This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
This is the first Monday is months without a single football game. That means there is no excuse for not being fully focused on the NHL action. There are four contests on the slate, and here are a handful of recommendations to help you make your lineup decisions.
SLATE PREVIEW
Jacob Markstrom, CGY vs. CLM ($8,500): Markstrom only has a .900 save percentage over his last 11 starts, but he has a 2.62 GAA in that time as well. That is thanks to the fact the Flames have only given up 27.7 shots on net per contest. The Blue Jackets are in the bottom five in goals and shots on goal per game, making this matchup conducive to Markstrom finding success.
Ilya Samsonov, TOR vs. NYI ($8,200): Samsonov and Matt Murray both get starts for the Maple Leafs, but it seems like we will get a battle of Ilyas on Monday. The Russian goalie for Toronto has a 2.22 GAA and .919 save percentage. While the other Ilya, Sorokin, has been even better, the Islanders' offense has averaged 2.94 goals per game, which is below average. Thus, I am looking to Samsonov at home Monday.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Tyler Seguin, DAL vs. BUF ($5,000): Over his last seven games, Seguin has five goals, three assists, and 24 shots on net. He's also recently been centering the top line between Joe Pavelski and Jason Robertson with Roope Hintz banged up. The Sabres are in the bottom 10 in GAA and shots on net allowed per game, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been getting the bulk of the starts recently. He has an .897 save percentage.
Filip Chytil, NYR vs. FLA ($4,300): The Rangers have reunited the line of Chytil, Alexis Lafreniere, and Kaapo Kakko, and Chytil has been the best of those three this season. He has four goals and three assists over his last eight outings. It seems like Alex Lyon will start for the Panthers in this one, and the 30-year-old journeyman has an .896 save percentage in this career.
FORWARD LINE STACK
Flames vs. Blue Jackets
Elias Lindholm (C - $5,500), Tyler Toffoli (W - $5,600), Dillon Dube (W - $3,800)
Columbus is the clear matchup to target Monday. The Jackets have a 3.89 GAA and have given up a whopping 34.8 shots on net per contest as well. Calgary has switched its line around quite a bit, but this is the current top line, and it gets a chance at home against one of the NHL's worst defenses.
Lindholm had 42 goals and 40 assists last season, but this year he has been more of a playmaker with 14 goals and 28 assists. He also has 10 points over his last 11 games. Toffoli has tallied 141 shots on net through 47 contests, notching 17 goals in the process. He has five power-play points over his last seven games, and the Blue Jackets also, unsurprisingly, have a below-average penalty kill. Dube has two multi-point games in his last five contests. All in all he has 11 goals and 14 assists in 47 contests and is now on the top line which helps.
DEFENSEMEN
Miro Heiskanen, DAL vs. BUF ($5,900): Heiskanen has a five-game point streak. The Finn also has 17 points with the extra man. Buffalo has a bottom-eight penalty kill, so Heiskanen could move that point streak up to six games.
K'Andre Miller, NYR vs. FLA ($4,000): Miller just had a seven-game point streak end, but that was against the Bruins. Boston is by far the toughest opponent one can face this season. Florida is an easier matchup, with a 3.38 GAA and questions regarding the health of its goaltenders. The young defenseman has averaged 22:15 in ice time, a new personal high, and at 23 he's still primed to improve as a player.
