This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
It's a pretty good night for the NHL on Saturday. Given that Sunday night there is some other sporting event going on, take advantage of the opportunity for an evening of hockey this evening. There are seven games on the slate. Here are players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Samuel Ersson, PHI vs. SEA ($20): Ersson has the lowest salary of any goalie on the slate, which is a bit of a surprise. While his .903 save percentage is not remarkable, he has a 2.47 GAA thanks to Philly being in the top four in shots on net allowed per game and penalty-kill percentage. The Kraken have averaged 2.78 goals per contest, which ranks 27th in the NHL.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Tristan Jarry, PIT at WPG ($31): Jarry's been good, as he has a .916 save percentage. The Jets are middling at 3.04 goals per game. So why avoid Jarry? Because the Penguins are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. That changes the circumstances, to be sure.
CENTER
Anthony Cirelli, TAM at CLM ($16): Cirelli, a second-line center, is better known for his defensive acumen. Recently, though, there's been an uptick in offensive performance. He has nine points in his last eight games. The Blue Jackets have a 3.66 GAA, which is 31st in the NHL, so Cirelli has a good chance to stay hot.
CENTER TO AVOID
Sidney Crosby, PIT at WPG ($34): Like his goalie, Crosby is on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. However, the veteran center has a worse matchup than Jarry. The Jets are first in GAA and in the top 10 in shots on net per contest. Winnipeg's defense is formidable, especially with Vezina favorite Connor Hellebuyck likely in goal.
WING
Claude Giroux, OTT vs. TOR ($21): Giroux has averaged 20:04 per game in terms of ice time, including 3:06 with the extra man. That's helped him notch 42 points in 47 contests. Toronto is on the fringes of the bottom 10 in penalty-kill percentage, and Ilya Samsonov has an .879 save percentage.
Brandon Hagel, TAM at CLM ($19): Hagel may not skate on Tampa's robust top line, but he hasn't needed to in order to produce like a high-level forward. The 25-year-old has 45 points in 52 games and is on a five-game point streak. Columbus, in the bottom five in GAA and shots on net allowed per contest, is clearly the best matchup on the slate, so it makes sense to grab a couple Lightning players.
WINGS TO AVOID
Travis Konecny, PHI vs. SEA ($23): Konecny has been productive despite an issue with tallying points on the power play. Even so, the Kraken have only allowed 29.5 shots on net per game, which is above average. Joey Daccord has been above average himself. He has a 2.32 GAA and .921 save percentage.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, EDM at LOS ($21): The Oilers are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. Nugent-Hopkins' greatest skill is his acumen on the power play. Just last year he had a staggering 53 points with the extra man. The problem for RNH here is that the Kings have the league's best penalty kill. Visiting Los Angeles is one of the toughest scenarios for a player like Nugent-Hopkins to navigate.
DEFENSE
Sean Durzi, ARI at NAS ($19): Durzi was a nice secondary defenseman for the Kings, but now he's a No. 1 guy for the Coyotes. He's averaged 22:26 per game in ice time, including 3:20 with the extra man. Durzi has 10 power-play points in 43 games. The Predators rank 27th on the penalty kill, so Durzi's role manning the point on the power play should help him out Saturday.
Brady Skjei, CAR vs. NJ ($16): Skjei has three points in his last five games, all assists. He does have seven goals on the year as well after having 18 last season. Whether he lights the lamp or picks up a helper, the Devils have a 3.57 GAA, so another point to his name is definitely a real possibility.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Evan Bouchard, EDM at LOS ($23): Bouchard was putting a lot of pucks on net earlier in the season, but six times in his last eight games he's only managed one shot or fewer. The Kings have only allowed 28.3 shots on net per game, so it's unlikely Bouchard gets back on track there, especially on the second leg of a back-to-back. Plus, nearly half his points have come on the power play and, again, the Kings have the top penalty kill.
Vince Dunn, SEA at PHI ($22): I mentioned when I was recommending Ersson that the Flyers are in the top four in shots on net allowed per game and penalty-kill percentage. Well, to get more specific, they are second on the penalty kill. Dunn has notched 14 of his 37 points with the extra man, so clearly that's not exactly a reason for enthusiasm in terms of rostering him.
