This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
The NHL returned from the holiday break Friday, but with a busier Friday (and busier Sunday) than usual this weekend, Saturday is a smidge less busy. Even so, there are still seven games starting at 7:00 p.m. ET or later. Let's try and roll into 2025 with some DFS success for the rest of the year. Here are my lineup recommendations for Saturday.
SLATE PREVIEW
Among the teams on the second leg of a back-to-back, the Bruins and Blue Jackets, as well as the Hurricanes and Devils, are playing one another as part of home-and-homes. The Sharks are at home against the Flames, and the Maple Leafs are at home against the Capitals.
GOALIES
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TBL vs. NYR ($8,000): Away from Tampa, Vasilevskiy's having a sub-par season. However, at home, the Russian netminder has a 2.13 GAA and .924 save percentage in 16 outings. The Rangers have been struggling on offense for a bit here, and they are now down to 2.82 goals per game, comfortably below average.
Logan Thompson, WAS at TOR ($7,500): Though the Maple Leafs are a good team, the fact they are on the second leg of a back-to-back puts them at a disadvantage, even at home. Not only that, but the Capitals have been stout both offensively and defensively. In addition to sitting third in goals per game, Washington has only allowed 27.1 shots on net per contest. Thompson has a .914 save percentage, but thanks to that defense, he has a 2.40 GAA on the campaign for good measure.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Cole Perfetti, WPG vs. OTT ($3,800): Perfetti has six points in his last seven games and has put at least two shots on net in each of his last six outings. Linus Ullmark is out this weekend. Anton Forsberg is traveling with the team but is also banged up. Third-string goalie Leevi Merilainen is projected to start for the Sens on Saturday.
Morgan Geekie, BOS vs. CBJ ($3,300): The Bruins have the better side of this home-and-home situation. First, they are the home team this time. Second, the Blue Jackets are in the bottom five in GAA. Geekie has 10 points over his last 14 games. Columbus is a matchup that can help him stay hot heading into the new year.
FORWARD LINE STACKS TO CONSIDER
Flames at Sharks
Nazem Kadri (C - $6,000), Jonathan Huberdeau (W - $4,600), Martin Pospisil (W - $3,500)
The Sharks are in the bottom five in GAA and shots on net allowed per game. They are playing their second game in as many days. Sure, Yaroslav Askarov, one of the top goaltending prospects in the world, is now with the big club in San Jose, but he's allowed seven goals in two starts since being recalled. Even for a top young goalie, playing behind this defense is an issue.
Kadri has been consistent, only being held off the scoresheet four times in his last 17 games. He's also put 110 shots on target over 34 contests this season. Huberdeau has been on fire lately, a rare sight since his move from Florida to Calgary. He has 13 points in his last 10 games and only failed to register a point once in that time. Pospisil is sort of along for the ride, but he's here. He only has one point in December, but his 4.7 percent shooting rate is likely to improve.
Penguins at Islanders
Sidney Crosby (C - $7,500), Bryan Rust (W - $6,600), Rickard Rakell (W - $6,100)
This line works well together. Crosby and Rakell are also both on the top power-play unit. That's the main draw for me here. The Islanders were poor on the penalty kill last year, and things haven't gotten any better. New York is last in penalty-kill percentage, which bodes well for the Penguins' top power-play unit.
Crosby has two four-point games in his last three outings. On the year, he has 11 power-play points in 36 contests. Rust is as hot as anybody, as he has seven goals and seven assists in his last eight outings. He has 27 points on the campaign, but that's in only 29 games. When Rust is healthy, he's a top producer in the NHL. Rakell has tallied multiple points five times in his last eight games. That includes four points with the extra man.
DEFENSEMEN
Noah Dobson, NYI vs. PIT ($5,900): Dobson has notched nine points in his last 10 contests. In that time he's also tallied 32 shots on net, giving him 103 shots on target over 35 games. The Penguins have allowed 31.5 shots on goal per contest, which has been an issue with their goaltending. Pittsburgh has a 3.64 GAA.
Kevin Bahl, CGY at SAN ($3,700): Moving from New Jersey to Calgary has yielded a much larger role for Bahl. He's up to 21:35 per game in ice time. The young defenseman has also tallied six points in his last 11 games, which should keep him on the ice plenty for the Flames. San Jose, as noted, is in the bottom five in GAA and shots on net allowed per game, and it is also closing out a back-to-back.
