This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
GOALIE
Cam Talbot, EDM vs. SJ ($7,500) – He made a triumphant return Saturday after a seven-game absence in a 3-2 win against Minnesota, and he has not lost a game since Nov. 18. San Jose is rolling with a 6-2-2 record in their past 10 games, but three of their most recent wins came against teams out of playoff contention. Edmonton is a woeful 5-10-0 at home, perhaps due to the immense pressure to succeed after years of disappointment, but that record is not indicative of their talent. Talbot is 4-2-2 with a .914 save percentage in his career against San Jose.
CENTER
Sidney Crosby, PIT at COL ($8,000) – He's not leading the scoring race but nobody would be surprised if he did later on in the season. November and December have traditionally been Crosby's most productive months, and among elite centers taking the ice Monday, he has the best matchup against a team that allowed six goals to Tampa in their most recent game and has coughed up 107 this season, the second worst mark in the Western Conference. In a head-to-head matchup Crosby will still likely be too much for Nathan MacKinnon to handle, and J.T. Compher and Carl Soderberg have zero chance. In 11 career games against the Avalanche, Crosby has six goals and 10 points.
Ryan Getzlaf, ANH at NJ ($5,600) – It hasn't taken long for the Ducks captain to find his groove, registering two assists in three games after missing more than a month of action. The Ducks offense completely changes with one of the league's best playmakers back in the lineup, and their recent form includes a 3-1 win against the Blues, and narrow losses to the Wild and Capitals in overtime. Getzlaf provides great value at this price.
WING
David Pastrnak, BOS vs. CLS ($6,900) – Boston's top line of Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron has been so dominant even Sergei Bobrovsky should be afraid. In their previous matchup this season, Pastrnak had three helpers, and in eight games against Columbus in his career he's scored 10 points. It's actually a good thing Bruce Cassidy has stacked his top line rather than spreading out the offense because they have just enough depth to roll four lines consistently. Pastrnak's unit will face Seth Jones and Zach Werenski, who are a combined minus-9 in their past three games. Pastrnak, by the way, is on an 11-game scoring streak that dates back to Nov. 18.
Jakub Voracek, PHI vs. LA ($6,600) – Jonathan Quick will not be easy to beat, but Kings coach John Stevens' more up-tempo style will also eventually lead to a defensive breakdown here and there when gambles on offense don't pay off. Voracek is having his best campaign since scoring 81 points two seasons ago, and there's a chance he could even kick it up a notch as his 6.1 shooting percentage is well below his career average of 9.0, and the second lowest mark of his career. The Kings may not allow a lot of goals, but the Flyers' top line is one of the league's best.
Cam Atkinson, CLS at BOS ($5,600) – Since returning from his one-game banishment to the press box, Atkinson has responded with two assists in three games. It's probably not exactly what John Tortorella was looking for, but at least Atkinson's trending in the right direction. He may not have good numbers against the Bruins, but he may also not have to face their top pairing of Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy, making his job a little easier. It also helps that Atkinson continues to be paired with underrated playmaker Alexander Wennberg.
DEFENSE
Brent Burns, SJ at EDM ($7,100) – With four two-point performances in his past five games, it's okay to trust Burns again. After scoring just seven points in the first month of the season – all of them assists – and scoring just four points in November, Burns now has nine points in his past eight games. The pucks are starting to go in, and not even facing Talbot in net should change much. The Sharks are on a bit of a roll and no doubt Burns' production is a big reason for their success. With Erik Karlsson and the Senators struggling, Burns is starting to separate himself from the blue-line pack.
Damon Severson, NJ vs. ANH ($3,000) – Severson has a solid floor because he's a reliable shot blocker, and he should have plenty of chances to do so now that Ryan Getzlaf is back in the lineup and the Ducks can roll multiple scoring lines. Severson is normally on the third pairing with Will Butcher, but he'll take shifts with Andy Greene once in a while, and they'll face at least one of Rickard Rakell or Ondrej Kase. Severson is also capable of putting pucks on net, so there's always the added bonus that he may collect a helper.
