This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
It's quiet Monday with five games on tap to kick off a jam-packed week that will feature a total of 55 games. The marquee matchups will be a divisional matchup between the Oilers and Flames, who are kicking off five-game week. The Flames' top line has carried the team all season and look for them to potentially dominate against the Oilers' mediocre goaltending.
Another matchup to keep an eye on is Maple Leafs at Blue Jackets, with both teams featuring a bevy of offensive talent and troublesome goaltending. In their past two meetings this season, they've combined to score 16 goals, so DFS managers look for offense may want to target this matchup.
GOALIES
Jeremy Swayman, BOS vs. LA ($8,100): Swayman should get the start after narrowly beating the Jackets in his last start, though Linus Ullmark is a viable option as well. The Kings have won two games in a row and have been a strong team on the road all season, but note this will be their third game in four days, and in their previous meeting the Bruins hammered them, 7-0.
Darcy Kuemper, COL at NYI ($8,300): Kuemper should be a popular pick because the Avs are the best team in the league and the Isles aren't particularly good at home. With a shortage of quality goaltending options for Monday's slate, there's no problem going with the obvious pick, and both the Panthers and Leafs face teams that have underrated offenses.
VALUE PLAYS
Nicholas Robertson, TOR at CBJ ($3,000): Robertson's season debut was rather quiet but he managed to score a goal in his fourth game after getting bumped up the lineup. He's expected to skate on the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander, and given Robertson's scoring talent, that's a much better fit for him than on the fourth line. The Jackets' goaltending is not particularly strong, and perhaps Robertson will be very motivated after older brother Jason Robertson scored hat trick in consecutive games.
Ryan McLeod, EDM at CGY ($3,500): McLeod gets a spin on Connor McDavid's line with Warren Foegele dropping to the third line, and he scored a goal while playing 20 minutes against the Habs in their previous game. Jay Woodcroft is mixing it up to see if he can get the right mix to snap the Oilers' out of their funk, though their woes aren't necessarily on offense. McLeod gets to play with the league's best offensive player and correspondingly gets a huge boost in fantasy value.
LINE STACKS
Sabres vs. Panthers
Tage Thompson (C - $7,000), Jeff Skinner (W - $6,400), Alex Tuch (W - $7,200)
Scrap this line stack if Tuch is out, who left Sunday's game against the Kings and his status is questionable. If he does play, the Sabres' top line has been one of the league's best thanks to a breakout season from Thompson and Skinner re-discovering his scoring touch. The Panthers play a pretty wide-open style and that means opportunities for the Sabres' top line to create scoring chances from turnovers and off the rush. The teams combined for 11 goals in their previous meeting.
Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs
Boone Jenner (W - $7,000), Gustav Nyquist (W - $4,800), Patrik Laine (W - $7,600)
Note Jenner is listed as a winger even though he's been centering this line for a while. The key to this line is Laine, of course, who is looking to extend his point streak to four games. The Leafs' defense and goaltending will certainly be susceptible to Laine's scoring touch, and if DFS managers have to pick just two wingers, Jenner would be the one to axe. Jenner has been more productive but Nyquist's play might be picking up after snapping a six-game point drought.
DEFENSEMEN
Rasmus Dahlin, BUF vs. FLA ($6,100): Dahlin notched an assist in their last meeting and has scored 12 points in his past 12 games. Both teams feature some high-end offensive talent and plenty of scoring chances. The only defenseman who definitely has a higher offensive ceiling than Dahlin for Monday's slate is Cale Makar.
Morgan Rielly, TOR at CBJ ($6,100): The Leafs have been up and down but Rielly has been pretty consistent throughout. He logs a ton of minutes on a good team and in his past three games has scored two assists and 10 shots on goal. In two previous games against the Jackets this season, Rielly already registered four helpers.
