This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The last Monday of March serves up a juicy nine-game slate with plenty of intriguing options. Here are some of the best values to look out for.
Goalie
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG vs. DAL ($25)
Hellebuyck has won his last four starts and -- counting a relief appearance against Vegas on Thursday -- has posted a .960 save percentage and 1.32 GAA over his last five appearances. The American keeper will have the opportunity to face a Dallas team that has dropped four of its last five and is averaging just 2.36 goals per game in March. The listing price here is beyond a bargain, take advantage.
Goalie to Avoid
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB vs. BOS ($38)
Monday night's showdown between the East's two best teams could serve as an exciting playoff preview, but it puts the fantasy slate's top-billed goalie in a tricky place. Considering the Bruins are averaging 3.64 goals per game in March, -- second best in the East after, you guessed it, the Lightning -- this could become a high-scoring affair, presenting bad value if you pick Vasilevskiy.
Center
Andreas Athanasiou, DET @ SJ ($17)
It's been a disappointing season for the team from Hockeytown, but it's at least been an encouraging one for Athanasiou -- the 24-year-old posted new career highs across the board and is two scores away from crossing the 30-goal mark for the first time in his young career. Athanasiou's new milestones extended to the power play, which makes Monday's matchup quite enticing considering the Sharks have killed off just two-thirds of their penalties in March.
Center to Avoid
Mika Zibanejad, NYR vs. PIT ($23)
Zibanejad has been on a pretty sorry stretch of play, showing four points on a 3.3 shooting percentage to go with a minus-6 rating over his last 11 contests. That last stat really limits his ceiling because even on days he does score, the Swedish pivot gets dragged down by plus-minus, leading to bad fantasy outings. The Penguins have been playing solid defense of late, so steer clear.
Wings
David Pastrnak, BOS @ TB ($31)
It took Pastrnak a game to get readjusted after returning from a lengthy thumb injury, but he's been great since then, racking up a goal and an assist in each of his last two games. Boston's top line of Pasta, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron will surely be involved in what could be a goal frenzy between two of the league's top offenses, so be sure to load up on at least one of them if your budget allows.
Sam Reinhart, BUF @ NJ ($14)
Seeing his price tag might make you forget that Reinhart has produced 60 points this season, a new career high. Part of the reason for the Canadian winger's discount status could have to do with the fact that he is on the ice for several of the opposing team's goals, but that shouldn't be as much of an issue Monday against New Jersey, home to one of the league's most anemic offenses.
Wings to Avoid
Elias Lindholm, CGY vs. LA ($25)
Many fantasy players will be quick to hop on Lindholm and other Flames players because of the matchup with the pathetic Kings, but a lot of the time, these matchups that seem too good to be true are traps. Lindholm, for instance, has been dealing with a prolonged slump, recording five points and an even rating in 11 games, which becomes one assist and a minus-4 rating when you leave out his offensive outburst on March 12.
Patrik Laine, WPG vs. DAL ($22)
Laine is about as pure a goal scorer as we currently have in the league, so it's a bit discouraging to see him struggling to put the puck in the net -- the 20-year-old has not scored a goal since Feb 26, a stretch of 12 games. He may have difficulty finding twine on Monday, as the Stars boast one of the league's best defenses, averaging just 2.47 goals allowed per game.
Defensemen
Alex Pietrangelo, STL vs. VGK ($22)
There's a lot to like in Monday's matchup for Pietrangelo. For starters, the Blues' captain has produced just two negative plus-minus outings in his last 11 contests while blocking 17 shots over that span, giving him a nice floor to build his fantasy game on. The Golden Knights average 34.5 shots per game, which should give the d-man plenty of bruise opportunities as he continues to play his key role in the offense as well.
Tyler Myers, WPG vs. DAL ($17)
Myers has picked up the pace on the back end of the campaign, recording six points in his last nine games and adding a plus-7 rating over that span. The Texas native continues to play a key role on Winnipeg's blue line during the extended absence of Dustin Byfuglien (ankle), so he presents a nice value play with a decently high ceiling against this struggling Dallas team.
Defensemen to Avoid
Ryan Ellis, NSH @ MIN ($20)
Ellis has been quite useful at points this season, but his lack of offensive upside really caps his appeal in this game. The 28-year-old is averaging just 1.6 shots on goal per game over his last 10 and still has not been able to lock down a regular spot on Nashville's power play, a unit that will try to exploit Minnesota's average penalty kill. He isn't worth the asking price in Monday's slate.
Kevin Shattenkirk, NYR vs. PIT ($18)
Shattenkirk has not scored a goal since Jan. 10 and that was just his second of the season. Over that 30-game span, the American blue liner shows 16 assists and a minus-7 rating, which is especially noteworthy considering the magnitude of the Pittsburgh offense he'll be facing off against Monday night. The price isn't too prohibitive, but there are better options at or below this cost.
