It's still the holiday season, so this Monday is busier than usual for the NHL. Though all the games are in the evening, 11 games are on the schedule, with the first starting at 7 p.m. EST. That means you have more options to sort through on a Monday than usual. To help on that front, here are my NHL DFS lineup recommendations.
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SLATE PREVIEW
Something else than is unusual on a Monday is teams being on the second night of a back-to-back. However, only two teams are in such a scenario this week. The Kraken are at home for both games, and they host the Canucks. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets have to visit the Senators.
GOALIES
Pyotr Kochetkov, CAR vs. NYR ($8,400): The only issue with the Hurricanes is figuring out who will start when. They have rotated through three goalies over their last three games, but ultimately what it comes down to is that Rod Brind'Amour's defensive system has the team primed to lead the NHL in shots on net allowed per contest yet again. It doesn't seem like the Rangers will right their ship any time soon, as they have now played half a season and have managed just 2.55 goals and 26.1 shots on net per game. Just make sure to see if it is, in fact, Kochetkov who starts Monday. Whoever it is will be worth rostering.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, BUF at STL ($7,600): Luukkonen has, once again, justified me brushing up on how to spell his name. He's allowed a single goal in each of his last two starts. Joel Hofer will be starting for the Blues on Monday, because he's actually given the team some hope between the pipes. He can't save the offense, though, which has managed a league-low 2.51 goals per game.
Kevin Lankinen, VAN at SEA ($7,400): The Canucks announced early that Lankinen, not Thatcher Demko, will start this one. Fret not, as Demko is not injured yet again. This is just the first day of a back-to-back for Vancouver. Lankinen isn't the best of backups, but I'll still go with him in this matchup. In addition to Seattle playing its second game in as many days, the Kraken are in the bottom five in goals and shots on net per game.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Elias Pettersson, VAN at SEA ($6,500): In his first game back from injury, Pettersson put three shots on net and played 4:25 on the power play. He has eight points with the extra man this season despite the time lost, and that's key to me here. The Kraken and Senators are battling to avoid being last in penalty-kill percentage, and the Kraken will also be closing out a back-to-back Monday.
Gabriel Vilardi, WPG vs. EDM ($5,600): Sound the alarm, as Calvin Pickard is starting for the Oilers on Monday. You know, the 33-year-old journeyman with an .894 save percentage since the start of the 2016-17 season. Vilardi is the other guy on the Jets top line alongside bigger names Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, but he's not "the other guy" in terms of production. He has 33 points in 36 games, and he's only been held off the scoresheet three times in his last 17 outings.
Mikael Backlund, CGY vs. BOS ($3,800): Backlund has been on fire as of late. Over his last four games he has seven points and a whopping 19 shots on net. The Bruins have surprisingly struggled defensively, having given up 30.1 shots on net per game. That's been a problem, as their surprisingly poor goaltending has yielded a 3.31 GAA for the team.
FORWARD LINE STACKS TO CONSIDER
Senators vs. Blue Jackets
Dylan Cozens (C - $4,900), Fabian Zetterlund (W - $3,900), David Perron (W - $3,300)
The Blue Jackets are the only team on the road for the second day of a back-to-back, they are in the bottom five in shots on net allowed per game, and they are in line to give Elvis Merzlikins a start. That would be the same Elvis with an .889 save percentage over the last four seasons. My only decision was whether to shell out the salary for Ottawa's top line or roll with the second line. This trio, the second line, has been good enough I was down to save salary while still attacking the best matchup Monday.
Cozens has 13 points over his last 11 games. While seven of those points have been on the power play, Columbus also has a bottom-five penalty kill. Zetterlund's recent play was the tipping point in my decision to go with Ottawa's second line. He has seven points in his last five games, and three times in his last 10 games he's put at least six shots on target. Perron has been no slouch, he's just not been on the scoresheet the last couple of games and he doesn't shoot as much as Zetterlund. Still, he does have seven points in his last eight contests.
Ducks vs. Sharks
Mason McTavish (C - $4,200), Cutter Gauthier (W - $7,500), Beckett Sennecke (W - $4,500)
The Sharks have a 3.45 GAA, and the Ducks have a 3.47 GAA, so expect a lot of goals in this one. I am stacking a Ducks line, though, for a couple reasons. One, Anaheim is at home. Two, San Jose has also allowed a robust 31.3 shots on net per game. Thus, I turn to Anaheim's youth-infused second line.
McTavish suffered through a cold stretch earlier this month, but he has put it behind him. He has three points and 14 shots on net in his last four games, including a goal in the first game back from the break. Gauthier, in turn, has gone cold, but he was so good early he still has 18 goals and 18 assists through 38 games. I trust that level of production, and this matchup could help Gauthier turn things around. Plus, he hasn't shied away from shooting, as he has 18 shots on net over five games since his last goal. Sennecke is remarkably consistent for a 19-year-old rookie. He hasn't gone more than two games without a point since the start of November, and he has 29 points on the season.
DEFENSEMEN
John Klingberg, SAN at ANA ($4,500): Klingberg is not on the same career trajectory as the core of the Sharks, but the 33-year-old defenseman has a role in the present. He's tallied nine points over his last nine games, and he has seven power-play points in 29 games this season. The Ducks do have that 3.47 GAA, so having somebody from San Jose on your DFS roster makes sense.
Thomas Chabot, OTT vs. CLM ($4,300): Since returning from injury, Chabot has two points, eight shots on net, and eight blocked shots over four games. Also, Ottawa has been doing the unthinkable and having both Chabot and Jake Sanderson on the top power-play unit. The Blues Jackets are in the bottom five in GAA, shots on net allowed per game, and penalty-kill percentage, so whatever the situation for Chabot, he'll be in good position to deliver.
Samuel Girard, COL vs. LOS ($2,500): Yes, eight of Girard's 10 points on the season have come in his last seven games, and that is a strong indicator his current level of production is not sustainable. On the other hand… he has eight points in his last seven games! Why not see if that strong run of play continues? Plus, Darcy Kuemper isn't expected back until the new year. That leaves Anton Forsberg, a journeyman with a career .904 save percentage over 11 seasons, as the No. 1 netminder for the Kings.
