RADIO
Seven game in the National Hockey League on Monday and Monkey Knife Fight is there with contests for each one to make the games even more exciting.
The North Division has six of its seven teams in action. The Calgary Flames continue in Ottawa against the Senators, the Toronto Maple Leafs try to take a second straight at the Edmonton Oilers, and the Vancouver Canucks travel to Winnipeg to battle the Jets.
There are quality matchups elsewhere, too. The Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers meet in Sunrise, Florida and have both been great this season. An improved Minnesota Wild squad could be a challenge for the Golden Knights in Vegas.
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STAR SHOOTOUT - ALL DAY
MORE OR LESS
Jordan Binnington MORE THAN 26.5 SAVES
The Blues netminder has okay this season but did give up four goals on 19 shots in just over 30 minutes Saturday against San Jose, then had mini meltdown after getting pulled. If we can presume that he has cooled down, he does go into Monday’s game against the Sharks averaging 27.0 saves per 60 minutes on the road this season. Remember, the Sharks started the season on the road so they have only had four home games this season but they are averaging 31.8 shots per 60 minutes and that does leave enough room for Binnington to get more saves.
Connor Hellebuyck MORE THAN 26.5 SAVES
Although he’s not quite in the same form as last season, when he won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goalie, Hellebuyck does have a .918 save percentage for the season and is averaging 27.0 saves per 60 minutes at home this season. Couple that with facing a Vancouver Canucks squad that is generating 32.1 shots per 60 on the road, the fifth highest rate in the league, and Hellebuyck can be a problem for Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, and company.
Nathan MacKinnon MORE THAN 6.5 FANTASY POINTS
The Avalanche star is putting up 4.1 shots per game and that gives him a solid fantasy foundation but he has not been scoring goals this season, just five in 17 games (shooting 7.1%), so if he gets four shots on goal he would need either a goal or potentially multiple assists to find his way to produce seven fantasy points. However, since the Sharks have an abysmal defensive track record, which includes allowing 3.79 goals/60, the second highest rate in the league, this might not be the ideal time to pick against MacKinnon.
Dougie Hamilton LESS THAN 4.5 SHOTS + BLOCKS
Hamilton has not been creating as many shots this season, compared to last year, and on average is putting up 3.95 shots plus blocks per game. He faces a Florida team that is a little below average in terms of shots allowed but not by enough to count on Hamilton finishing with at least five shots plus blocks, a threshold that he has met eight times in 20 games this season.
RAPID FIRE
Leon Draisaitl -0.5 fantasy points vs. Brent Burns
Draisaitl does not generate shots at the same rate as Burns but he’s still pushing 2.8 shots per game (plus 0.4 blocked shots per game) to go along with elite point production of 34 points in 23 games. Burns is putting three shots on goal per game, plus nearly 1.3 blocked shots per game, so he gets more than a one fantasy point edge per game when it comes to shots and blocked shots but Burns has not been scoring enough, managing just 10 points in 18 games, to stay competitive with Draisaitl.
STAR SHOOTOUT - NIGHT GAMES
MORE OR LESS
Max Pacioretty MORE THAN 4.5 SHOTS + BLOCKS
Pacorietty does love to shoot the puck and he is averaging 4.2 shots per game plus nearly 0.6 blocked shots per game, so there is an edge here but it’s not huge. He has finished with at least five shots plus blocks in a game in nine of 17 contests this season. Against a Minnesota Wild team that is a bit better than average in terms of shot suppression does make this a closer call but it also seems like a game in which the Golden Knights might need Pacioretty to be firing.
Connor McDavid LESS THAN 0.5 GOALS
This might qualify as tugging on Superman’s cape but even though McDavid does have 14 goals in 23 games this season, he has had his biggest scoring explosions on home ice so he has lit the lamp just four times in a dozen home games. Toronto locked him down Saturday, holding McDavid to just one shot on goal but he does have three goals in four games against the Leafs this season.
RAPID FIRE
Logan Couture +0.5 fantasy points vs. Mikko Rantanen
Both players are productive, having tallied 18 points in 18 games, but Couture does get a bit of an edge because he is scoring more goals, including eight in his past 10 games. Rantanen does generate more shots and blocks (66 compared to 59 for Couture) so he is a worthy favorite but Couture plus the half fantasy point is enticing.
Mitch Marner +0.5 fantasy points vs. Darnell Nurse
As much as Nurse is scoring more this season and creates enough value with shots and blocked shots as well he is averaging nearly 5.8 fantasy points per game, which is great. Marner is even better though, at 6.3 fantasy points per game and even if their home road splits make it closer, Marner as an underdog is mighty tempting.
