This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Welcome to March! Wednesday opens the month with six NHL games, more than usual for this particular day of the week. These are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Darcy Kuemper, WAS at ANA ($32): Kuemper has had a couple rough starts recently, but I expect him to pick it up and right the ship in this matchup. The veteran goalie has a .917 save percentage in his career, after all. Anaheim has averaged a mere 2.51 goals per contest, which is second lowest in the NHL.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Ilya Samsonov, TOR at EDM ($31): From the current Caps goalie to a former one, Samsonov is having a fine campaign with the Leafs, posting a 2.30 GAA and .918 save percentage. Having said that, this is a trip to Edmonton. The Oilers lead the league at 3.80 goals per game. Also, this guy Connor McDavid seems pretty good.
CENTER
Wyatt Johnston, DAL vs. ARI ($16): Johnston has a point in back-to-back games, and eight points in his last 14 contests. The Coyotes are the one team on the second leg of a back-to-back Wednesday, and they are in the bottom eight in GAA and shots on net allowed per contest.
CENTER TO AVOID
Nico Hischier, NJD at COL ($26): Hischier is playing well, but so is Alexandar Georgiev. Colorado's goalie has allowed only two goals over his last three starts, and he has a 2.14 GAA and .937 save percentage over his last 12 outings. While Hischier does have 15 power-play points this season, he only has one in his last 13 games, so the one-time first-overall pick is having some trouble on that front right now.
WING
Michael Bunting, TOR at EDM ($20): Bunting is happy as the "third wheel" on Toronto's top line. That helps him notch 23 goals last year, and he has 19 through 60 games this season. Bunting also has nine points in his last 10 contests. The Oilers are as elite as any team offensively, but defensively they have bigger questions. They have a 3.28 GAA, and after a strong start to the season Stuart Skinner has a 2.91 GAA.
Tom Wilson, WAS at ANA ($12): Wilson has had trouble staying on the ice, but in five games since returning from his most-recent injury he has four points. Being healthy enough to face the Ducks is to Wilson's benefit to be sure. Anaheim has a 4.08 GAA and has allowed 39.6 shots on net per contest, both highest in the NHL.
WINGS TO AVOID
Jonathan Marchessault, VGK vs. CAR ($19): Marchessault has 176 shots on net through 54 games, which is how he has 17 goals with a 9.7 shooting percentage. Getting pucks on goal against the Hurricanes is tough, though. Carolina has allowed a league-low 26.4 shots on net per contest, and a 2.57 GAA that is second lowest in the league.
Clayton Keller, ARI at DAL ($18): I liked Keller on Tuesday against the Blackhawks, but now he has to be in Dallas on Wednesday. That's a real change of scenery. Jake Oettinger has a 2.30 GAA and .923 save percentage, and the Stars have a top-five penalty kill as well.
DEFENSE
Morgan Rielly, TOR at EDM ($20): Rielly's 2.2 shooting percentage has kept his production down a bit, but he still has 29 points in 45 games. That includes eight points in his last 10 games, including both of his goals on the season. Rielly has 11 power-play points as well, and the Oilers have the 24th-ranked penalty kill.
Trevor van Riemsdyk, WAS at ANA ($16): Well, this was primed to be a recommendation for Erik Gustafsson…who was then traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, given Anaheim's status as the worst defensive team in the NHL, I still wanted to get a crack at this matchup. I imagine, once he is up to speed, new acquisition Rasmus Sandin might be stepping in to Gustafsson's minutes and power-play time. For Wednesday, though, I'd lean toward van Riemsdyk. He's been around, and he has five points and 19 shots on net in his last 10 games.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Alex Pietrangelo, VGK vs. CAR ($21): Pietrangelo is no longer on the top power-play unit for the Golden Knights, and that caps his DFS upside. Eleven of his 35 points have come with the extra man, and that outlet is no longer there for the former Blue. Add in the fact the Hurricanes have allowed the fewest shots on net per contest and Pietrangelo could be left not affecting things offensively much.
Bowen Byram, COL vs. NJD ($18): Since returning from injury Byram has eight points in 10 games, but with an 18.8 shooting percentage that is simply not sustainable for a defenseman. The Devils have a 2.63 GAA and have only allowed 28.3 shots on net per contest, so this matchup could bring some of that regression I'm expecting for Byram.
