This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
It's an unusually large slate for a Monday this time around, as eight games are on the schedule. There are also a lot of high-end options available, with Winnipeg, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Boston and others on the docket. Saving money in some areas will be important to access some of those superstars, so let's find values for our FanDuel lineups.
GOALIE
Sergei Bobrovsky, CLM at PHI ($8,900): The Flyers have generated the eighth-fewest adjusted scoring chances per minute at 5-on-5 this season. On the flipside, they've taken the 11th-most shot attempts per minute. That discrepancy indicates that these guys are good at generating shots, but they're disproportionately not very dangerous. For a fantasy goalie, facing a high volume of shots, but not facing a high volume of quality opportunities, is good news for value. As a road goalie on an eight-game slate, Bobrovsky could get overlooked tonight in tournaments.
CENTER
Brayden Point, TAM at NYR ($3,700): The recent rash of injuries the Bolts have endured has decimated their depth at center. This has forced Point to move up in the lineup, and he's now playing between Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat. Those two forwards, when playing with anyone not named Steven Stamkos or Tyler Johnson, help Tampa Bay drive 56.6 percent of the shot attempts. That is to say, this dynamic duo can perform at an elite level regardless of who's centering them. With Point coming so cheaply and the Rangers playing their second game in as many nights (with top goalie Henrik Lundqvist hurt, to boot), he's ideal for this slate.
Matt Duchene, COL at ARI ($4,500): The Avalanche are having one of the worst NHL seasons in recent memory, but on Monday, they get to face a Coyotes team that's given up the most scoring chances per minute this season. Despite all his struggles this year, Duchene is still on pace for a 20-goal campaign. His personal ice time is declining a bit, which is affecting his shot output, making him more of a tournament option than a cash-game play. Regardless, this is a highly skilled player who comes at a low cost in a good matchup.
WING
Drew Stafford, BOS at VAN ($3,900): The 31-year-old has seen a big jump in ice time since being traded to Boston, going from 13:18 per game to 15:01. While he's never been a volume shooter, Stafford is averaging four shots per game with his new team in a limited sample. Most importantly, he's skating on the second line with David Krejci and David Pastrnak – an assignment that gives him a very good playmaking center, but also avoids the opposing team's top checkers. Fantasy players looking to avoid the higher ownership of the Bruins' top line while saving cap space should look in this direction.
Micheal Ferland, CGY vs. PIT ($3,800): Over the past three seasons, the young Flames forward duo of Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan have been able to generate more shots with Ferland on their line than guys like Jiri Hudler or Sam Bennett (though the latter had limited opportunity). This is a situation where the star duo not only makes the third wheel better, but the third wheel contributes in a positive manner as well. Meanwhile, Calgary hosts the Penguins, who have given up the most scoring chances in the league and are missing several key players.
Radim Vrbata, ARI vs. COL ($5,700): Arizona is among the league's cellar dwellers in terms of preventing shots and scoring chances, but it won't surprise you to learn that the horrible Avs aren't much better. That makes this a great matchup for Vrbata, as the veteran is averaging just shy of three shots per game (2.96). Indeed, he's averaging nearly 1.5 more shots per minute than any other regular Coyotes forward, which makes him a clear option for cash games.
James Neal, NAS vs. WPG ($6,400): The fantasy focus for Nashville will always be on the top line, but for tournaments, Neal makes a perfect one-off option Monday. Why? Well, the Jets have allowed the fifth-most scoring chances while on the penalty kill, and they've also given up the second-most power plays per game. That combination is perfect for the shooting winger, who's slotted on the top power-play unit for Nashville but doesn't get to skate on the top even-strength line. He should have less ownership than the other top Predators forward options, so Neal gets you some exposure without stacking a line.
DEFENSE
Noah Hanifin, CAR at NYI ($3,500): By shot attempts allowed, the Islanders' penalty kill has improved under new coach Doug Weight, but it's still just mid-pack in the league. The improvement is notable because they had been near the bottom of the league under Jack Capuano, but it's important to note that a marked improvement from being in the basement still does not mean they are formidable. Hanifin is exceedingly cheap and runs the second power-play unit for the Hurricanes.
Alex Pietrangelo, STL at LOS ($5,300): Colton Parayko may not be in the lineup again for the Blues in this game, so his status bears checking prior to game time. With Parayko out of their previous contest, Pietrangelo was on the ice for nearly 29 minutes. That kind of volume is to be cherished in cash games, as more ice time leads to more shots and blocked shots (he had two and three, respectively, in that matchup). Among the mid-priced defensemen, the St. Louis captain deserves strong consideration.
