Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey: Monday picks

Yahoo Sports Staff
MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 08: Alexander Radulov #47 of the Montreal Canadiens looks on during the warmup prior to the NHL game against the Boston Bruins at the Bell Centre on November 8, 2016 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins 3-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC – NOVEMBER 08: Alexander Radulov #47 of the Montreal Canadiens looks on during the warmup prior to the NHL game against the Boston Bruins at the Bell Centre on November 8, 2016 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins 3-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

By Chris Morgan

Monday is Martin Luther King Day, and because of the holiday, the NHL’s schedule is a little weird. The first games start at 1:00 PM ET, so if you plan on playing any daily fantasy hockey you’ll want to set your lineups early, or it may end up being too late.

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GOALIE

Martin Jones, SAN vs. WPG ($32): The Sharks have a plus-12 goal differential, while the Jets are down at minus-13, so it’s pretty clear which of these two teams is better. Additionally, San Jose only gives up 27 shots on goal per game, one of the lowest totals in the league. Jones sports a 2.26 GAA, and it seems like he’s got a good chance here of picking up the win at home.

GOALIE TO AVOID

Ben Bishop, TAM at LOS ($32): Bishop has only played in one game since returning from an injury-related absence, but on the season he has a 2.75 GAA and a .908 save percentage, while Tampa ranks 24th in goals allowed and 20th on the penalty kill. Los Angeles doesn’t have the most potent offense, but they don’t need to based on Bishop’s play so far, and it’ll be hard for him to pick up the win on the road.

CENTER

Ryan O’Reilly, BUF vs. DAL ($20): O’Reilly has been a power-play powerhouse this season, notching 13 points with the extra man in 32 games. He owes that in part to the career-high 3:19 per game he’s playing on the power play. The Stars rank 29th in penalty-kill percentage, so this is the kind of matchup he can really take advantage of.

CENTER TO AVOID

John Tavares, NYI at BOS ($23): Tavares has been on a tear recently, as he’s notched five goals in his last two games. Despite that, he’s only averaging 7.3 fantasy points per game, which is quite good but not elite. On top of that, the Bruins only give up 26.7 shots on goal per contest, and Tuukka Rask has a 1.98 GAA and a .925 save percentage. It’ll be hard for Tavares to keep his hot streak going.

WING

Alexander Radulov, MON at DET ($20): The Wings are giving up 2.95 goals per game, and both of their healthy goalies have GAAs over 3.00. That bodes well for Radulov, who has 32 points in 42 games. Ten of them have come on the power play, and while Detroit ranks 14th on the penalty kill, some of that has been with Jimmy Howard (who is injured) in net.

Patrick Maroon, EDM vs. ARI ($17): Maroon is putting pucks in the net at a high rate this season, as he’s already notched 18 goals. Seven of them have come in his last six games, but just as importantly he’s taken 25 shots in those contests. The Coyotes give up a league-worst 33.8 shots on goal per game, so Maroon should be able to continue registering shots at a high rate.

WINGS TO AVOID

Phil Kessel, PIT vs. WAS ($24): The Capitals give up the fewest goals per game in the league, and they are actually the only team giving up fewer than two goals per contest. They also rank third on the penalty kill. Kessel has picked up 18 points on the power play, so this matchup could be particularly tough for him. It’s hard to shut him down entirely, but at this price if he isn’t quite up to his normal production, it could hurt you.

Jonathan Drouin, TAM at LOS ($20): Los Angeles is the stingiest team in the NHL when it comes to allowing shots, as they only give up 25.8 per game. They also rank in the top 10 in goals allowed and penalty-kill percentage. Drouin is having a solid year, but there are 14 teams in action Monday, and you can find better options in more favorable matchups.

DEFENSE

Torey Krug, BOS vs. NYI ($18): Krug was having incredibly bad puck luck earlier in the year, but he’s now scored a goal in three straight games, giving him four on the season. He’s still having a good year, though, as he’s notched 130 shots and 24 assists in 46 games. The Islanders give up 33.2 shots on goal per contest, and they are giving up 3.05 goals per game, both of which bode well for Krug.

Oscar Klefbom, EDM at ARI ($18): As mentioned previously, the Coyotes are giving up 33.8 shots on goal per game, but they are also allowing 3.17 goals per contest. Klefbom has taken 113 shots in 45 games, and recently he’s been particularly busy, tallying 23 shots in his last five tilts. He’s also blocked 70 shots, so he can help you on both ends of the ice, giving him a little extra fantasy potential.

DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID

Dustin Byfuglien, WPG at SAN ($23): As previously mentioned, the Sharks are allowing only 27 shots on goal per contest, and Jones has a 2.26 GAA. Byfuglien is having a good season, but he only has four points in his last 11 games. Given his track record, his price makes sense, but it will be hard for him to live up to it against San Jose.

Scott Mayfield, NYI at BOS ($17): You may look at Mayfield and see that he’s averaging 8.5 fantasy points per game and be intrigued. However, keep in mind he’s only played four games. Sure, he’s notched four points, but he’s only averaging 13:19 per game, and he’s only put five shots on goal in that time. Small sample size skepticism would already be warranted, but that’s especially true against the Bruins.

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