This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The decorations are up. The candy is bought Your Monday night can be dedicated to watching NHL hockey. And playing some DFS contests, of course. There are nine games taking place Monday, all starting at 7 p.m. ET or later. Here are my players to target, and to avoid, for your lineups.
GOALIE
Connor Ingram, ARI vs. CHI ($24): The Coyotes are one step ahead on their rebuild compared to the Blackhawks, and that can mean a lot. Ingram's first two starts of the season went quite well, but then he was trounced on the road against the Kings. That's a Kings team that has averaged 4.38 goals per game, though. Chicago has averaged a mere 2.25 goals per contest, not to mention only 25.9 shots on net per game as well.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Carter Hart, PHI vs. CAR ($28): We get teased by Hart on occasion, but it never lasts. He may have a .924 save percentage to start this campaign, but he came into this season with a career .906 save percentage. Carolina's goaltending has let it down thus far, but the offense is holding up its end of the bargain. The Hurricanes have averaged 3.67 goals per game, as well as 35.3 shots on net per contest.
CENTER
William Karlsson, VGK vs. MON ($18): The Golden Knights are probably the deepest team in the league down the middle. Karlsson is their third-line center, and he's on a six-game point streak. If a team is lucky to have a 3.25 GAA, that's not good, and I'd say the Canadiens are lucky to have a 3.25 GAA. Their defense has given up 36.5 shots on net per game and has relied on Jake Allen to stand on his head, something seasons' worth of track record indicates won't continue.
CENTER TO AVOID
Aleksander Barkov, FLA at BOS ($27): Sometimes, you have to go to Boston. It's never ideal for an offense. The Bruins led the NHL in GAA comfortably last year, and this season they have a 1.50 GAA. Barkov, who just had his worst game of the season after missing a contest with an illness, likely won't bounce back in this matchup.
WING
Bryan Rust, PIT vs. ANA ($19): Rust has flipped the script from last season, as he's tallied five goals in eight games after turning his 9.5 shooting percentage from last year into a 19.2 shooting percentage to start this campaign. I assume that number settles somewhere between those two extremes, but Rust is hot to start the season. The Ducks have at least decided to only start John Gibson every other game this year, but he's in like to start Monday, and he has a .902 save percentage over the last five seasons.
Matias Maccelli, ARI vs. CHI ($18): Maccelli was a pleasant surprise last season, notching 49 points in 64 games in his rookie campaign. This year, he's on a four-game point streak, and he has five points even though his shooting percentage is only 7.7. Petr Mrazek has a 3.00 GAA, even with a .918 save percentage he's unlikely to sustain. That's because Chicago has allowed 34.4 shots on net per contest.
WINGS TO AVOID
Cole Caufield, MON at VGK ($23): Caufield has stayed healthy thus far, and he's produced as he has in the past when healthy, with nine points through eight games. The problem for him is that scoring on the Golden Knights has been quite tricky, regardless of which of their goalies has been in net. Vegas has a 2.22 GAA, and its defense is helping out by only allowing 28.8 shots on net per game.
Nikolaj Ehlers, WPG vs. NYR ($19): Ehlers has been a guy who has generated goals in the past from shooting a bunch, and this year he has put 23 shots on net through eight contests. He only has one goal, so some better puck luck will happen, and probably soon. I just don't think his fortunes turn around in this one. It hasn't just been hard to score on the Rangers – 2.00 GAA – but to even get pucks on net. New York has allowed a mere 25.9 shots on goal per game.
DEFENSE
Noah Dobson, NYI vs. DET ($23): Dobson is coming off a lackluster game against the Blue Jackets, but he's got seven points in seven contests so obviously he's generally been fine. I'm not expecting him to be Erik Karlsson this year, just the guy who average 13 goals and 50 points over the previous two seasons. The Red Wings have been operating under a "We'll just score more goals than you" philosophy, as Ville Husso has a 3.33 GAA and .894 save percentage that hasn't contributed much to victory.
Victor Hedman, TAM vs. SEA ($21): Hedman is out to prove last season was a blip in a Hall of Fame career. He has nine points in eight games, and it certainly helps that he's back on the top power-play unit. The Kraken have been middling on the penalty kill, certainly not worryingly good by any means, and have allowed 32.1 shots on net per contest. Seattle has also turned to Joey Daccord in net, who has a career .891 save percentage only 24 career games stretched across five seasons. I'm always skeptical of goalies who fail to grab a regular role in the NHL after so many opportunities.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Josh Morrissey, WPG vs. NYR ($21): Morrissey has provided confidence that last season wasn't a fluke, with seven points in eight games. Of course, Igor Shesterkin has proven himself to be quite legitimate in net himself. In his career he has a 2.39 GAA, a .923 save percentage, and one Vezina Trophy.
Zach Werenski, CLM at DAL ($19): Since returning from injury, Werenski has four points and 18 shots on net in five games. The presence of Jake Oettinger is foreboding, though. He has a .952 save percentage, and he also hasn't allowed more than two goals in a game.
