NHL Monday: Jacob Markstrom leads daily fantasy hockey plays
It's the final week of the NHL regular season! Monday features 10 games on the docket. With some stuff left to be decided in terms of the playoffs, here are my players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Jacob Markstrom, CGY vs. NAS ($30): Markstrom has been inconsistent this season, but he's come up big in his last two starts as the Flames fight for the postseason. It also helps that the Flames have allowed a mere 27.3 shots on net per contest. The Predators rank 27th in goals per game, but they dealt away at the deadline and don't seem like they actually care about making the playoffs. Winnipeg just blanked them. Markstrom could do that too.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Thatcher Demko, VAN at LOS ($31): Demko has played better since returning from his injury, posting a .916 save percentage. However, I still don't want him in my lineup at this salary on the road in Los Angeles. The Kings have averaged 3.33 goals and 32.4 shots on net per contest, so they have an above-average offense.
CENTER
Vincent Trocheck, NYR vs. BUF ($21): Trocheck's puck luck seems to be turning around, as he has a goal in each of his last two games. That gives him 22 goals on 222 shots on net. The Sabres make hockey games exciting, as they score a ton of goals, but they also have a 3.64 GAA and have allowed 33.2 shots on net per contest.
CENTER TO AVOID
Dylan Larkin, DET vs. DAL ($26): Larkin has had a career year, but this is a tough matchup. Jake Oettinger has a 2.42 GAA and .918 save percentage. He had a few off games in March, but over his last six starts he has an 1.66 GAA and .935 save percentage. The Stars also have the third-ranked penalty kill, and 31 of Larkin's 78 points have come with the extra man.
WING
Blake Wheeler, WPG vs. SAN ($17): Wheeler has put a cold stretch behind him, as he has five points in his last four contests. The Sharks are rolling out an inexperienced lineup right now, and they also have a 3.81 GAA, third highest in the NHL.
Jordan Eberle, SEA at ARI ($17): Eberle is on fire heading into the playoffs. He has a four-game goal streak, and he has multiple points in each of his last three outings. The Coyotes have a 3.58 GAA, but they also have allowed 35.2 shots on net per contest, third most in the league.
WINGS TO AVOID
Alex Tuch, BUF at NYR ($27): Here's something interesting: Tuch has seven goals in 13 games since returning from injury, but they have come in only three outings. He also has an 18.4 shooting percentage in that time, which is a little high. Igor Shesterkin has a 2.49 GAA and .915 save percentage, but he's been looking more like his Vezina-winning self recently. Over his last 15 outings he has an 1.99 GAA and .932 save percentage.
Brady Tkachuk, OTT vs. CAR ($25): Tkachuk puts up big numbers through sheer force. He's tallied 35 goals, but on a staggering 336 shots on net. The tricky thing is that the Hurricanes have allowed a league-low 25.9 shots on net per contest. They also have the second-ranked penalty kill, and 11 of Tkachuk's goals have come with the extra man.
DEFENSE
Noah Dobson, NYI at WAS ($19): Dobson has three assists over his last two games, giving him 46 points this season. He's also put 200 shots on net in 76 contests, a big number for a defenseman. Darcy Kuemper has struggled down the stretch, as he has a 3.52 GAA and .888 save percentage over his last eight starts.
Brady Skjei, CAR at OTT ($17): Skjei has tallied 18 goals and 18 assists, and with 182 shots on net he's three shy of a new personal best there. Cam Talbot has a 2.93 GAA and .898 save percentage this season, and in each of his three starts since returning from injury he has allowed four goals.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
John Carlson, WAS vs. NYI ($25): Carlson has returned nicely from a scary injury, but this matchup is too tough to risk shelling out for his salary. The Islanders are fighting for a playoff spot, so you can count on seeing Ilya Sorokin and his 2.33 GAA and .925 save percentage in net.
Moritz Seider, DET vs. DAL ($17): Seider is going to fall short of his 50-point rookie campaign, in part because he's shot a lot less this year. He's only managed 136 shots on net in 79 games, even with a bump up to 3:07 per night on the power play. As previously noted, Oettinger has a 2.42 GAA and .918 save percentage, and the Stars have the third-ranked penalty kill.
