This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
There are no NBA games Monday, on account of the big Kansas and North Carolina college hoops contest, but there are four NHL games. Hockey takes a backseat to nobody! Here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Ville Husso, STL vs. ARI ($25): Even though Husso has slipped a bit recently, this is still a slam dunk. For starters, Husso does have a 2.45 GAA and .922 save percentage. Second, the Coyotes are last in both goals and shots on net per contest, and are also on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. There isn't an easier matchup possible.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TAM vs. TOR ($29): The Maple Leafs have absolutely surged offensively. In fact, they've scored 3.76 goals per game, which is second most in the NHL. Vasilevskiy is a reliable goalie and has a .919 save percentage, but Auston Matthews has 51 goals, so…
CENTER
Erik Haula, BOS at CLM ($18): Getting to center a line with David Pastrnak and Taylor Hall on your wings has its perks. In fact, over his last six games Haula has tallied 10 points. The Blue Jackets have a 3.74 GAA, and they've also allowed 35.4 shots on net per contest. Haula could easily add to that recent hot streak.
CENTER TO AVOID
Nick Schmaltz, ARI at STL ($20): Schmaltz has done well this year, with 48 points in 50 games, and he's currently been moved to the wing on Arizona's top line where Clayton Keller was stationed. That being said, he's done that with a 21.3 shooting percentage, and his career shooting percentage is 13.9. Also, Schmaltz is on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back, and Husso does have a 2.45 GAA and .922 save percentage.
WING
Vladimir Tarasenko, STL vs. ARI ($22): Tarasenko has started 57.8 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, highest among St. Louis forwards. He's also tallied 18 points with the extra man. Arizona is in the bottom five in GAA, shots on net allowed per game, and penalty-kill percentage. Also, its current backup is Harri Sateri, a 32-year-old they picked up off of waivers in March.
Alex Killorn, TAM vs. TOR ($15): Killorn has notched a point in three of his last four games. That's gotten him to 52 points on the season. Jack Campbell just returned from his rib injury, but he didn't necessarily look like the time off fixed everything, as he allowed three goals on 32 shots. Over his last 16 games he has a 3.94 GAA and .874 save percentage.
WINGS TO AVOID
Patrik Laine, CLM vs. BOS ($19): Laine is having a bounce back campaign, though he also doesn't have a goal in his last six contests. This is not likely the matchup where he'll end that drought. Jeremy Swayman has a 2.23 GA and .920 save percentage. Also, the Bruins have only allowed 28.8 shots on net per contest.
Adrian Kempe, LOS vs. CGY ($18): These are two teams that don't allow a lot of shots, so neither goalie might be that busy. Even when Jacob Markstrom faces shots, he tends to do well with them, as he has a 2.19 GAA and .924 save percentage. The Flames also have the sixth-ranked penalty kill, and Kempe has tallied 12 of his 45 points on the power play.
DEFENSE
Charlie McAvoy, BOS at CLM ($21): McAvoy has a four-game point streak that includes three points with the extra man. He's been stellar on the power play this season, tallying 21 points on that from total. The Blues have a "relatively" good penalty kill, ranking 21st, but that relativity is based on the fact they are in the bottom three in both GAA and shots on net allowed per game.
Nick Leddy, STL vs. ARI ($14): Leddy has been placed on the top power-play unit with the Blues with Torey Krug out, and in his seven games with the team he's averaged 2:33 per contest with the extra man. And yet, none of his three points he has with St. Louis have come on the power play. The Coyotes have the 30th-ranked penalty kill and are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. Leddy could easily tally his first power-play point with the Blues.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Morgan Rielly, TOR at TAM ($22): Given the circumstances of Monday, and Rielly's salary, I might look elsewhere. Toronto has an elite offense, of course, and Rielly is a part of that. On the other hand, Vasilevskiy has a 2.37 GAA and .919 save percentage. The Maple Leafs are on the road as well, so while I think they could easily put a couple pucks past Vasilevskiy, I highly doubt it will be a big day for the Leafs offense, and for Rielly.
Sean Durzi, LOS vs. CGY ($16): Durzi is on the top power-play unit for the Kings with Drew Doughty out, and he's been quite power-play reliant this season. In fact, a full half of his points have come with the extra man. The Flames have the sixth-ranked penalty kill, so this matchup isn't ideal for Durzi.
