Monday fantasy hockey tips - NHL picks, matchups, more

Monday's six-game slate of NHL games gets fantasy hockey going earlier than usual with a 1 p.m. puck drop in Florida and Boston. Make sure you are also getting your weekly lineups in with plenty of time to spare, as Presidents' Day allows for the early start.

It's one of the later games, featuring the Winnipeg Jets visiting the New York Rangers, that I'll be watching closer for line deployment.

After getting their skates handed to them on Thursday by the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets, the Jets came into Sunday's game against the New Jersey Devils with a top nine — instead of a top six — for the first time in a long time. Rather than stack two lines with their best six forwards, as they always do, the forwards were paired off for three lines of offense.

Mark Scheifele and Cole Perfetti were joined by Mason Appleton; Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kyle Connor were put with Saku Maenalanen; and Nikolaj Ehlers and Blake Wheeler got Adam Lowry.

This might be a short-term message exercise from coach Rick Bowness, but it will be worth monitoring, as the Jets were beating the Devils until the third period. The Scheifele-Perfetti-Appleton trio were on the ice for both Jets goals.

The Jets are one of two teams playing again after games on Sunday. The Ottawa Senators are coming off a big win against the St. Louis Blues, but will be in tough visiting the Boston Bruins.

The Anaheim Ducks and Philadelphia Flyers will play again on Tuesday, but with little fantasy interest in their goaltenders — let alone the backups — we can cruise right on into the scoring matchups.

Resources: Goalie depth chart | Injuries | Schedule | How to watch on ESPN+ | Download the ESPN Fantasy App | Daily lines

All times Eastern.

1 p.m., FLA Live Arena

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