This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
There is going to be a mix of busy days and light days for the NHL this Thanksgiving week. For example, there were two games Sunday, and there will be two games Tuesday, but there are 10 games Monday. Here are my lineup recommendations on the DFS front.
SLATE PREVIEW
All four teams that played Sunday were on a back-to-back, so zero teams are in that situation Monday. Three of the worst defensive teams, and four of the best offensive teams, as measured by goals per game are in action, though.
GOALIES
Juuse Saros, NAS vs. ARI ($8,500): Saros may have a .906 save percentage this season, but he has a career .919 save percentage. He does have a .916 save percentage over his last six games as well. The Coyotes have averaged 2.56 goals and 24.1 shots on net per game, so this matchup should help Saros get his numbers back to business as usual for the Finn.
Jordan Binnington, STL vs. ANA ($8,400): It's been a seesaw of a season for Binnington. He started hot, played brutally, and now has a 2.36 GAA and .933 save percentage over his last six starts. One of those starts? An easy win over this Ducks team that is bottom-five in both goals per game and GAA, making this a strong bet for a victory for Binnington.
Jacob Markstrom, CGY at PHI ($8,300): Markstrom has had a tough year, posting an .887 save percentage after he had a .922 save percentage last year. That does show us how good he can be, though. The Flames have only allowed 28.1 shots on net per contest, so that helps. Also, the Flyers have only averaged 2.56 goals per game as well.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Adam Ruzicka, CGY at PHI ($4,300): Ruzicka got called up, was slotted on the first line, and has paid off for the Flames. He has eight points in six games, though his 33.3 shooting percentage is going to drop off, obviously. Speaking of dropping off, Carter Hart has been shelled all season thanks to a defense that has allowed 34.1 shots on net per game. Perhaps he's worn out, as he has a 3.73 GAA and .873 save percentage over his last five starts.
Mikael Granlund, NAS vs. ARI ($3,600): Granlund is typically a playmaker first, and he does indeed have 12 assists this season. However, his one goal comes on a 3.7 shooting percentage, so some better puck luck should arrive. The Coyotes have a 3.63 GAA and have allowed 34.8 shots on net per contest. That could turn Granlund's shooting luck around.
Erik Haula, NJD vs. EDM ($3,100): Haula is getting to play on a line with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt, and he has a point in three of his last four games. However, on the season he has a 2.3 shooting percentage. That is a number essentially guaranteed to improve. The Oilers definitely look better if Stuart Skinner is in net, but either way the defense has allowed 34.7 shots on net per contest.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Blues vs. Ducks
Robert Thomas (C - $4,000), Jordan Kyrou (W - $5,000), Pavel Buchnevich (W - $4,500)
The rebuilding Ducks look the part defensively, which is unfortunate given that they have veteran goalies in net. Anaheim has a 4.33 GAA and has given up a whopping 38.1 shots on net per contest. Oh, and the Ducks have the league's worst penalty kill for good measure. If Vladimir Tarasenko is back from his illness, this line actually probably won't be together Monday. How things are shuffled in such a scenario is unknown, though, and the key thing here is locking in on three Blues forwards, all of whom are also on the second unit on the power play at the moment as well.
Thomas has three multi-point games in his last six outings. On the year he has 11 assists after he broke through with 57 last season. Kyrou has six goals and six assists in 17 games. He's also put 54 shots on goal, most on the Blues. Buchnevich has shaken off the rust after returning from an injury, tallying nine points in his last six games. That includes four points against these same Ducks.
Golden Knights at Canucks
William Karlsson (C - $4,500), Jonathan Marchessault (W - $6,400), Reilly Smith (W - $4,900)
The Canucks had an issue last year, and that was a penalty kill that ranked last. This year, the penalty kill ranks 31st, but they have more problems than that. Vancouver actually wasn't that bad overall defensively last season, and the goaltending was solid. This year, the Canucks have a 3.89 GAA, third highest in the NHL, and the goaltending is not saving them. Now, one need not get a lot of power play time to excel in this matchup.
Karlsson is never going to have another season like his first with Vegas when he had 45 goals and 33 assists. However, he could replicate his second campaign in the desert when he had 56 points. This far, the Swede has 13 points in 19 games. Marchessault is the one guy on this line that plays on the first power-play unit, and he has five points with the extra man. He's also put 62 shots on net, putting him on pace to have over 200 shots on net for the fifth time in six seasons. Smith has seven goals in his last eight games, and that including two on the power play. His issue in the past has been staying on the ice, but right now he's healthy and playing second-line minutes.
DEFENSEMEN
Alex Pietrangelo, VGK at VAN ($7,300): The Vegas power play has been propelled by Pietrangelo at the point. He's averaged 2:51 per game with the extra man and has seven power-play points. Since Vancouver has the second-worst penalty kill in the NHL, this matchup is right up his alley.
Justin Faulk, STL vs. ANA ($6,400): If we're talking putting pucks on net – and against the team that has allowed the most of those per game we certainly are – we have to talk Faulk. He's racked up 51 shots on net in 17 games, second most on the Blues of any player. That level of activity against a team battling the Blue Jackets as the worst in the NHL defensively speaking is enticing to be sure.
Mario Ferraro, SAN vs. OTT ($2,700): Looking for an option on a lower salary than Erik Karlsson, I landed on Ferraro. He's second on the Sharks in ice time behind Karlsson (23:16 per game) and has averaged 1:13 per contest with the extra man. The 24-year-old will face a defense that has a 3.47 GAA and has allowed 34.1 shots on net per game. It's a swing, but there is opportunity for upside here.
