Monday's NHL showdown is a single game, VGK @ BOS, with a $50,000 salary cap and a captain slot that scores 1.5x points at 1.5x salary. The slate locks at 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT).
The top of our model's ranking is crowded with expensive talent. Mark Stone ($9,000) carries the highest ceiling among the leaders at 24.8, even though his DraftKings average sits at 12.8. Jack Eichel ($10,600) follows at 24.2, with a 14.1 average. On the BOS side, Jeremy Swayman ($9,800) has a 24.0 ceiling and David Pastrnak ($10,200) checks in at 23.2, with a 14.4 average that is the best of the group. Carter Hart ($9,600) is the odd one out, with a 15.6 ceiling that trails the skaters.
The value plays are where the slate can be won. Alexander Holtz is just $2,000 with a 13.9 ceiling and an 8.5 average, a rare combination of price and production. Matthew Poitras ($4,800) brings a 22.0 ceiling against a 6.8 average, which is real upside for the money. Brett Howden ($4,400) has a 20.4 ceiling and a 6.6 average. All three free up salary to spend on the stars.
The sheet gives no ownership figures, so we can't say where the crowd will land. One note for roster builders: Victor Olofsson, Parker Wotherspoon and Kai Uchacz of VGK all carry an IR tag on DraftKings.
Our model's top lineup uses $48,700 of the $50,000 cap. Mark Stone sits in the captain slot at $13,500, with Holtz ($2,000), Howden ($4,400), Mitch Marner ($9,400), Hart ($9,600) and Swayman ($9,800) in the flex spots. Cheap Holtz and Howden carry the construction, making room for the Stone captaincy and two pricey, safer pieces in Hart and Swayman.
Lock is at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Follow @numeric_dfs on X.