This article is part of our Cap Compliance series.
It's a quiet two-game night in the NHL on Monday. Both contests are projected to be close with Buffalo hosting Columbus, and the Wild visiting the Stars. Remember to double-check the RotoWire NHL news feed to stay up to date with the latest happenings before locking your lineups. The action starts at 7 p.m. EST.
All statistics from Natural Stat Trick and Hockey Reference.
GOALIE
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, BUF vs. CLS ($22): With just four options to choose from in goal, targeting Luukkonen's position-low salary as one of your netminders is a solid strategy. He's been fantastic with a .939 save percentage and 1.96 GAA through five starts this season, too.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Braden Holtby, DAL vs. MIN ($27): The Wild rank second in the league in goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five, and Dallas snapped a five-game losing streak with Saturday's 4-3 win over Chicago. Holtby's also in a funk with three consecutive losses and a .903 save percentage and 3.40 GAA during the skid.
CENTER
Alexandre Texier, CLS at BUF ($13): Skating on the No. 1 line and top power-play unit, Texier is positioned to succeed Monday. The Sabres have surrendered the fifth most goals per game in the league, and Texier has collected a respectable three tallies and four helpers through his past eight outings.
CENTER TO AVOID
Tage Thompson, BUF vs. CLS ($17): The towering center has only found the scoresheet in two of the past 10 games and sports a minus-8 rating during the stretch. There simply are better values in the center pool.
WING
Kirill Kaprizov, MIN at DAL ($29): It's always worth considering the most talented scorer in the player pool, and Kaprizov's salary probably isn't prohibitive enough. His 3.56 points per 60 minutes rank 15th in the league, and there's also a case that there's positive regression ahead of his current 10.8 shooting percentage considering he posted a 17.2 mark last year.
Oliver Bjorkstrand, CLS at BUF ($17): An affordable stack candidate alongside linemate Alexandre Texier ($13), Bjorkstrand is in need of a slump-busting matchup. He's only scored four times through the past 18 games despite registering 51 shots, 105 attempts and 18 individual high-danger scoring chances.
WINGS TO AVOID
Alex Tuch, BUF vs. CLS ($19): Set to make his Sabres – and season – debut, Tuch's a risky start at this salary considering he hasn't played since the playoffs in June. His new fantasy surroundings in Buffalo are also not as favorable as when he played with the Golden Knights.
Jamie Benn, DAL vs. MIN ($17): The veteran has missed the scoresheet in 10 of the past 12 games and ranks 185th in points per 60 minutes this season. It's hard to justify targeting him, unless you're looking for a contrarian flier.
DEFENSE
Zach Werenski, CLS at BUF ($18): The power-play quarterback is in solid form with 13 points, 50 shots and 30 blocks while averaging a hefty 26:43 of ice time (2:48 with the man advantage) through the past 17 games. Additionally, Werenski ranks eighth in shot attempts per 60 minutes among all regular blueliners for the campaign.
Alex Goligoski, MIN at DAL ($18): A scorching hot stretch has Goligoski up to a sixth-ranked 2.25 points per 60 minutes among regular defensemen, and the veteran also sports a plus-14 rating for the campaign. As noted, Dallas isn't in the best current form, either.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Casey Fitzgerald, BUF vs. CLS ($18): It was a notable NHL debut for Fitzgerald. He collected an assist, two shots and even dropped the gloves. However, you'll probably want to see a little more from the rookie before dishing out for a position-high ticket.
