DraftKings NHL: Monday Breakdown

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Published on October 21, 2019

SLATE PREVIEW

There are four games in the NHL on Monday, and every team is rested after having Sunday off. Additionally, only Toronto and Vegas suit up Tuesday, so look for No. 1 goalies and minimal lineup surprises. The Stars and Maple Leafs are both significant favorites, whereas St. Louis and Vegas are slightly favored on home ice.

GOALIES

Interestingly, the two most expensive goalies, Frederik Andersen ($8,400) and Ben Bishop ($8,200) haven't posted impressive numbers to start the campaign. Anderson's .902 save percentage and 3.09 GAA are eyesores, and while Bishop's .913 and 2.58 marks are definitely more impressive, he's won just two of seven starts. Toronto and Dallas look promising on paper, but you're paying for their goaltending services.

Those high prices look all the more cumbersome with Marc-Andre Fleury ($7,800) rested and coming off a 30.3 DraftKings point showing on Saturday against the Penguins. He's off to a 6-2-1 start with a .934 save percentage and 2.18 GAA, and the Flyers have scored just 1.64 goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five this season -- second lowest in the league.

Another road netminder to consider, Philipp Grubauer ($7,500) has been off since allowing four goals in a road win over Florida on Friday. The Avs sport a 7-0-1 record, and even playing the fifth tilt of a six-game road trip, it's hard to ignore Grubauer at this price. After all, the Blues rank second last in expected goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five (1.81) to start the campaign.

VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS

With Ottawa allowing the most goals per 60 minutes dating back to the beginning of last season, expect Joe Pavelski ($4,100) to be a chalky option Monday. The veteran entered the campaign with six consecutive 60-point showings, so with just a single goal and assist through 10 outings with the Stars it's been a slow start. This is a slump-busting matchup for Pavelski, and his role on the No. 1 power-play boosts his upside.

Considering Jaden Schwartz ($4,500) has marked the scoresheet in six of eight games, including four consecutive, his price appears a little low. He skates on the top line and No. 1 power-play unit, after all.

FORWARD LINE STACKS

Toronto head coach Mike Babcock can be finicky, and he's reluctant to commit to sending Auston Matthews ($8,200) and Mitch Marner ($7,300) out on the ice together consistently is a point of contention for Maple Leafs fans, especially with John Tavares ($6,700) sidelined. However, the duo shared the ice for 14:55 during Saturday's win and scored twice. Over the past three seasons, they've combined for 8.04 goals per 60 minutes and 16.1 high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes, too. Loading up Matthews and Marner as a mini stack is in play, even if they're not projected to start the game on the same line.

Through his first two seasons with Dallas, Alexander Radulov ($6,200) combined with Tyler Seguin ($7,200) for 5.1 goals per hour. This season the duo has clicked for just 2.7.With the noted favorable matchup, loading up Seguin, Radulov and linemate Jason Dickinson ($3,700) will likely be a popular stack. It's also an affordable trio with Dickenson softening the cap hit.

The Maple Leafs have surrendered a healthy 3.28 goals per 60 minutes this season, and Columbus' No. 1 line doesn't break the bank. Pierre-Luc Dubois ($4,700), Cam Atkinson ($6,700) and Gustav Nyquist ($4,200) also skate together on the No. 1 power-play unit, and there's position regression ahead of Columbus' current 13.7 power-play percentage.

The Golden Knights are a daunting opponent, but Philadelphia's reunited Sean Couturier ($5,800), Claude Giroux ($5,400) and Travis Konecny ($5,800), and the trio has clicked for an impressive 4.1 goals per 60 minutes and a dominant 59.0 Corsi For percentage at even strength. The Flyers' No. 1 line has contrarian appeal, and all three skate together with the man advantage, too.

DEFENSEMEN

After recording five points through the first six games of the season, Shea Theodore ($5,200) has been held of the scoresheet in three consecutive games. He continues to skate with the No. 1 power-play unit and has eight shots during the three-game drought while logging a career-high 21:43 of ice time per contest (4:02 with the man advantage) for the campaign.

Now sporting a six-game point drought, Tyson Barrie's ($4,700) salary has dropped into profit territory. He's logging 22:15 of ice time per contest and quarterbacking the No. 2 power-play unit, so the opportunity is there. Additionally, his current 1.2 points per 60 minutes is trailing significantly behind his elite 1.86 mark over the previous three years.

Still searching for his first point of the campaign, Shayne Gostisbehere ($4,100) has registered nine shots through his past two games. Often an uptick in shot volume leads to offensive production, and Gostisbehere's too talented to continue struggling. Facing the Golden Knights is a tough matchup, though.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Neil Parker plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: naparker77, DraftKings: naparker77.