This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
It's a quiet Monday with three games on tap, which means there won't be a lot of options to pick from. Goalies in the Maple Leafs at Capitals game should be avoided due to both teams' vaunted offenses, while the Bruins at Kings matchup might end up being a low-scoring, grinding affair.
That leaves Canucks at Devils, with the advantage going to the Canucks thanks to their three-game winning streak and an offense that has really woken up from a slumber.
GOALIES
Linus Ullmark, BOS at LA ($8,100): The Bruins have won four straight, including the first two games of their current six-game road trip with Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman splitting the wins. Both goalies would be good options against the Kings, who could put up a strong fight but are still 14-11-2 at home while the B's have been one of the league's best road teams at 15-7-3. It should be a tough matchup but the numbers favor the Bruins ever so slightly.
Jaroslav Halak, VAN at NJ ($7,500): Thatcher Demko was brilliant in Sunday's win against the Rangers and it's unlikely he'll start on consecutive nights, leaving Halak to tend the nets. The Canucks have won three straight in convincing fashion and have lost just once over the past two weeks. Halak's biggest problem this season was lack of goal support; with 17 goals in their past three games, that shouldn't be a problem.
VALUE PLAYS
Jake DeBrusk, BOS at LA ($5,300): It's a little expensive considering how unreliable DeBrusk can be, but he's certainly on a heater now with a four-game point streak. His ice time is limited because they don't trust him a whole lot, but note he's playing on the top line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand.
Vasili Podkolzin, VAN at NJ ($3,700): An injury to Jason Dickinson forced Bruce Boudreau to shuffle his lines, and that involved moving Podkolzin to a line with Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat. Though the rookie winger didn't register a point, for the second straight game he played 15 minutes. Podkolzin is a sneaky value play but his low point total (13) masks how reliable he's been, missing only three games, and he might get some good scoring chances against the Devils' mediocre goaltending.
Nick Robertson, TOR at WSH ($3,000): Robertson played just nine minutes in his season debut and finished with no points and three shots even though the Leafs scored 10 goals. Game flow meant the Leafs had to rely on their top line to score goals after being down big early in the game, and perhaps Robertson will get more playing time in his second game against a team that hasn't played particularly well.
LINE STACKS
Capitals vs. Maple Leafs
Lars Eller (C - $4,300), Connor McMichael (W - $3,600), T.J. Oshie (W - $5,700)
It's tempting to stack Alex Oveckin's line but this one has some upside as well, with Oshie on the top power play unit and Eller and McMichael on the second unit. It's unlikely the Leafs' goaltending suddenly improves overnight, and their performance against the Wings was all-time levels of bad, continuing a troublesome trend as both Jack Campbell and Petr Mrazek show signs of fatigue and/or inconsistency.
DEFENSEMEN
Quinn Hughes, VAN at NJ ($6,100): Hughes' four-game point streak was snapped Sunday against the Rangers, but he continues to play a vital role on offense and finished with four shots. The Devils' goaltending should be easier to beat, and there's also the added motivation of playing against younger brother Jack Hughes.
Damon Severson, NJ vs. VAN ($6,200): Note that even with the return of Dougie Hamilton, the Devils seem to be sticking with Severson on the top power play unit. He scored two assists last game against the Blackhawks, giving him nine points in his past seven games. Halak should be a much easier matchup than Demko, and the Canucks penalty kill ranks among the worst in the league.
