This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Well, at least the Denver Broncos have looked a bit better recently, so Monday Night Football could be a worthwhile watch. The NHL isn't providing a ton in terms of hockey to watch, with only two games on the slate (neither nationally televised). Even so, there are DFS contests to be won. Here are my players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Stuart Skinner, EDM vs. NYI ($27): The Oilers just fired head coach Jay Woodcroft. Could the team, unlucky as is, get a bit of a boost at home? Skinner has been awful, but the Islanders have only averaged 2.46 goals per game, 30th in the NHL. I don't like any of the goalies in line to start Monday, so I am betting on Edmonton winning and an offense that has looked bad continuing to struggle.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Philipp Grubauer, SEA vs. COL ($21): Even if the Kraken decide to go with Joey Daccord, I'd eschew him as I would eschew the former Avalanche netminder Grubauer. Colorado is banged up, but Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Cale Makar are all there. The Avalanche have averaged 3.23 goals and 34.0 shots on net per contest. Even on the road, I think they can handle Grubauer relatively easily.
CENTER
Brock Nelson, NYI at EDM ($17): I think even as I was recommending Skinner it was clear it isn't because I think he's about to stand on his head and blank the Islanders. It's more that I could see the Oilers winning 5-3. Nelson has six goals this season, but the fact I like just as much is that he has 43 shots on net through 13 outings. He'll be active, and he's scored over 35 goals in each of his last two campaigns.
CENTER TO AVOID
Matty Beniers, SEA vs. COL ($16): As you may have intuited, there isn't a matchup Monday that worries me all too much. Thus, finding players to avoid means taking a different approach. Beniers has four points in his last four games, including his first goal of the season. On the other hand, four of his seven points, including his goal, have come on the power play. The Avalanche, even with some struggles, have a top-10 penalty kill. I'd prefer other centers, and also other Kraken less reliant on the power play.
WING
Valeri Nichushkin, COL at SEA ($17): Nichushkin went cold after a hot start to the season, but he has two points and nine shots on net over his last three games, which is encouraging. He also has a spot next to MacKinnon on the first line, which helps. The Kraken have never had good goaltending in the history of the franchise, but in the past they made up for it by keeping shots off goal. Well, this year Seattle has allowed 31.3 shots on goal per game, and as such it has a 3.40 GAA.
Oliver Bjorkstrand, SEA vs. COL ($17): While five of Bjorkstrand's 12 points have come with the extra man, only two of his six goals have come on the power play. In the past with the Blue Jackets the Dane would routinely tally over 20 goals while barely playing with the extra man. The Avalanche have a major issue in net at the moment, with Alexandar Georgiev posting a 4.73 GAA and .842 save percentage over his last seven outings.
WINGS TO AVOID
Anders Lee, NYI at EDM ($12): Has Lee been unlucky? Well, his 3.4 shooting percentage certainly speaks to that being the case. However, he also has two points all season, none over his last eight games. Instead of waiting on Lee to improve and giving him opportunity conducive to that, he's been dropped to the third line and is off the power play. I'm not ready to buy him turning it around.
Jonathan Drouin, COL at SEA ($10): Before the season began, the last vestiges of those willing to believe in Drouin had their rallying cries. He just needed a change of scenery. Playing with MacKinnon would help. Drouin was the third-overall pick once upon a time. Some people have a hard time letting go of that. Well, he has two points and 15 shots on net in 11 games with the Avalanche. Let's face it: Drouin is a bust.
DEFENSE
Darnell Nurse, EDM vs. NYI ($17): Nurse has really been letting loose recently. He's put at least three shots on net in each of his last five games. The Islanders have been unexpectedly porous, having allowed 34.6 shots on net per contest. That, combined with some struggles in net and New York has a 3.08 GAA.
Vince Dunn, SEA vs. COL ($17): Dunn broke through with 14 goals and 50 assists last season. By the way, none of those 14 goals came on the power play. This year he's tallied 13 points in 15 contests, and he has put multiple shots on net in each of his last six outings. As noted, Georgiev has a 4.73 GAA and .842 save percentage across his last seven appearances.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Devon Toews, COL at SEA ($17): In the past, Toews has provided nice support to Cale Makar, putting up back-to-back 50-point seasons. He started well this year, but he has only one point over his last seven games. Toews also doesn't have a point yet on the power play.
Justin Schultz, SEA vs. COL ($14): Last year, Schultz chipped in 34 points in 73 games for the Kraken, but 13 of them came on the power play. As I noted, the Avalanche have performed well at killing penalties, if not elsewhere. This season, Schultz has two of his six points with the extra man, but he also has a 10.0 shooting percentage that is sure to come down as well.
