This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Monday's modest NHL slate begins at 7:00 PM Eastern time and features four games. Below, you'll find an overview of the matchups and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
The Bruins will be this slate's biggest favorites at home against Ottawa, but the Capitals and Avalanche are capable of producing tremendous value at home against the Blue Jackets and Flames, respectively. The Islanders-Lightning game features a clash of styles, as New York relies on a tight defensive system while Tampa Bay is all about creating opportunities with speed and aggressiveness. There should be no shortage of scoring in this slate, as the Lightning, Avalanche, Capitals and Bruins own four of the league's top five offenses.
GOALIES
Braden Holtby ($8,400) should be worth paying up for as the chalk goalie play in this slate. He brings a 15-2-4 record, 2.78 GAA and .910 save percentage into a home matchup against a Blue Jackets team that's scoring 2.45 goals per game — second-fewest in the league.
The Flames are barely better than the Blue Jackets on offense, averaging 2.52 goals per game. Avalanche starter Philipp Grubauer ($8,300) left the team's last game due to an undisclosed injury, but either he or backup Pavel Francouz ($8,100) would be strong options against the underwhelming Calgary attack.
Tuukka Rask ($8,100) will bring a sparkling 13-2-3 record, 2.15 GAA and .929 save percentage into a home matchup with a Senators team that's one of three bottom-10 offenses in this slate at 2.63 goals per game.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Alex Killorn ($3,300) is a tremendous value play at his meager valuation, even against the stingy Islanders. The Lightning winger has an 8-14-22 line in 25 games this season, including three goals and three assists in his last three games.
The Lightning's 3.22 goals allowed per game are the most among teams in this slate. Top Islanders scorer Mathew Barzal ($5,400) is ready to take advantage of Tampa Bay's defensive struggles. Barzal leads the team in both goals (12) and points (25) through 28 games, playing at a 73-point pace after mustering 85 points in 2017-18 and 62 points last season.
Whether he shifts to the second line with Gabriel Landeskog back in the lineup or continues to skate on the top line, Joonas Donskoi ($5,200) remains a major threat for the Avalanche as his breakout season rolls on. Donskoi's career-high output in four seasons with the Sharks was 37 points, but he already has a 12-13-25 line through his first 29 games with Colorado, including three goals and seven points in his last four games.
Even in a slate teeming with top-end talent, Alex Ovechkin ($8,400) is capable of carrying lineups. He leads the league with 147 shots and ranks second with 20 goals. A Blue Jackets team that's been outscored 90-71 through 29 games will have a hard time containing Ovie.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Bruins vs. Senators
David Krejci (C - $6,400), David Pastrnak (W - $8,000), Brad Marchand (W - $7,400)
Krejci gives this line a bit more affordability while he's in there for Patrice Bergeron (lower body), but his production isn't too far behind Bergeron's, as Krejci has 21 points in 24 games played after racking up 73 points last season. His wingers both rank top-five league-wide in points with 44 (Marchand) and 43 (Pastrnak), plus Pasta leads the NHL in goals with 25. The Senators give up the second-most goals among teams in this slate at 3.13 per game.
Avalanche vs. Flames
Nathan MacKinnon (C - $8,300), Mikko Rantanen (W - $7,100), Gabriel Landeskog (W - $5,400)
This trio is finally reunited after both Rantanen and Landeskog missed extensive time due to injuries. MacKinnon scored 99 points last season, and he's currently playing at a 127-point pace with an 18-27-45 line through 29 games. Both Rantanen and Landeskog eclipsed a point-per-game pace last season. The former is doing so again with a 6-12-18 line in 13 appearances while the latter has a 5-4-9 line in 13 appearances. These guys should shine against a Flames team that's been outscored 92-78 through 31 games.
Flames at Avalanche
Mikael Backlund (C - $3,800), Sean Monahan (W - $5,700), Dillon Dube (W - $2,600)
This affordable grouping makes for an interesting against-the-grain stack. Monahan had 82 points in 78 games last season, and he's rediscovered that form recently with three goals and three assists over an active five-game point streak. He's also tied with Johnny Gaudreau ($6,000) for the team lead in power-play points with nine, putting Monahan in position to capitalize on a 78.9 percent Colorado penalty kill that's the worst in this slate. Backlund has dropped off dramatically after scoring no fewer than 45 points in each of the previous four seasons, but he's showing signs of waking up with four points in his past six games. Dube's unlikely to stay so cheap much longer, as the 21-year-old forward is quickly making a name for himself with three goals and two assists in his past five games.
DEFENSEMEN
Washington's John Carlson ($7,700) is tied with Pastrnak for fifth in the league in points. If you have enough money left to spend big on the blue line, doing so for Carlson is usually worth it.
Torey Krug ($5,100) should work nicely as part of a Bruins stack or as a stand-alone option. He has 19 points in 25 games, while the Senators' inexperienced forward corps hasn't done a good job defending opposing defensemen.
If Cale Makar has to sit out after suffering an undisclosed injury in Colorado's last game, Samuel Girard ($2,800) will likely get the opportunity to step into his spot on Colorado's star-studded top power-play unit. Girard has mustered a goal and three points with the extra man while working with the second unit, and he would be a low-risk, high-reward pick at just $2,800.
