This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Monday's are now free to be overtaken by sports other than football! Well, at least until September. There are six NHL games on the slate, and here are my players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
David Rittich, LOS vs. SAN ($22): I don't fully buy into Rittich's 1.58 GAA and .937 save percentage since joining the Kings given his track record, but his numbers are what they are, and the Kings are one of the top teams in preventing shots. Most importantly, the Sharks are comfortably the worst team in the NHL. That includes ranking last in goals (2.04) and shots on net (25.5) per game.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG at BOS ($31): Hellebuyck may win the Vezina, but some matchups are tougher than others. Like, say, making the trip to Boston. The Bruins have averaged 3.47 goals per game, are healthy right now, and David Pastrnak is in peak form, which is saying something with his track record. This is a great matchup to watch as a fan, but not to invest in from a DFS perspective.
CENTER
Sam Bennett, FLA at NAS ($21): Bennett missed some time with injury, but he's currently centering a line with Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe. That's played a role in him tallying seven goals and five assists over his last 6 games. Five times in his last 12 outings, Juuse Saros has allowed five goals. He's had a tough season, and clearly is not in great form.
CENTER TO AVOID
Nico Hischier, NJD vs. VGK ($22): Hischier is healthy, unlike Jack Hughes at the moment, and he has 25 points in 33 games. That being said, he also has a 17.9 shooting percentage on the season, well above his 12.3 career number. Logan Thompson started the year strong before slipping, but he's back to looking robust in net. Over his last nine starts he has a 2.13 GAA and .931 save percentage.
WING
Adrian Kempe, LOS vs. SAN ($25): Kempe doesn't have a goal in his last seven games, but has three assists in that time. He still has 15 goals on the year, and his 11.5 shooting percentage has room to improve, especially since Kempe only has two power-play goals. The Sharks are last in goals per game, but also last in GAA, and now have the league's worst penalty kill as well.
Pavel Dorofeyev, VGK at NJD ($19): The rookie Dorofeyev has recently gotten a chance to skate on the second line next to Chandler Stephenson and Mark Stone, and also get power-play time. He has seven points in his last 11 games, so the Russian has earned the chance to keep this role. New Jersey has a 3.48 GAA, good for the young wing looking to make a splash in the NHL.
WINGS TO AVOID
Kyle Connor, WPG at BOS ($27): Connor returned from injury to find himself without his usual center Mark Scheifele, who is currently banged up. That hasn't kept him from firing shots on net, but those shots will likely be pointed toward Jeremy Swayman on Monday. Swayman has posted a 2.37 GAA and .923 save percentage.
Clayton Keller, ARI vs. PIT ($22): Keller's continuing to produce under the radar in the desert, but this year 18 of his 41 points have come on the power play. While the Penguins' power play has disappointed, they have a top-eight penalty kill. They also have Tristan Jarry, who has a 2.50 GAA and .915 save percentage.
DEFENSE
Filip Hronek, VAN vs. CHI ($22): Hronek's scoring has come in fits and starts after beginning the year hot, but he still has 36 points in 43 games, and he's averaged 23:34 per contest in ice time. Chicago has a 3.57 GAA and has allowed 32.5 shots on net per game, so Hronek could get back on the score sheet.
Alec Martinez, VGK at NJD ($20): While Martinez's standout statistic is his 95 blocked shots in only 29 games, he does have three assists in his last five contests. Interestingly, in that time he's also averaged 3:07 per game on the power play, quite unusual for him. Martinez's increased ice time against a team with a 3.48 GAA bodes well for the veteran.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Kris Letang, PIT at ARI ($22): Letang has 29 points in 43 games, but with Erik Karlsson around only two of them have come with the extra man. He's no longer the point person on the power play, and he'll see limited time against the Coyotes' below-average penalty kill. That makes things tougher against Connor Ingram, who has a 2.49 GAA and .919 save percentage.
Josh Morrissey, WPG at BOS ($21): Morrissey will likely not hit 76 points again, but his 33 points are impressive. However, Swayman has a 2.37 GAA and .923 save percentage. The Bruins also have the fifth-ranked penalty kill, so Morrissey isn't likely to get back on track on the power play, where he's actually struggled.
