This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Coming out of the All-Star break, Monday has just two games of NHL action. The New York Rangers will host the Colorado Avalanche and the New York Islanders will visit the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both matchups are scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. ET. All game lines and odds used below come courtesy of the FanDuel Sportsbook.
SLATE PREVIEW
Toronto (vs. NY Islanders) is the biggest favorite on the Moneyline. The NY Rangers (vs. Colorado) own a slight edge (-113) over the Avalanche. Both contests have the Over/Under set for 6.5 goals.
GOALIES
Alexandar Georgiev, COL at NYR ($8,200): Georgiev has stopped 85 of 92 shots during his three-game winning streak. In two outings against his former team last season, he posted a 1-0-1 record with a 1.36 GAA and a .960 save percentage. Georgiev made 44 saves in a 3-2 shootout victory over the Rangers in Madison Square Garden on Oct. 25, 2022.
Ilya Sorokin, NYI at TOR ($7,400): Sorokin, who last played on Jan. 23, should be well-rested ahead of his third start against the Maple Leafs this campaign. In his previous two outings versus Toronto, he stopped 69 of 75 shots en route to a 2-0-0 record. Sorokin has plenty of bang for the buck upside despite facing a difficult opponent.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Mathew Barzal, NYI at TOR ($7,700): Barzal has one goal and five assists in his past five outings. He has accounted for five points, including four helpers, in two contests versus Toronto this season. Barzal has amassed six goals and 16 points across 15 career appearances against the Maple Leafs.
John Tavares, TOR vs. NYI ($6,500): Tavares ended a nine-game scoreless drought with a power-play goal before the All-Star break. The time off likely did him some good, and he should be ready to build on that performance. Tavares also has five goals and nine points in 13 career contests against the Islanders.
Ross Colton, COL at NYR ($4,600): Colton has notched two goals and nine points over his last seven games. He has chipped in three power-play points (one goal, two assists) and 16 shots on target over that stretch. Colton also has six assists during a three-game point spree.
Blake Wheeler, NYR vs. COL ($3,500): Wheeler entered the break with two goals, one assist and seven shots on net in two games. He also racked up three goals and three helpers in three meetings with the Avalanche during the 2022-23 campaign.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Avalanche at Rangers
Nathan MacKinnon (C - $9,800), Mikko Rantanen (W - $9.400), Jonathan Drouin ($4,700)
MacKinnon is the hottest player in the league, having compiled 12 goals and 16 assists in a 13-game point streak. He also has 65 shots on net and 10 power-play points during that period. Rantanen has been productive in that same 13-game span, accumulating nine goals and 22 points. He also has three markers and six helpers on the man advantage as well as 47 shots on goal. Drouin has five tallies and 12 points in his past 12 outings. That includes three assists during a three-game point spree.
The top line of the Avalanche should be able to stay hot against the Rangers on Monday.
Maple Leafs vs. Islanders
Auston Matthews (C - $9,600), Mitchell Marner (W - $8,100), Matthew Knies (W - $3,800)
Matthews has racked up seven goals and three assists during a six-game point streak. He also has 25 shots in that span. Marner has been held off the scoresheet once in his last seven appearances while collecting three goals, five assists and 18 shots. Knies hasn't been as impactful offensively as his linemates, but he has one assist and two shots in two contests against the Islanders this campaign.
Toronto's first line should be able to remain productive Monday against an Islanders team that ranks 24th in goals against per game (3.33) and 31st in shots against per game (34.9) this campaign.
DEFENSEMEN
Noah Dobson, NYI at TOR ($7,000): Dobson has 13 shots on goal and nine assists during his five-game point spree. He has three helpers on the power play over that stretch. Dobson has also piled up seven assists in two outings versus Toronto this season.
Adam Fox, NYR vs. COL ($6,500): Fox has registered four goals and 12 points in his last 10 appearances. He checks in for Monday's slate at a bit of a discount despite his hot play, which includes one goal and six helpers over a five-game point streak.