This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
The final day of January brings us five games. Want to end the month, and start your work week, with some DFS NHL success? Hopefully these recommendations will help on that front. Let's end January with a bang!
SLATE PREVIEW
Only one team is on a back-to-back, but it's an enticing matchup. The Blue Jackets are at home, but they were in Montreal on Sunday. They are in the bottom three in GAA and will be facing Florida's high-flying offense. Spoiler alert for my line stack coming later.
GOALIES
Marc-Andre Fleury, CHI vs. VAN ($7,900): It's been an up-and-down season for Fleury, who won the Vezina last year. Recently, he's had some more "up" in the mix. Over his last nine starts he has a 2.57 GAA and .915 save percentage. The Canucks have scored a mere 2.43 goals per game, bottom five in the NHL, so I am hoping for another "up" performance at home from "Flower."
John Gibson, ANA at DET ($7,600): Since returning from a five-game absence, Gibson has an 1.78 GAA and .949 save percentage. Overall, he has a 2.51 GAA and .922 save percentage. The Red Wings rank 24th in goals per game, which isn't terrible but also isn't good, but they've only put 29.3 shots on net per contest.
VALUE PLAYS
Trevor Zegras, ANA at DET ($6,300): In addition to making highlight-reel plays, Zegras has started 73.7 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. That's highest among healthy Anaheim players (get well soon, Sonny Milano). He's also been seeing a lot of power-play time recently, as he's averaged 3:06 with the extra man in 11 games since returning from an absence. Alex Nedeljkovic, meanwhile, has been struggling recently. Over his last 12 games he has a 3.38 GAA and .896 save percentage.
Michael Bunting, TOR vs. NJD ($3,500): I'm not recommending Bunting because he just got a hat trick against the Red Wings (though I did recommend him prior to that game, fortunately). No, it's because he's playing on Auston Matthews' wing, which is helpful for him in terms of keeping his fantasy value high. After all, prior to that hat trick he had five points in his previous seven games. Assuming Mackenzie Blackwood isn't back from his heel injury, Jon Gillies will be in net. He has a 2.93 GAA and .907 save percentage.
Dylan Strome, CHI vs. VAN ($3,300): Strome has tallied 11 points in his last nine games. That include five points with the extra man. I wanted to highlight those given this matchup. The Canucks rank last in the NHL on the penalty kill.
LINE STACK TO CONSIDER
Panthers at Blue Jackets: Aleksander Barkov (C - $7,800), Carter Verhaeghe (W - $4,400), Owen Tippett (W - $2,500)
The Blue Jackets are in the bottom five in both GAA and shots on net per contest. Joonas Korpisalo started Sunday, which likely means Elvis Merzlikins in net for this one. He has a 3.80 GAA and .900 save percentage over his last 12 games. Oh, and the Blue Jackets are the only team on the second leg of a back-to-back Monday.
Jonathan Huberdeau is overshadowing Barkov on account of the fact he is vying for the Art Ross, but Barkov has been no slouch. Over his last 15 games he's tallied 19 points. That includes 10 goals on 58 shots on net. His 17.2 shooting percentage in that time is actually lower than his 18.7 shooting percentage on the season, so he hasn't even necessarily been that lucky. Verhaeghe had 36 points in 43 games last year. This year, he has 36 points in…44 games. Clearly, last year wasn't a fluke, but a legitimate breakout campaign. Tippett had a lot of potential when he was taken 10th overall, but he hasn't had his own breakout season yet. He has 13 points in 39 games this year, but mostly he hasn't been skating on Florida's top line. This move, if it sticks, could really benefit him.
DEFENSE
Thomas Chabot, OTT vs. EDM ($7,800): Chabot has averaged 27:08 in ice time and 3:38 with the extra man, so I'm a little surprised he only has 21 points in 38 games. Of course, there's an answer to that, and it's his 1.9 shooting percentage. Both of his goals have come in his last 12 outings, so maybe his luck is turning around. Now he faces an Oilers team with a 3.30 GAA that has also allowed 32.5 shots on net per contest.
MacKenzie Weegar, FLA at CLM ($5,400): After a cold spell, Weegar picked up an assist in his last game. That gives him 26 points in 45 games, so clearly he was playing well before going cold. That's with a 2.8 shooting percentage as well, the lowest of his career. Facing a struggling goalie in Merzlikins who is behind a team on the second leg of a back-to-back, so Weegar may be able to get on the score sheet in back-to-back games.
Kevin Shattenkirk, ANA at DET ($5,200): Shattenkirk has 26 points in 47 games, most among Anaheim defenseman. Of course, we're talking about Shattenkirk, so naturally 12 of those points have come on the power play. The Red Wings have a bottom-10 penalty kill, but don't forget about Nedeljkovic's struggles recently.
