This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
It's another Monday, and though noted cartoon cat Garfield wasn't a fan, there's at least one thing to be excited about. There are four NHL games on the slate Monday, which means you can play daily fantasy hockey. If you choose to do that, here are some recommendations for your lineup.
GOALIE
Henrik Lundqvist, NYR vs. VAN ($7,800): Is Lundqvist having a resurgent season? We can't be sure yet, but what we do know is that he has a 2.65 GAA and .921 save percentage. The Canucks have scored 3.28 goals per game, but they've only put 28.8 shots on net per contest. They aren't going to keep scoring like this, and Brock Boeser is banged up once again.
CENTER
Sebastian Aho, CAR vs. CHI ($6,500): Aho hasn't scored a goal in 12 games, but he has 10 assists in that time so there's no reason to complain. Plus, his 9.1 shooting percentage is below his career average, so the scoring should come. It could definitely come in this game, as the Blackhawks have a 3.76 GAA, second highest in the NHL.
Jason Spezza, DAL vs. CLM ($5,000): The Stars have made things easy for Spezza, as he's started 65.1 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, highest on the team. He's also played 2:53 per game on the power play, and he's notched four points with the extra man. The Blue Jackets have struggled defensively to start the season, as they have a 3.35 GAA to go with an .893 save percentage.
WING
Alex DeBrincat, CHI at CAR ($6,300): DeBrincat's scoring has slowed down considerably, but he still has eight goals and seven assists through 17 games. That's despite the fact he only has two power-play points, even though he's averaged 3:13 per contest with the extra man. On that front, the Hurricanes have the 29th-ranked penalty kill, so the 20-year-old may add to that total.
Chris Kreider, NYR vs. VAN ($6,100): Kreider is doing his best to make up for a lost season last year. He already has eight goals through 17 games, calling to mind the 28 goals he scored in the 2016-17 season. As for the Canucks, they have a 3.33 GAA and have allowed 32.1 shots on goal per game, which is in line with the kind of numbers they put up last year as well.
Craig Smith, NAS at ANA ($5,100): Smith has a couple things going for him. For starters, he's started 70.4 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, highest on the Predators. He's also put 47 shots on net through 16 contests. Though the Ducks have a 2.83 GAA, they've allowed a whopping 36.9 shots on goal per game. They've relied entirely on their goalies standing on their head, so Smith should at least get a chance to put a few pucks on goal.
DEFENSE
Justin Faulk, CAR vs. CHI ($4,700): Faulk is a prime candidate for some better puck luck soon. Though he's put 53 shots on goal in 17 games, he's only lit the lamp once. That gives him a 1.9 shooting percentage, which is bound to improve. The return of Corey Crawford has been unable to right the ship for the Blackhawks, as he has a 3.07 GAA and .901 save percentage since returning from his lengthy absence.
Neal Pionk, NYR vs. VAN ($4,300): Pionk is not a well-known name, but he is a defenseman with nine points in 15 games. That includes six points on the power play, after he had five last year in only 28 games. The 23-year-old has also blocked 38 shots, so he's adding fantasy value on that side of the ice as well. As previously noted, the Canucks have a 3.33 GAA, and on top of that Jacob Markstrom has an .898 save percentage.
