This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Take a breather from all that college basketball with some hockey Monday. There are five NHL games on the slate. I've got recommendations for your lineup, and also recommendations for players you may want to avoid Monday. Let's get to it!
GOALIE
Mike Smith, EDM vs. ARI ($21): This is fully a bet on matchup. Smith, and Mikko Koskinen, have both had poor seasons. However, the Coyotes have managed 2.58 goals and a league-low 25.6 shots on net per contest. They are also on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. At the very least, if Smith gets the start he should get the win, and it shouldn't be too tough of a game either.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Thatcher Demko, VAN at STL ($32): Demko has a 2.66 GAA and .917 save percentage, even though the Canucks have the league's worst penalty kill. However, the Blues have scored 3.50 goals per game, and they also have the fourth-ranked power play. This could be a tough one for Demko.
CENTER
Jonathan Toews, CHI vs. BUF ($18): Toews has had a couple rough years, but he's had himself a nice stretch recently. Over his last 11 games he's tallied nine points. The Sabres have a 3.48 GAA and have allowed 33.9 shots on goal per contest, and they are also on the second night of a back-to-back as well.
CENTER TO AVOID
Nicklas Backstrom, WAS vs. CAR ($15): Backstrom has settled in nicely on Washington's second line after returning from injury, and he still gets to play with Alex Ovechkin on the power play. That being said, this is arguably as tough of a matchup as a player can face. The Hurricanes have a league-low 2.37 GAA and have only allowed 28.7 shots on net per contest. They also have the league's top penalty kill, and 12 of Backstrom's 26 points have come with an extra man.
WING
Viktor Arvidsson, LOS vs. SEA ($22): Arvidsson has gotten down to business since returning from injury. Over two games he has an assist and seven shots on net. The Swede has been a prolific shooter, as he has 190 shots on net in 52 games. While Seattle doesn't allow a ton of shots, due to poor goaltending it has a 3.55 GAA.
Kailer Yamamoto, EDM vs. ARI ($17): Over his last nine games Yamamoto has seven goals and five assists. The perks of playing with Connor McDavid. Arizona is bottom five in GAA, shots on net allowed per contest, and penalty-kill percentage. Their goaltending situation is also worse now that Scott Wedgewood is in Dallas, and when not having Scott Wedgewood around qualifies as a problem, you know your situation in goal is bleak.
WINGS TO AVOID
Andrei Svechnikov, CAR at WAS ($23): Svechnikov had two goals in his last game, but that ended a nine-game goalless streak. He might put up another goose egg Monday. The Capitals have only allowed 29.3 shots on net per contest, and Vitek Vanecek has a 2.45 GAA and .917 save percentage.
Tom Wilson, WAS vs. CAR ($17): Wilson has set a new career high in points, perhaps in part because he's also going to set career highs in ice time and power-play time. Speaking of career-best numbers, though, Frederik Andersen has a 2.07 GAA and .926 save percentage. In this battle of career-best campaigns, I'm tilted toward Andersen, and thereby against Wilson.
DEFENSE
Sean Durzi, LOS vs. SEA ($17): With Drew Doughty out, Durzi has taken on a big role on the power play. He's averaged 3:27 per game with the extra man in his last seven games, tallying four power-play points in that time. The Kraken, for their part, have the 29th-ranked penalty kill.
Nick Leddy, STL vs. VAN ($14): The Blues dealt for Leddy and what did they do? Immediately place him on the top power-play unit since Torey Krug is out. Through three games Leddy has averaged 3:27 with the extra man. As I noted, the Canucks have the league's worst penalty kill, giving Leddy an opportunity to pick up his first power-play point with his new team.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Quinn Hughes, VAN at STL ($20): Hughes has racked up a lot of points, especially on the power play. He's tallied 27 of his 53 points with the extra man. However, the Blues have the seventh-ranked penalty kill. Also, Ville Husso has a 2.43 GAA and .922 save percentage in net for St. Louis.
Vince Dunn, SEA at LOS ($16): Dunn recently had a five-game point streak ended by…the Kings. I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case again Monday. The Kings have been stingy defensively, having allowed a league-low 28.4 shots on net per contest.
