This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Garfield may have not liked Mondays, which is weird because he's a cat and doesn't have a job, but there's no reason for you to be down on Monday thanks to playoff hockey. Since there is only one game Monday, the slates for Monday and Tuesday are combined for contest purposes. Here are some players to target from the two games on the docket.
GOALIE
Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT vs. WAS ($7,800): Nashville's victory over St. Louis on Sunday means that there are only four goalies to choose from, and not of them are super inspiring. However, Fleury does have a .929 save percentage in the playoffs, and he's at home. Sidney Crosby is also back, which helps increase Fleury's chances of picking up a win. With the goalies in action Monday/Tuesday, having the guy who has the best chance to win may be the smartest way to go.
CENTER
Kyle Turris, OTT at NYR ($5,300): Turris has five points in his last six games, including two goals in his last two contests. This comes after a season wherein he tallied 27 goals and 28 assists in 78 games, including 17 power-play points. Overall, Henrik Lundqvist has had a good playoffs, but he's got a .893 save percentage in his last four contests. On top of that, the Rangers allowed 2.90 goals per game at home this year.
Mika Zibanejad, NYR vs. OTT ($5,200): Craig Anderson had a very impressive regular season, but the playoffs have not gone nearly as well. He has a 2.53 GAA and a .909 save percentage in the postseason, but things have gotten even worse recently. In his last four games, he has a 3.86 GAA and a .878 save percentage. Zibanejad doesn't have a goal in this series, but he has three assists, and he's put 18 shots on goal in five games. Additionally, he's played 3:22 on the power play in this series, which increases his chances of finding success with the extra man.
WING
Rick Nash, NYR vs. OTT ($5,400): Nash started 35.0 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, which was second most of any New York forward. He tallied 23 goals on 195 shots in a mere 67 games. In the playoffs, he's added 38 more shots on net in 11 games. As previously noted, Anderson has struggled in this series, and during the regular season the Senators had the 27th-ranked penalty kill after the All-Star break. Nash doesn't get a ton of power-play time, but Ottawa's penalty kill concerns are still a minor reason for added optimism about Nash.
Marcus Johansson, WAS at PIT ($5,000): Johansson started 36.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, fourth most among Washington forwards. He's tallied eight points in the playoffs, and he currently has a three-game point streak. In his last three contests, he also has notched 10 shots on net. The Penguins allowed 32.6 shots on net per game this season, and in the playoffs that number is up to 36.8.
Carl Hagelin, PIT vs. WAS ($3,600): If you are looking for a cheap option with some upside, consider Hagelin. He started 37.5 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, fourth most of any Penguin. Hagelin was snakebit during the regular season, but his 4.7 shooting percentage was strikingly low. He missed extensive time, including playoff games, with an injury, but he lit the lamp in Game 4 and he has eight shots on goal in this series. While Braden Holtby was great during the regular season, he has a .909 save percentage in the playoffs, and that number is down to .876 in this series.
DEFENSE
Ryan McDonagh, NYR vs. OTT ($5,400): McDonagh had another fine regular season, tallying 42 points in 77 games, including 15 on the power play. He's taken that form into the playoffs, as he's got seven postseason points, all in his last eight games. That includes three power-play points. Additionally, he's blocked 32 shots in the playoffs after blocking 160 during the regular season, so he can add some fantasy value on that end of the ice. He may be on the pricier side of things, but he's worth it.
Nate Schmidt, WAS at PIT ($2,800): Schmidt has taken on a bigger role in the postseason, and he's notched four playoff points in nine contests. That includes a point in each of his last two games. As noted earlier, the Penguins allowed 32.6 shots on net per game in the regular season, and that number is up to 36.8 in the playoffs. However, Pittsburgh also ranked sixth in shot attempts per 60 minutes (58.8), which could give Schmidt the chance to block a shot or two.
