This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The weekend is over, but Monday can still be enjoyable with some DFS success. There are six NHL games Monday evening, and the first games start at 7:30 p.m. ET so you have a little extra time to get your lineups in. Here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS contests.
GOALIE
Cam Talbot, OTT at CHI ($28): At first, the Senators were swapping starts between their two goalies, but Talbot has gotten the last two starts. Assuming he gets the call again, there is no easier matchup a netminder can get. The Blackhawks are last in the NHL at 2.44 goals per game, and they are only going to get worse after tearing the roster down to the studs.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Darcy Kuemper, WAS at LOS ($23): Kuemper won a Cup last year with the Avalanche, and he played quite well when healthy. He started this year strong, but he now has a 2.77 GAA and .910 save percentage. I'd argue the Kings are underrated offensively, as they've scored 3.31 goals per game and averaged 32.3 shots on net per contest as well.
CENTER
Cody Glass, NAS at VAN ($15): Glass is now the first-line center for the Predators, and he has five points in his last six outings. The Canucks are last on the power play and 31st in GAA. Now, Thatcher Demko is back, but he has an .893 save percentage this season and a career .910 save percentage.
CENTER TO AVOID
Nazem Kadri, CGY at DAL ($17): Kadri has 45 points in 63 games, but he only has one goal in his last 10 outings, and his shooting percentage has fallen to 9.9. Scoring against the Stars is difficult, as they rank third in GAA and have a top-five penalty kill as well.
WING
Drake Batherson, OTT at CHI ($18): Quietly, the Senators have four wings that have been quite productive. One of them is Batherson, who has 19 goals on 185 shots on net through 62 games. He's also tallied 24 points with the extra man this year. The Blackhawks have a bottom-10 penalty kill, and as they play out the stretch I don't imagine them getting any better.
William Eklund, SAN at WPG ($14): Eklund, the seventh-overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, is back up with the Sharks after the trade deadline. He was plopped onto the first line and picked up and assist and put four shots on net in his first game of the year. It seems like Connor Hellebuyck may be experiencing another late-season slide. Over his last five starts he has a 4.81 GAA and .854 save percentage.
WINGS TO AVOID
Anthony Beauvillier, VAN vs. NAS ($17): Beauvillier has 11 points in 13 games with the Canucks, but with an 18.8 shooting percentage. That's not likely to continue, given that with the Islanders he had an 8.0 shooting percentage across 49 contests. Juuse Saros has a .917 save percentage for the Predators, and over his last four starts he has an 1.77 GAA and .938 save percentage.
Jonathan Huberdeau, CGY at DAL ($15): Huberdeau's game has really changed with the Flames, and not in a good way. Last year he had 30 goals on 222 shots on net. This season, he's only put 96 shots on net through 60 games. In each of his last two outings he's put zero shots on target. Now he'll likely face Jake Oettinger, who has a 2.31 GAA and .922 save percentage.
DEFENSE
Evan Bouchard, EDM at BUF ($14): Bouchard has had a disappointing year, but something has changed recently. Tyson Barrie was dealt, and over his last three games Bouchard has averaged 5:09 per contest with the extra man. He's, effectively, the new Barrie. The Sabres have the 31st-ranked penalty kill, so this matchup plays right into Bouchard's new role.
Neal Pionk, WPG vs. SAN ($13): Pionk has 26 points and 114 shots on net through 63 games, making his a solid secondary option behind Josh Morrissey. He's done that with getting little power-play time and only having two points with the extra man. That's fine here, though, as the Sharks are in the bottom five in GAA, but top five in penalty-kill percentage.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. NAS ($20): Hughes has a high salary, and he has produced, but he will face Saros on Monday, who has an 1.77 GAA and .938 save percentage over his last four outings. The Predators have an above-average penalty kill as well, and 28 of Hughes' 59 points have come on the power play.
Rasmus Andersson, CGY at DAL ($17): It's pretty definitive to me that the Flames have the worst matchup Monday. I'm avoiding them to a man more or less. That includes Andersson, who like his teammates is expected to face Oettinger and his 2.31 GAA and .922 save percentage. Plus, the Stars' top-five penalty kill.
