This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Monday is the first day of April, so you can start the work week and the month on a high note. How? Through DFS success! There are eight NHL games on the slate Monday. Here are my players to target, and to avoid, for your lineups.
GOALIE
Justus Annunen, COL at CLM ($20): Alexandar Georgiev is still the number-one goalie for the Avalanche, but Annunen is starting to grab more playing time. He's earning more and more of it as well. Through 10 appearances he has a 2.18 GAA and .932 save percentage. Annunen's track record is brief, but this matchup is worth taking on shot on him. Columbus is 25th in goals per game and heading in the wrong direction.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TAM vs. DET ($35): If you were doing the whole "blind resume" thing, and you saw a goalie with a 2.85 GAA and .900 save percentage facing a team that has averaged 3.31 goals per contest, would you shell out for the highest salary among goalies to roster them? I wouldn't. That's the case with Vasilevskiy, though. He's been great in the past, but this has been a poor season for him.
CENTER
Mathew Barzal, NYI at PHI ($19): Barzal has 74 points in 72 games, which is a good starting point. He's also put 214 shots on net, with 27 of them coming in his last eight outings. The Flyers don't allow many shots, but the ones that get to Samuel Ersson have been a struggle for him. He has an .892 save percentage, and in March he had a 3.50 GAA as well.
CENTER TO AVOID
Evgeni Malkin, PIT vs. NYR ($24): Recently, Malkin had two power-play goals, but those were his first power-play points in 15 games. Also, they came against the Blue Jackets. The Rangers have the fourth-ranked penalty kill, so I don't expect Malkin to strike with the extra man again. Plus, Igor Shesterkin has a 2.17 GAA and .934 save percentage in his last 16 outings.
WING
Jordan Eberle, SEA at SAN ($18): Eberle has three points in his last four games, giving him 41 on the season. Of course, this is largely about the matchup. The Sharks have a 3.96 GAA. Columbus, in 31st, has a 3.65 GAA.
Joel Farabee, PHI vs. NYI ($10): Farabee's in a cold stretch, but he still has 49 points on the season. Crucially, he's also still on the top power-play unit. He's averaged 3:27 per game with the extra man in his last 11 outings. The Islanders have the league's worst penalty kill. That could help Farabee get back on track.
WINGS TO AVOID
Kyle Connor, WPG vs. LOS ($27): Connor has another 30-goal season, and he's done that in only 58 games. However, the Kings are fifth in shots on net allowed per game, and Cam Talbot has a 2.44 GAA and .916 save percentage. Los Angeles also has the second-ranked penalty kill, and 17 of Connor's 50 points have come with the extra man.
Evander Kane, EDM at STL ($21): The Oilers have a dynamic offense. Kane's salary may lead you to believe he's been part of that, but…he kind of hasn't. In fact, over his last 19 games he only has four points, all assists. Jordan Binnington has a 2.83 GAA and .912 save percentage all in all, but at home he has a 2.48 GAA and .922 save percentage.
DEFENSE
Devon Toews, COL at CLM ($19): Cale Makar is the star of the show on the Avalanche blue line, but Toews is the Best Supporting Actor type. He's had 50 points in his last two seasons, and he has 45 points so far this year. That includes 13 points in his last 15 games as well. I mentioned earlier the Blue Jackets have a 3.65 GAA. Now it's more apropos.
Cam York, PHI vs. NYI ($17): York's on a point drought, but he still has 10 points in his last 17 games. In that time, he's also averaged 2:57 per contest with the extra man. As noted, the Islanders have the league's worst penalty kill.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Erik Karlsson, PIT at NYR ($24): The Karlsson trade has not quite panned out for the Penguins. He has three points in his last 17 games, and the Penguins have even bumped him down to the second power-play unit. While the Russian defenseman is struggling to find his form, Shesterkin has a .934 save percentage in his last 16 contests.
Matt Roy, LOS at WPG ($19): Connor Hellebuyck has had some tough outings recently. The problem for Roy is that Laurent Brossoit is getting the start Monday. He has a 2.05 GAA and .927 save percentage. Another problem for Roy is Drew Doughty is around. The Jets have the league's 24th-ranked penalty kill, but Roy has averaged all of 11 seconds per game with the extra man.
