This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Monday night starts a little later than usual. There isn't a single game starting at 7 p.m. ET this Monday, and the primary slate of contests begins at 8:30 p.m. ET. However, that slate consists of only three games. With that in mind, here are my recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
There is not a single team on the second leg of a back-to-back Monday, so there are no considerations to be made there. We do have a team in the top five in goals per game playing a team in the bottom five in GAA, though.
GOALIES
Alexandar Georgiev, COL vs. STL ($8,400): Georgiev often struggled as a backup with the Rangers, but this year he's off to a strong start. Maybe he won't sustain his .924 save percentage, but his performance is his performance so far. Speaking of which, the Blues are last in goals per game, and even if that likely won't be the case when the season is over, it is now.
Antti Raanta, CAR at CHI ($8,300): This assumes that Frederik Andersen won't be ready to return, or he will return but will serve as the backup since the Dane has struggled this year. Raanta has a .911 save percentage, but a 2.47 GAA. Carolina has only allowed 26.3 shots on net per game, and Chicago has only managed 25.7 shots on goal per contest, so Raanta might not be all that busy.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Martin Necas, CAR at CHI ($6,800): Necas has started the season on fire, as he has seven goals and 12 assists in 15 games. While he's slowed down a bit, he still has two points and 12 shots on net in his last four outings. The Blackhawks have allowed 34.9 shots on net per game, and their goalies are questionable all in all.
Evan Rodrigues, COL vs. STL ($5,000): Rodrigues struggled after joining the Avalanche, but he's getting into the swing of things. As Colorado's second-line center he has five points and 18 shots on goal in his last five games. This is the aforementioned battle of the top-five offense and the bottom-five defense, as the Blues have a 3.69 GAA.
FORWARD LINE STACK
Flames vs. Kings
Elias Lindholm (C - $5,300), Tyler Toffoli (W - $5,700), Adam Ruzicka (W - $4,100)
The Kings have a 3.35 team, which is not surprising when you look at their goaltending duo. It has taken a couple strong starts in a row for Jonathan Quick to get to a 2.83 GAA and .904 save percentage. Over his last five seasons, the American goalie has a 2.91 GAA and .900 save percentage, and at 36 he doesn't seem likely to turn things around. Now he heads to Calgary to face this newly-constructed first line.
Lindholm must like symmetry. After having 42 goals and 40 assists last season, he has five goals and five assists this year. The Swede got off to a slow start, but he has eight points in his last eight outings. More symmetry! Like his center, Toffoli has five goals and five assists through 14 games. He's also put 50 shots on net. Ruzicka got his first real taste of NHL action last year, and this season he's joined the lineup and has gotten burn with the first line. Over the last three games he has three points, and he's averaged 4:37 per game with the extra man.
DEFENSEMEN
Devon Toews, COL vs. STL ($6,100): Cale Makar casts a long shadow, but Toews is no slouch. He has a five-game point streak, and he's had at least one point in eight of his 11 outings this year. Over the last two seasons, Jordan Binnington has a 3.15 GAA and .900 save percentage.
Noah Hanifin, CGY vs. LOS ($5,300): Hanifin started slow, but he has four points in his last five games. Over his last seven outings he's also put 26 shots on goal and 16 blocked shots. Hanifin has turned things around, while Quick has a .900 save percentage over the last five seasons.
