This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
This is your last chance to play daily NHL fantasy on a Monday for a little while, because the league is taking next Monday off. Try to make the most of your opportunities on this five-game slate, and we'll try to help you do so.
GOALIE
Cam Ward, CAR vs. DET ($7,500): After a bit of a rough patch, Ward made 23 saves on 24 shots in his last start, and on the season he still has a 2.30 GAA. Additionally, the Hurricanes are only allowing 27.5 shots per game. Meanwhile, the Red Wings are only scoring 2.31 goals per game, and they put a mere 28.2 shots on goal per contest. It's not a great day when it comes to finding value in net, but Ward seems like the best bang for your buck.
CENTER
Ryan Johansen, NAS at PHI ($6,000): The Flyers have been better defensively in December, but are still allowing 2.97 goals per game on the season, and Steve Mason has a .905 save percentage. Johansen, Nashville's top center, has put 72 shots on goal, and he has 10 power-play points. The Flyers have a pretty good penalty kill, but he has never had less than 20 power-play points in a full season, so you can probably trust his ability with the extra man.
Mikael Backlund, CGY at ARI ($5,500): Unlike Philadelphia, the Coyotes aren't showing any improvement defensively. On the season, Arizona is averaging 3.1 goals allowed, and a whopping 35.6 shots on net. Backlund may only have five goals, but he's put 78 shots on goal and is averaging 2:04 on the power play. There's a good chance he'll see an uptick in offense soon, and there's an even better chance of him being able to excel against the lowly Coyotes.
WING
Milan Lucic, EDM at STL ($6,100): Even though the Blues don't allow a ton of shots, they are still giving up 2.88 goals per game on account of spotty goaltending, sporting a team save percentage of a mere .895. DraftKings likes this matchup for Lucic, as his Opponent Rank vs. Position here is 29th. While there are certainly questions about him going against St. Louis' penalty kill, he does have 23 points this season, and he's tallied 81 shots on goal in 33 games.
Jakob Silfverberg, ANA at TOR ($5,900): It's been a few games since Silfverberg has scored a goal, but he does have five assists in his last seven games. Just as importantly, he's taken 26 shots on goal in those games, and he's notched 92 shots in total. The Maple Leafs rank 26th in the NHL in shots allowed, giving up 32.3 on average. It's a favorable matchup for Silfverberg, who may be ready to light the lamp once more.
Travis Konecny, PHI vs. NAS ($4,500): Pekka Rinne is in the midst of a pretty rough stretch, as he has allowed at least three goals in each of his last seven games. That's not good leading into a matchup with the red-hot Flyers' offense (a loss in their last game notwithstanding). Konecny has been a nice surprise in his rookie season, chipping in four goals and 12 assists. He only has a 5.7 shooting percentage as well, which has the potential to rise. He also comes pretty cheap, which makes him a nice value play.
DEFENSE
Dougie Hamilton, CGY at ARI ($5,800): Yes, Hamilton is on the pricier side, but this is a matchup you want to take advantage of, and he is slightly less expensive than Mark Giordano ($6,000) despite having the better season so far (3.3 fantasy points per game to Giordano's 3.1). Hamilton has put his slow start behind him entirely, as he has six goals on 97 shots in 33 games. The only quibble is that he still only has three points on the power play, but a matchup with Arizona's 21st-ranked penalty kill could help there.
Sami Vatanen, ANA at TOR ($4,400): The Maple Leafs are 29th in Opponents Rank vs. Position for Vatanen, which is definitely intriguing. He's only got two goals this season, but his 4.8 shooting percentage is the lowest of his career, offering the potential for positive regression. Toronto gives up a lot of shots, but the fact the Leafs take a lot of shots should help Vatanen as well, as he's blocked 62 of them this season and there's a good chance he'll block a few more here.
