This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
t's a fairly-interesting Wednesday for the NHL, even with only four games on the slate. Notably, the first two games start at 7:30 p.m. ET, so you have an extra half hour to get your DFS lineups in. On that front, here are my players to target, and to avoid, for those lineups.
GOALIE
Stuart Skinner, EDM vs. WAS ($26): Over his last five starts, Skinner has an 1.55 GAA and .947 save percentage. I expect that the Oilers' netminder won't be too busy, either. Washington has average only 27.1 shots on net per game, while Edmonton has given up a mere 28.5.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Jordan Binnington, STL vs. LOS ($29): Unlike Skinner, I expect Binnington to be quite busy Wednesday. While the Kings have only averaged 3.05 goals per game, which is below average, they have managed 32.8 shots on net per contest, which is in the top eight. Meanwhile, the Blues have given up 32.3 shots on goal per game, which is in the bottom eight. Binnington may have to be on his game, and his play this year has been inconsistent, paving the way for his .911 save percentage.
CENTER
Sean Monahan, WPG vs. NAS ($17): In 16 games with the Jets, Monahan has eight goals and two assists. That includes three goals with the extra man. Juuse Saros has a 2.85 GAA, in part because the Predators have a bottom-10 penalty kill. Power-play time could pay off for Monahan on Wednesday.
CENTER TO AVOID
Robert Thomas, STL vs. LOS ($19): Thomas already has a career high of 21 goals, but goals are hard to come by against the Kings, especially with Cam Talbot posting an 1.87 GAA and .940 save percentage over his last eight starts. It's even tougher on the power play, as the Kings have the league's best penalty kill. Twenty of Thomas' 70 points have come with the extra man.
WING
Jonathan Drouin, COL at VAN ($17): Drouin seems to be off Colorado's first line with the introduction of Valeri Nichushkin back into the lineup, but he's still on the top power-play unit and seeing a ton of minutes with the extra man. He has tallied 15 power-play points in 64 games. The Avalanche may be on the second leg of a back-to-back, but Thatcher Demko is hurt for the Canucks. That leaves Casey DeSmith, who has an .898 save percentage, as Vancouver's number-one netminder.
Nils Hoglander, VAN vs. COL ($17): Hoglander has tallied three goals and three assists over his last six games, giving him 20 goals on the season. The Avalanche are on the road for their second game in as many days. While they have a solid goaltending duo, and number-one guy Alexandar Georgiev is in line for this start, with only eight teams in action, and some strong goaltending in the way for a couple teams, I'd still take a shot on Hoglander at this salary under those circumstances.
WINGS TO AVOID
Alex Ovechkin, WAS at EDM ($32): Ovechkin has been a prolific shooter of the puck, as per usual, but this season he's been more reliant on sheer tonnage thanks to his 8.6 shooting percentage. However, as I noted, the Oilers have only allowed 28.5 shots on net per game. With Skinner's recent run of play (.947 save percentage in his last five starts), any shots that get through to goal very well could be saved.
Luke Evangelista, NAS at WPG ($15): Evangelista is on a four-game point streak, including three games in a row with a goal. Of course, it's one thing to score against the Wild or Blue Jackets. Connor Hellebuyck has a 2.30 GAA and .922 save percentage for the Jets. Also, while Winnipeg has been surprisingly iffy on the penalty kill, Evangelista only has one power-play point in his last 13 games playing on the second unit.
DEFENSE
Drew Doughty, LOS at STL ($21): The Blues' penalty kill is only slightly below average, but Doughty has been great on the power play. He's averaged 3:14 per game with the extra man and picked up 17 power-play points. High-level power-play production versus even a middling penalty kill is a favorable matchup in my eyes.
Mattias Ekholm, EDM vs. WAS ($20): Ekholm has notched nine points in his last 13 games, and in his last outing he had a goal, an assist, and four shots on net. Charlie Lindgren has solid numbers for the Capitals (2.72 GAA, 912 save percentage), but he's been much better at home. On the road, Lindgren has a 2.94 GAA and .903 save percentage.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Devon Toews, COL at VAN ($19): Yes, DeSmith in goal instead of Demko changes things, but there is a reason for concern about Toews paying off at his salary. Due to the presence of Cale Makar, Toews doesn't get to reap the benefits of power-play minutes, which tend to be easier on the legs and conducive to scoring. Indeed, Toews doesn't have a power-play points in his last 27 games.
Torey Krug, STL vs. LOS ($16): Krug has 30 assists through 65 games, quite good for a defenseman. However, he only has three goals on the year. Additionally, 11 of those assists have come on the power play, and as I noted the Kings have the league's top penalty kill.
