The end of the NHL regular season is right around the corner. First, though, that final stretch must unfold. There are four games on the slate Monday, with the first game at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Here are my NHL DFS lineup recommendations.
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SLATE PREVIEW
No team is on the second leg of a back-to-back. A few teams are on the first leg, but I do think Andrei Vasilevskiy will start against Buffalo and Juuse Saros will start against the Kings, given the importance of those games to their teams.
GOALIES
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG vs. SEA ($8,000): It's shocking to see Hellebuyck here at the end of the season with a sub-.900 save percentage. He still has a few starts to salvage things, though, and in his last six outings he has a .909 save percentage to go with a 2.18 ERA. Seattle is in the bottom eight in both goals and shots on net per game, and that should help Hellebuyck out.
Philipp Grubauer, SEA at WPG ($7,400): This is the first leg of a back-to-back, but Grubauer has started four of the last five for the Kraken, and he might be in line for a crack at the Jets. He has a .910 save percentage and 2.59 GAA, and there's a better chance of Seattle winning this game than against the Wild on Tuesday. The Jets, for their part, have averaged 2.80 goals and 26.2 shots on net per contest.
VALUE PLAY/ONE-OFF
Tyler Bertuzzi, CHI at SAN ($4,100): Bertuzzi has set a new personal best with 32 goals, including 11 with the extra man. The Sharks have a below-average penalty kill, but they are just generally poor at preventing goals. In fact, San Jose has a 3.55 GAA, second highest in the NHL.
FORWARD LINE STACK TO CONSIDER
Kings vs. Predators
Anze Kopitar (C - $4,500), Artemi Panarin (W - $7,500), Adrian Kempe (W- $7,000)
The Predators have allowed 29.6 shots on net per game, which this season is in the bottom 10 in the NHL. They also have a 3.32 GAA, which is sixth highest in the NHL. Now, they have to trek out to Los Angeles in a game with high stakes. The Kings' top line has a lot of talent, so I would stack this trio Monday.
Kopitar has only notched 36 points in 61 games, but he's picked it up as he heads toward retirement. It his last 15 games he has 11 points and 33 shots on target. If the Kings miss the postseason, it won't be because Panarin didn't deliver after moving across the country. In 20 games he has 23 points and 56 shots on net, giving him 80 points over his time with the Kings and the Rangers. Kempe just had two goals on seven shots on net and two assists against the Maple Leafs. Sure, the Leafs are awful, but Kempe has been on fire. He has 17 goals and 17 assists over his last 30 games.
DEFENSEMEN
Dmitry Orlov, SAN vs. CHI ($3,800): Orlov is on a five-game point streak, and he's also notched seven shots on net over his last two contests. On the year he's tallied 34 points in 75 contests, and he plays on the top pairing for the Sharks. Chicago has been excellent at killing penalties, but that's about it. The 'Hawks have given up 30.4 shots on goal per game, and they have a 3.22 GAA as well.
Louis Crevier, CHI at SAN ($3,200): This matchup is quite good, as the Sharks have the second-highest GAA in the NHL. The only question is who from Chicago's blue line to roster. Owing to injuries, you might as well take a shot on Crevier. Over his last 10 outings he has six points and 18 shots on net. Also, he's blocked at least three shots in each of his last four games. Somebody has to play a lot of minutes for this team, and if that's Crevier, he has a lot of potential.
