This article is part of our FantasyDraft NHL series.
February comes to an end with five NHL games Wednesday. It's your last chance to play some daily fantasy before March. Here are some players I'd recommend for your lineups.
GOALIE
Colorado Avalanche, COL vs. CGY ($16,000): The Avalanche are 21-8-1 at home and they are catching the Flames on the second night of a back-to-back. Colorado also has a 2.40 team GAA at home. With Mike Smith out for Calgary, the odds of the Avalanche's netminder picking up a win are high.
CENTER
Mathew Barzal, NYI at MON ($12,300): Barzal is likely en route to a Calder Trophy with 66 points in 63 games. That includes 19 points with the extra man. The Canadiens have a 3.05 team GAA and Carey Price is out with injury. Due to that, Antti Niemi (3.75 GAA, .892 save percentage) is slated to start against the Islanders.
Bo Horvat, VAN vs. NYR ($11,800): Since the All-Star break the Rangers have a 3.85 team GAA, which is the worst in the NHL. Those numbers were amassed before the trade deadline, when they got rid of a couple key players. Horvat has 16 goals and 15 assists through 45 games and in his last three outings he's tallied 13 shots on goal.
WING
Brendan Gallagher, MON vs. NYI ($11,200): Gallagher has put a whopping 209 shots on net through 62 games, tallying 21 goals in the process. Now he gets to face an Islanders squad that has a 3.54 team GAA and that has allowed 36.0 shots on goal per contest. Both of these are bottom of the barrel in the NHL, making this a fantastic matchup for Gallagher.
Yanni Gourde, TAM vs. BUF ($10,100): Gourde has notched 18 points through his last 17 games, including six with the extra man. The Sabres, for their part, have a 3.25 team GAA, fourth worst in the NHL. On the road that number jumps to 3.31, and Buffalo has given up 32.8 shots on net on average away from home as well.
Chris Kreider, NYR at VAN ($9,500): Kreider doesn't have a point in two games since returning from a lengthy injury absence, but he has put seven shots on net. He's also on the top line on the Rangers' depth chart, and he's tallied at least 21 goals in his last three seasons. Perhaps he will get back on the scoresheet against the Canucks, who have a 3.19 team GAA.
DEFENSE
Jeff Petry, MON vs. NYI ($11,400): With Shea Weber missing much of the season due to injury, Petry has stepped into a big role for the Canadiens. Case in point, he's averaged a career high in ice time (23:42) and power-play time (2:41). He also has four points in his last five games. As previously noted, the Islanders have a league-worst 3.54 team GAA. New York also has the 30th-ranked penalty kill, and Petry has 16 power-play points.
Nick Leddy, NYI at MON ($9,500): Leddy has tallied nine goals and 27 assists through 63 games, with 14 of those coming on the power play. He's averaged 3:19 per game with the extra man, which is the highest of his career. The Canadiens have the 25th-ranked penalty kill, but that's with Price having been in net for 43 games. With Niemi and his 3.75 GAA in goal, the penalty kill could be even worse than usual.
