This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Happy St. Patrick's Day. You may have some afternoon plans that, um, will inhibit your ability to set your DFS lineups. As such, you may want to get your NHL lineups in earlier. There are four games on the docket Friday. Here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineup.
GOALIE
Craig Anderson, BUF at PHI ($30): If the Sabres want to make a push for the playoffs, they may end up relying on Anderson in net as much as they can. While pushing the 41-year-old goalie might be too much, he's been the best netminder for the team. The veteran has a .917 save percentage in 23 appearances. Philly has only averaged 2.55 goals per game, and it definitely seems to be a team playing out the stretch and waiting for the offseason for the new front office to make changes.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Ilya Samsonov, TOR vs. CAR ($34): Samsonov came up huge against the Avalanche in his last start, and his .916 save percentage is impressive. This is another tricky matchup on the table, though. Carolina has averaged 3.30 goals per game, a little below Toronto's average of 3.39. The difference is that the Hurricanes have also averaged 34.9 shots on net per contest. I know Andrei Svechnikov is hurt, but the Hurricanes should still make it tough on Samsonov.
CENTER
Dylan Strome, WAS vs. STL ($17): The Capitals got healthier, and Strome dropped down to the third line and the second power-play unit. Surely his numbers have suffered, right? Well, his power-play production is indeed down, but Strome has 13 points over his last nine games. The only fire Jordan Binnington has shown in net all season is trying to fight Marc-Andre Fleury, which is a big reason why the Blues have a 3.72 GAA as a team.
CENTER TO AVOID
Auston Matthews, TOR vs. CAR ($36): Matthews' 12.2 shooting percentage is the lowest of his career, but he still has 31 goals in 60 games because he shoots as much as anybody. However, the Hurricanes have allowed a paltry 25.7 shots on net per contest, fewest in the NHL by a comfortable margin. That's a big reason why they also have a 2.52 GAA, second lowest in the league.
WING
Troy Terry, ANA vs. CLM ($17): The fact Terry has 19 goals and 31 assists in 61 games is perhaps getting a bit overlooked in the wake of his 37-goal campaign last year, which was fueled by a 19.3 shooting percentage he was not likely to replicate. He's having a strong campaign, and he has eight points in 10 games since returning from injury as well. The Blue Jackets are in the bottom four in GAA and shots on net allowed per game, and they are also on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back.
John-Jason Peterka, BUF at PHI ($11): It's been an up-and-down season for Peterka, which is understandable for a rookie. However, he has seven points over his last eight games. The Flyers are allowing some younger, unproven players get more ice time out there, and also Carter Hart happens to be dealing with an illness. If he's not fit to be in net, Felix Sandstrom will likely start. He has a career .894 save percentage.
WINGS TO AVOID
William Nylander, TOR vs. CAR ($29): Nylander yields to few when it comes to power-play production. He's tallied 25 of his 79 points with the extra man while he's averaged a career high of 3:37 per game on the power play. The Hurricanes, though, don't merely suppress shots and prevent goals. They also have the second-ranked penalty kill.
Teuvo Teravainen, CAR at TOR ($17): Teravainen's 8.1 shooting percentage is low, and perhaps a bit unlucky, but it does help to still shoot in order to try and be productive. Over his last four games the Finn doesn't just have zero points, but also only three shots on net. That won't cut it against the Maple Leafs, especially assuming that Samsonov and his 2.36 GAA and .916 save percentage are in net.
DEFENSE
Cam Fowler, ANA vs. CLM ($17): Fowler has been playing his best hockey in recent memory over the last month. Across his last 14 games he has 16 points. He's matched his nine goals and 33 assists from last season already in eight fewer contests. His next point will set a new career high for the veteran, and it could easily come against a Blue Jackets team on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. That is because, of course, this is also a Blue Jackets team that has allowed the fourth-most goals and the third-most shots on net per game this season.
Rasmus Sandin, WAS vs. STL ($17): Sandin was dealt from a definite playoff team to a bubble squad, but he was also dealt into an opportunity. In six games with the Capitals he's averaged 25:34 in ice time, including 3:08 on the power play. That's helped him tally nine points. The Blues may be just out of the bottom 10 on the penalty kill, but they are decidedly in the bottom five in GAA anyway.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Torey Krug, STL at WAS ($16): The Bruins have the league's best penalty kill — no shock there — and the Hurricanes are definitively second. After that, though, there are five teams bunched together ranking third through seventh. The Capitals are one of those teams. That's a problem for Krug, who has tallied 14 of his 27 points with the extra man.
Brady Skjei, CAR at TOR ($14): It's been a surprising campaign from Skjei, who has 13 goals to go with 16 assists. However, those 13 goals come with a 9.0 shooting percentage that speaks to a fair amount of puck luck. Also, he's managed six power-play points even though he's averaged a mere 51 second per game with the extra man. Toronto's penalty kill is middling on the season, but Skjei may not see it at all. He'll be stuck trying to beat Samsonov and his .916 save percentage without the extra man.
