This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
GOALIE
Matt Murray, PIT vs. NJ ($8,300): It's best not to overthink this. Murray is the best goalie on ice Monday, having won 10 of his past 11 games, and the Pens are poised to make a strong run in the second half of the season. Laurent Brossoit ($7,900) and the Jets have the upper hand against the Flyers, but Carter Hart ($7,400) has shown he can steal games. The Devils have scored just four goals in their past three games and continue to be without the services of top sniper Taylor Hall.
CENTER
Evgeni Malkin, PIT vs. NJ ($6,500): Unlike Sidney Crosby ($7,300), Malkin did not have to take part in the All-Star Game, which means the big Russian should be well-rested and continue to dominate the Devils. Malkin has 51 points in 54 career games against them, and Travis Zajac alone can't handle both Crosby and Malkin. That means Malkin will likely go head-to-head against Pavel Zacha, and even though he's scored just one assist in two games against the Devils this season, Malkin certainly has the upper hand.
Sean Couturier, PHI vs. WPG ($5,200): Couturier will be looking to stretch his point streak to seven games after scoring 10 points in six games prior to the break. The Jets defense hasn't been as stalwart and the goaltending hasn't been as reliable this season, which makes Couturier a potential value play. If Claude Giroux draws the top pairing, that certainly makes this a little easier for Couturier, who has been one of the Flyers' most consistent scorers this season.
WING
Patrik Laine, WPG at PHI ($6,100): Laine has been excellent on the road this season, scoring 16 of his 25 goals away from the 'Peg. With just four goals in his past 24 games, Laine's been ice cold, but he certainly has the ability to score a lot in a very short amount of time, and as good as Carter Hart has been for the Flyers, it's their defense that they should be worried about. It's open season for Laine if the defense can't contain him, and in their previous matchup Laine notched two assists.
Travis Konecny, PHI vs. WPG ($4,500): He's been riding shotgun on the top line for quite some time and the pesky two-way forward has generally been pretty good on offense, on pace to at least match last year's 47-point total. There is a strong value proposition at this price for Konecny and for Wayne Simmonds ($4,300).
Jesper Bratt, NJ at PIT ($4,100): Like Konency, the value proposition for Bratt and Marcus Johansson ($4,300) is that they play on the top line. Bratt has a bit more upside and scored two points against the Ducks prior to the break, though Johansson plays a bigger role and in more situations. It's worth noting, however, that Bratt's role has also grown steadily as the season progresses and through 10 games in January is averaging close to 16 minutes per game.
DEFENSE
Josh Morrissey, WPG at PHI ($5,200): If Dustin Byfuglien plays, he's the better pick, but for now Morrissey remains the top power-play quarterback. His offense isn't nearly as dynamic as Byfuglien or Kris Letang's, but the Flyers' penalty killing has been atrocious. Jacob Trouba ($5,100) is also a viable option, but that extra 30 seconds of power-play time is worth the $100 premium.
Travis Sanheim, PHI vs. WPG ($3,600): The Flyers run a five-forward set on their first unit so Sanheim's opportunities to contribute will be limited, but it's a cheap way to get some power-play exposure. The Devils and Pens both have top-notch penalty killing units so the value proposition isn't great, and at least Sanheim has done a better job of shooting and blocking shots than Shayne Gostisbehere this season.
