This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
It's not merely a Saturday, but it is also New Year's Eve. Perhaps owing to that, much of the action is happening early, leaving us with five games on the primary slate of DFS contests. Those are the games starting at 7 p.m. ET or later. Here are my recommendations for those games.
SLATE PREVIEW
Even though on the day there is plenty on the NHL docket, it's not a big day for back-to-backs. In fact, in the evening, there is only one team playing their second game in as many days. That is the Oilers, who are also at home.
GOALIES
Jake Oettinger, DAL vs. SAN ($8,400): It hasn't been a steady trip to this point, but through 27 appearances Oettinger has a 2.38 GAA and .920 save percentage. In December, Oettinger has a 2.21 GAA and .924 save percentage. The Sharks are the one team in the bottom 10 in goals and shots on net per game in action Saturday, which bodes well for the Stars at home.
Ilya Samsonov, TOR at COL ($7,800): Samsonov and Matt Murray have proven to be quite the pair in goal, with Samsonov contributing a 2.20 GAA and .920 save percentage. Now, for something truly surprising: Colorado is ranked lowest in goals per game of any team playing Saturday night. Seriously. Owing in part to injury, the Avalanche have managed a mere 2.94 goals per game.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Tyler Seguin, DAL vs. SAN ($4,200): Seguin potted two goals in his last outing, giving him nine on the season, but four in his last six games. He only has five points on the power play, but that is a good sign in this matchup. The Sharks have the league's top penalty kill, but all in all have a 3.65 GAA. If a player can get it done at even strength, this is still a good matchup.
Adam Lowry, WPG at EDM ($2,900): The Jets are struggling with injuries right now, but Lowry is healthy, up to the second line, and has 21 points in 36 games. The Oilers are the one team on the second leg of a back-to-back, and Jack Campbell will likely be in net. He has a 4.02 GAA and .876 save percentage.
FORWARD LINE STACK
Flames vs. Canucks
Elias Lindholm (C - $5,700), Tyler Toffoli (W - $5,700), Dillon Dube (W - $4,000)
The Canucks have a 3.83 GAA, which is third highest in the NHL. That means only the woeful Ducks and Blue Jackets have been worse, which really is saying something. A big issue for Vancouver? The league's worst penalty kill, which was also the case last year. All three members of Calgary's top line get some power-play time, which is just what I want from a stack in this matchup.
Lindholm had a December to remember, racking up 17 points in 14 games. On the season, he has 10 power-play points in 36 outings. Toffoli also has 10 power play points, plus a tendency to pepper the net with pucks. In his first full season with the Flames, Toffoli has put 112 shots on goal in 37 games. Dube does not have the same power-play success, and he's moved up and down the lineup. Right now, though, he's on the first line, and he has 10 points in his last 10 contests.
DEFENSEMEN
Rasmus Andersson, CGY vs. VAN ($5,300): If I want to target the porous penalty kill of the Canucks, and I definitely do, Andersson needs to be in the mix. He's averaged 3:19 per game on the power play and has notched 11 points with the extra man. Also, I don't know if it means anything, but he's put at least four shots on net in each of his last three games.
Filip Hronek, DET vs. OTT ($4,700): Moritz Seider is having a bit of a sophomore slump, but Hronek has picked up the slack. He has 26 points in 34 games, and he's also put 78 shots on net. That's the most shots of any defenseman on the Red Wings. The Senators have allowed 32.7 shots on goal per contest, and they have a middling 3.17 GAA as well.
