stead.
VALUE PLAYS
Taylor Hall, BOS at SAN ($5,400): Hall has started 66.4 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, second highest on the Bruins. He's never been an elite shooter, but since he's put 132 shots on net in 51 games he has 11 goals to go with 25 assists. Adin Hill is out, and James Reimer has played 10 games in a row for the Sharks. In that time Reimer has a 3.42 GAA and .904 save percentage.
Brock Nelson, NYI at LOS ($4,200): The Islanders have struggled offensively this year, but Nelson seems determined to solve that himself. He's scored a goal in each of his last four outings with 18 shots on net in that time. The Kings have a solid GAA as a team based on the fact they are in the top five in shots on goal allowed per game. However, they are on the second leg of a back-to-back here.
LINE STACKS TO CONSIDER
Maple Leafs at Red Wings: John Tavares (C - $6,700), William Nylander (W - $6,100), Ondrej Kase (W - $3,400)
This has been a classic NHL matchup for decades, and this could be an exciting, high-scoring affair. Part of that is the porous nature of Detroit's defense. They've allowed 32.7 shots on net per game and have a 3.47 GAA, bottom eight in the NHL. Kase is a recent addition to Toronto's second line, but he's got a couple of really strong running mates.
On the one hand, Tavares doesn't have a goal in his last 11 games. On the other hand, he has eight assists in that time. Tavares also has 17 goals this season, so I'm not concerned. Nylander has been hugely successful on the power play, notching 20 points with the extra man in 51 games. The Wings are also bottom eight on the penalty kill. Kase has four points in his last seven games, and 21 points in 43 games overall.
Senators vs. Canadiens: Tim Stutzle (C - $4,100), Brady Tkachuk (W - $6,500), Adam Gaudette (W - $2,700)
The Habs have allowed two goals or fewer in their last four games. That's good! It also lowered their GAA all the way to…3.79. That's still far worst in the NHL. Samuel Montembault still has a 3.53 GAA and .902 save percentage this season, and an .897 save percentage in his career. I don't think Montreal is going to turn things around entirely. My approach to the Habs as a matchup remains the same.
As a rookie, Stutzle managed 29 points in 53 games. This year he has 27 in 49 contests. He also has a goal in four of his last five outings. Tkachuk is happy to bomb the net with shots. He's put 171 shots on goal in 47 games. The Canadiens have allowed 34.3 shots on net per contest, so I expect Tkachuk to be quite busy Saturday. Gaudette has an assist in each of his last two games and has 11 points in 22 contests since joining the Senators. He's also a new addition to the top line, which should help.
DEFENSE
Thomas Chabot, OTT vs. MON ($6,500) Chabot looked no worse for the wear in his return to the Senators' lineup. He potted two goals on six shots on net and added an assist for good measure. That was against the Wild. Facing a Canadiens squad with the league's highest GAA is an even easier matchup to step into.
Noah Dobson, NYI at LOS ($5,200): The Islanders have had little luck on the power play. However, Dobson does have eight points with the extra man. That could serve him well here, as the Kings have a bottom-five penalty kill. They are also, of course on the second night of a back-to-back.
