This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
GOALIE
Martin Jones, SJ at WAS ($7,300) – The Caps should have the slight edge with a deeper roster and home-ice advantage, but the underlying numbers favor the Sharks. Jones is 4-0 in his career against the Caps with a 1.00 GAA and .963 save percentage, and the Sharks have a better goal differential and have performed better on the road. The danger with Jones is that he hasn't been very consistent, and even though he allowed five goals against the Lightning, he's stopped 76 of 81 shots in his past two games.
CENTER
Sean Monahan, CGY vs. PHI ($6,700) – The Flames are frustratingly inconsistent, and despite having gone without a point in his past three games, Monahan has the talent to explode on offense at any time. The Flyers are an easy target, currently mired in a 10-game losing streak, and they haven't allowed fewer than three goals since Nov. 11. The Flyers young defense will be good one day, but not right now, and Glen Gulutzan should be able to get the matchups he want on home ice.
Mathew Barzal, NYI at FLA ($5,600) – He's a big reason why the Islanders are winning; they've finally found their No. 2 center. A lot of people have been surprised at just how good Barzal has been, and the Panthers will surely get a shock of their own as they face the rookie for the first time. Much of their attention will be on John Tavares, so it'll be up to Doug Weight to see if he can sneak Barzal onto the ice against the Panthers' weaker defensive pairings. Barzal has 17 points in his past 13 games and is emerging as a strong Calder Trophy candidate.
WING
Johnny Gaudreau, CGY vs. PHI ($7,400) – Gaudreau is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it type of player, a crafty playmaker with some of the best hands in the league. He's also quietly climbed to the top of the scoring race with 36 points, just two behind league leader Nikita Kucherov. He scored three points in his previous match against the Flyers, and has nine points in six games overall against them. Relying on the Flames is like playing slots, but when Gaudreau and Monahan are flying, it's a jackpot.
Claude Giroux, PHI at CGY ($6,300) – You can't pin all of the Flyers' woes on their captain. Prior to a shutout loss to Boston, Giroux was on a five-game point streak. The Flames have a strong attack but a defense that continues to underperform, and Dave Hakstol has really leaned on his top guys to bust out of their slump. Giroux averaged a little over 19 minutes in the first month of the season but climbed to 20:42 in November and most recently played over 23 minutes Saturday.
Josh Bailey, NYI at FLA ($5,900) – He's producing like a first-line player thanks to Tavares, but is still priced like a second-line player. After recording a career-high 56 points last season, Bailey's on track to set a new career high by January, and it's no fluke – 16 of his 30 points have come at even strength. The Panthers don't defend very well and their goaltenders can't steal games, which means a good opportunity for one of the league's hottest duos.
DEFENSE
Roman Josi, NSH vs. BOS ($6,700) – He's just below the tier of defensemen who constantly garner Norris Trophy attention, but he's putting together yet another strong season with 17 points in 23 games, including three assists in his past four. The Bruins shut out the Flyers, but the Predators should be a much tougher opponent. Josi is a big reason why they've won seven of their past 10 games, and his ability to join the rush makes him a dangerous offensive weapon. The Bruins aren't as sturdy on defense as they've been in years past, transitioning to a more mobile style, which plays right into the Preds' hands. In 10 games against the Bruins in his career, Josi has averaged 2.6 shots per game.
Charlie McAvoy, BOS at NSH ($4,500) – It's easy to forget McAvoy is still a rookie after he burst onto the scene last year, but despite averaging over 23 minutes per game and scoring 14 points in 24 games, Mikhail Sergachev and Will Butcher continue to dominate headlines instead. McAvoy is a two-way defenseman who's scored four points in his past four games and at 19 years old is already one of the best players on the team. Nashville won't be easy to beat, especially at home, but McAvoy provides a low ceiling and a high floor at his current price.
