This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
It's that weird Saturday in December when the NHL doesn't really have to compete with college football. Unless you are really invested in Army-Navy or the Heisman vote, you can turn your attention to the 10 NHL games happening today. However, two of them are afternoon tilts, and they are being given their own slate, so if you want to play just Philadelphia-Dallas and Ottawa-Los Angeles, be sure to get that lineup in before 1:00 PM ET, when the Stars and Flyers take the ice. As for the other eight games, we're here to help.
GOALIE
Roberto Luongo, FLA vs. VAN ($7,900): Luongo has, admittedly, had a few rough starts recently, but he still has a 2.25 GAA and a .923 save percentage that is right in line with what he's done the past two seasons. The Canucks rank 26th in both goals scored and power-play percentage, and they are also 24th in goals allowed. Luongo should be able to have a nice game against his former team, especially at home.
CENTER
Sean Monahan, CGY vs. WPG ($5,800): The Jets are scoring 2.87 goals per game, and their team save percentage is a mere .904. Monahan has put a slow start behind him, as he has a six-game point streak during which he's notched eight total points. Winnipeg is also 25th on the penalty kill, and the 22-year-old Flame has had at least 19 power-play points in his last two seasons. This is a good matchup for Monahan to keep his hot play going.
David Krejci, BOS vs. TOR ($6,200): Krejci, like his teammate Patrice Bergeron, is being plagued by an unusually low shooting percentage. This has limited him to a mere four goals, although he does have 13 assists, so it's not like he's been slacking. The Maple Leafs are allowing 3.08 goals per game, and 32.1 shots per tilt, so Krejci should have some opportunities to turn his luck around.
WING
Johnny Gaudreau, CGY vs. WPG ($7,000): We won't rehash what we said about the Jets in the Monahan section, but we will add that projected starter Connor Hellebuyck has a .910 save percentage. Since returning from a finger injury Gaudreau has been on a tear, scoring two points apiece in his last three games. Sure, it's only three games, but this is Johnny Hockey we're talking about here. He's a bit pricey, but he's worth it, especially considering he has rounded into form.
Viktor Arvidsson, NAS at ARI ($6,000): The Coyotes are very lenient when it comes to giving up shots. They are dead last in the league in shots against, ceding 35.1 per game. Arvidsson, meanwhile, has been one of the most prolific shooters in the league, putting 85 pucks on goal in 26 games. This sounds like a winning combination from his perspective, especially since he's put nine of those shots in the back of the net.
Jonathan Drouin, TAM vs. PIT ($5,400): Drouin has been a bit snakebit, as he's put 56 shots on net in 20 games, but he only has four goals. However, he was the third overall pick in 2013 for a reason, and his ice time has increased more than two minutes per game from last year. Additionally, the Penguins are 26th in goals allowed, 28th in penalty-kill percentage, and 29th in shots allowed. All of that makes Drouin most enticing, especially at his price point.
DEFENSE
Johnny Boychuk, NYI at CLM ($4,800): According to DraftKings, Columbus' Opponent Rank vs. Position in regards to Boychuk is 21st. That's good, but on top of that the Jackets will be on the second night of a back-to-back, and Curtis McElhinney might be in net. Boychuk has been quite busy, as he has 59 shots on goal and 56 blocks in 25 games. It's a better matchup than it might seem on paper, and he looks like a strong value at this price.
Victor Hedman, TAM vs. PIT ($5,500): Everything written about the Penguins in the Drouin section remains true, but unlike Drouin, Hedman has had no struggles this season. He's already got five goals and 14 assists, and he's put 55 shots on goal. He also has eight power-play points, and he's averaging 2:55 per game with the extra man. Against Pittsburgh's questionable penalty kill, that certainly bodes well.
