This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Since there is only one game Monday, that game (Lightning-Islanders) has been added to Tuesday's slate for daily fantasy purposes. However, since Tampa also plays Detroit on Tuesday, that game has been removed from your list of options. Got all that? Good. Here are some players to target and avoid.
GOALIE
Robin Lehner, BUF at STL ($32): This may seem like a bit of an odd choice, but here's the logic behind it. The Blues have lost three in a row and are only scoring 2.6 goals per game (admittedly the Sabres have lost four in a row but that just means neither team is in form). Lehner has a .923 save percentage this season and Buffalo has a pretty good chance of winning, which gives their goalie a very good chance of having a good game. Plus, he's pretty cheap. He's a value play.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Jake Allen, STL vs. BUF ($37): Sure, the Sabres have really struggled offensively, but Allen has a .896 save percentage this season. Despite that, he's the third-most expensive option available. That seems too high a price to pay for a goalie struggling like this, regardless of the matchup.
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CENTER
Jeff Carter, LOS at COL ($19): Semyon Varlamov and his sub-.900 save percentage are expected to start for the Avalanche in this game. That's good news for Carter, who has five goals and 45 shots on net in 16 games. The matchup is favorable, and the price is far from steep.
CENTER TO AVOID
Auston Matthews, TOR vs. NAS ($26): As promising as Matthews is, the fact remains that four of his six goals came in his season debut. He's still been good, but he's going up against a team with some great defenseman and a goalie in Pekka Rinne with a .930 save percentage. Matthews' future is bright, but that doesn't mean anything in daily fantasy.
WING
Mike Hoffman, OTT at PHI ($19): When a team is playing the Flyers, who are allowing 3.6 goals per game behind lousy goaltending, it's usually wise to try and pick one or two of their players. Hoffman only has three goals, but he's taken 50 shots on goal, and his shooting percentage is going to increase. Playing Philly can definitely help on that front.
Brock Nelson, NYI vs. TAM ($17): Not that the start of the season is everything, but Ben Bishop does have a .903 save percentage to this point. Nelson isn't quite doing what he did last season, but he has 11 points in 15 games, and he has blocked 16 shots. This game has the makings of a high-scoring affair so rostering somebody who can help at both ends, particularly at this price, is good.
WINGS TO AVOID
Jamie Benn, DAL vs. NJD ($27): Benn has been good this year, with 14 points in 16 games. He just hasn't quite been as good as usual for him, or quite as good as his "elite" forward counterparts. Additionally, the Devils are good at preventing goals, led by Cory Schneider in net. This isn't a bad price for Benn, but there are better values.
Brendan Gallagher, MON vs. FLA ($24): Gallagher has cooled down considerably after a hot start. He has zero points in his last six games and his minutes are down, while Alexander Radulov has taken on a bigger role. Florida is a good team, too, which just makes things look worse for Gallagher.
DEFENSE
Roman Josi, NAS at TOR ($22): Despite having a good offense, Toronto still has a minus-11 goal differential because they struggle to stop teams from scoring. Josi is playing a ton of minutes as per usual, and while he only has two goals, he's taken 42 shots on net. P.K. Subban takes some of his spotlight, but Josi is still a great defenseman, and he's worth this price.
Johnny Boychuk, NYI vs. TAM ($17): Talk about guys who help out at both ends of the ice. Boychuk has taken 41 shots on goal and blocked 42 in 15 games. He doesn't get a lot of power-play time but he does get some, and he has six points so he still contributes offensively. Boychuk is a reliable player at a reasonable price.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Aaron Ekblad, FLA at MON ($17): It has been mentioned previously that Ekblad should break through eventually and that he won't be stuck on two points forever. However, a game against Montreal, with Carey Price in net, is unlikely to be when it happens. Don't bet on a breakthrough here. Just steer clear.
Mark Giordano, CGY at MIN ($23): The Wild are great at goal prevention, especially with Devan Dubnyk (.947 save percentage) in net. Giordano is having a good season, even if he only has five points, but this is a tough matchup. It'll be hard for him to live up to this price point.
