This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
By next Monday, the NHL playoffs will be beginning. For now, there are 10 NHL games on the slate. Time for my DFS recommendations!
SLATE PREVIEW
There are no teams on the second leg of a back-to-back Monday, but several teams on the first leg. This could lead to some goaltending predictions that turn out inaccurate, which could change recommendations in theory. For example, if David Rittich starts for the Jets to save Connor Hellebuyck for the Wild. Although, with the Jets fighting for the playoffs, couldn't you see them just deciding to start Hellebuyck twice?
GOALIES
Marc-Andre Fleury, MIN at CHI ($8,200): I definitely expect the Wild to start Fleury against the Blackhawks to save Filip Gustavsson for the Jets on Tuesday. Facing his former team gives Fleury an excellent opportunity for success. The Blackhawks have averaged a meager 2.42 goals and 26.6 shots on net per contest.
Jacob Markstrom, CGY vs. NAS ($8,000): Both of these teams are alive for the playoffs, but only one seems to actually want to make it. The Predators were dealing away at the deadline, and key players have remained on the sideline for their playoff "push." Nashville has also averaged only 2.71 goals per game. Markstrom has not had the best year, but his team has only allowed 27.3 shots on net per contest. He might not be tested at home, which certainly raises his upside.
Ilya Sorokin, NYI at WAS ($7,800): When you can get a likely Vezina finalist at this salary, it usually makes sense to go for it. Sorokin has a been on fire for New York down the stretch, posting an 1.61 GAA and .947 save percentage over his last six outings. The Capitals rank 20th in goals per game, but have nothing to play for, and Alex Ovechkin is listed as day-to-day.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Mats Zuccarello, MIN at CHI ($5,700): Zuccarello hasn't scored a goal in a bit, but he has five assists over his last 12 games. He also has 29 points with the extra man this season. The Blackhawks have the 21st-ranked penalty kill, and even if Alex Stalock is in net, his 2.92 GAA and .912 save percentage only look palatable next to Petr Mrazek's numbers.
Oliver Bjorkstrand, SEA at ARI ($4,700): Bjorkstrand has been snakebit this year, as he has a 9.9 shooting percentage compared to his 11.7 career number. However, he has tallied six goals over his last 13 games. I like the fact he's put 191 shots on goal over 78 games, as the Coyotes have allowed 35.2 shots on net per contest.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi, CAR at OTT ($3,000): Eventually, playing with so much talent around him began to pay off for Kotkaniemi. He has four goals and six assists over his last 14 games to give him his first 40-point season. Meanwhile, Cam Talbot has allowed four goals in each of his three starts since returning from injury.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Rangers vs. Sabres
Vincent Trocheck (C - $5,800), Artemi Panarin (W - $6,100), Vladimir Tarasenko (W - $5,200)
I had to get a piece of the Rangers' power play. The Sabres have a 3.64 GAA and have allowed 33.2 shots on net per contest, but they also have a bottom-five penalty kill. New York's top six is laden with talent. This is its second line! Imagine what the Rangers' power play looks like.
Trocheck has put 222 shots on net, but he only has 22 goals because of a 9.9 shooting percentage, below expectations. However, he does have a goal in each of his last two games. The center also has 17 power-play points on the season. The "Bread Man" always delivers, especially with the extra man. Panarin has averaged 3:33 per content on the power play and has 34 points with all that time. Tarasenko has factored a bit less into the power play since being dealt from the Blues to the Rangers, but he does have five power-play points in 29 games. He also has a four-game point streak.
Jets vs. Sharks
Vladislav Namestnikov (C - $2,900), Nikolaj Ehlers (W - $5,600), Blake Wheeler (W - $4,600)
Right now, the Sharks seem to be about getting young guys NHL experience and trying to get Erik Karlsson to 100 points. Preventing goals? Not in the cards, and they have a 3.81 GAA thanks to a season's worth of defensive ineptitude and below-average goaltending. They do, surprisingly, have a top-five penalty kill, but this line isn't necessarily power-play dependent, and also that penalty kill isn't quite as potent with the current roster.
Namestnikov has been given a bigger role by the Jets than the one he had with the Lightning. The Russian has responded with 10 points in 17 games, including four in his last four. Ehlers can one-up his center, as he has six points in his last four outings. He's also put 130 shots on net in only 43 games. Wheeler has racked up 55 points in 70 games. While 15 of them have come with the extra man, only two of his last 12 points have come with the extra man.
DEFENSEMEN
Miro Heiskanen, DAL at DET ($6,600): Heiskanen's been a good defenseman since he was a rookie, but this year he really broke through to the upper levels. The Finn has tallied 69 points and 202 shots on net, including 32 points with the extra man. Down the stretch, defense and goaltending have felt a little optional for the Red Wings. In fact, Ville Husso has allowed at least five goals in four of his last five starts.
Neal Pionk, WPG vs. SAN ($4,800): Pionk tallied his 10th goal of the season in his last outing. I also like that only three of his 32 points have come with the extra man. After all, the Sharks have a top-five penalty kill, but a bottom-five GAA.
K'Andre Miller, NYR vs. BUF ($4,300): Miller has been streaky, but he has four points in his last four games. That gives him 43 on the season. While he doesn't play much with the extra man, the Sabres' 3.64 GAA isn't all about killing penalties.
