This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are 11 games on the schedule Saturday, but only the nine evening matchups are included in DraftKings featured contests. Here's a quick-hit primer outlining Saturday's schedule.
Notable Favorites from DraftKings Sportsbook:
Lightning
Coyotes
Predators
Teams playing for the second consecutive night:
Colorado
Dallas
Pittsburgh
Columbus
Florida
Potential high-scoring contests:
Avalanche-Lightning
Bruins-Maple Leafs
Golden Knights-Penguins
Injury Watch:
Patrice Bergeron, Bruins (lower body)
Elias Lindholm, Flames (undisclosed)
Andrew Mangiapane, Flames (undisclosed)
Kurtis MacDermid, Kings (undisclosed)
Filip Forsberg, Predators (lower body)
Jordan Eberle, Islanders (lower body)
Artem Anisimov, Senators (lower body)
Lukas Radil, Sharks (illness)
Malcolm Subban, Golden Knights (lower body)
GOALIES
This is a reasonable price to target Marc-Andre Fleury ($7,500) in a revenge spot against his former team, even if it's his third season with the Golden Knights. Pittsburgh is playing its third home game in four nights and ripe for a letdown showing to end its five-game winning streak. Fleury's also been excellent to start the campaign with a .926 save percentage.
The price is steep for Antti Raanta ($8,200), but Arizona is playing elite team defense with just 1.74 expected goals allowed per 60 minutes at five-on-five, and draw the inferior Senators. Just note this is only the second start of the campaign for Raanta, and he allowed three goals on 32 shots in his 2019-20 debut.
Colorado is playing its third road game in four nights and went to overtime in the first two. The Avs are also likely punching a little above their weight class with a 6-0-1 record to start the campaign. Tampa Bay, on the other hand, is coming off consecutive road games over Montreal and Boston to finish a testing six-game road trip. It would be surprising if Andrei Vasilevskiy ($8,000) and the Bolts weren't at their best Saturday.
Jaroslav Halak ($7,600) is in play against the Maple Leafs with Boston allowing just 1.57 goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five. Boost Halak up your rankings if Patrice Bergeron ($6,900) is also able to suit up. The Maple Leafs look significantly weaker up the middle now that John Tavares ($6,400) is set to miss time.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
As noted, Boston's lineup could look different Saturday, and Charlie Coyle ($3,500) could receive a minute boost. The 27-year-old American hasn't marked the scoresheet since the season opener and has just registered a single assist through seven games. Don't forget Coyle was a key cog during Boston's playoff run last spring with 16 points - including nine goals - through 24 contests. Jake DeBrusk ($4,000) is expected to skate with Coyle, and the duo could reward as a mini stack.
With Dallas reeling along a five-game losing streak and playing its fourth straight road game and second in consecutive nights, this should prove to be a good spot for the Flyers. Claude Giroux ($5,700) recorded a pair of assists last time out but has still failed to mark the goals column. Additionally, his current 1.86 points per 60 minutes is still well behind the 3.27 mark he posted over the past two seasons.
After recording 2.92 points per 60 minutes last season, Kevin Labanc ($4,300) has been held to a 1.47 mark to start 2019-20. However, all three of his points this year have come over the past three games and San Jose draws the overachieving Sabres on Saturday. Buffalo's fourth-ranked .932 team save percentage is eyeing negative regression, and they're also playing the final leg of the California road trip - a historically tough schedule spot.
Injuries have opened the door for Daniel Carr ($2,800) and Trevor Moore ($3,500) to receive more ice time for their respective clubs. Neither player has shown significant upside in the past, but Carr's skating with Matt Duchene ($6,300) and Mikael Granlund ($4,100) against Florida and their 3.74 goals against per hour. Moore, meanwhile, is off to a solid start with five points and 15 shots through eight games, and he's receiving looks on Toronto's second power-play unit.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
The Lightning continue to roll out Brayden Point ($6,800), Nikita Kucherov ($7,200) and Steven Stamkos ($7,000) together in all situations, so they remain a go-to stack to consider night in, night out - not to mention they've clicked for 7.4 goals per 60 minutes this season. As noted, this should prove to be a tough schedule spot for Colorado, and backup netminder Pavel Francouz ($7,100) will likely receive the start.
As a low-priced trio with a favorable matchup against Ottawa, Christian Dvorak ($4,500), Conor Garland ($3,600) and Nick Schmaltz ($5,400) are also projected to skate on the same power-play unit. Arizona's top line of Derek Stepan ($5,100), Phil Kessel ($6,100) and Clayton Keller ($4,800) also represents an option, but also one that's more expensive. The Sens are 1-4-1 with 3.02 expected goals against per hour, which ranks third-worst in the league.
As noted, Vegas should be in a good road spot against Pittsburgh on Saturday, and linemates Max Pacioretty ($6,700) and Mark Stone ($7,100) are off to an excellent start with 5.8 goals per 60 minutes while sharing the ice. Paul Stastny ($5,600) has been centering the two wingers of late and the line has combined for seven goals and 10 assists over the past four contests. Penguins' backup Tristan Jarry ($7,600) is also likely to get the starting nod.
DEFENSEMEN
Loading up Victor Hedman ($5,200) as a building block of lineups is encouraged. Tampa Bay are significant favorites, Hedman quarterbacks the No. 1 power-play unit, and he's off to a solid start with an assist in six of seven games. Interestingly, he's only registered six shots, but his 16 blocks help mitigate the uncharacteristically low shot volume. For reference, his salary has been as high as $6,500 this season.
An addition to a Vegas stack, Shea Theodore ($5,600) continues to quarterback the No. 1 power-play unit and has recorded five points, 19 shots and nine blocks through eight contests while logging a career-high 21:58 of ice time - including 4:06 with the man advantage - per game.
Shayne Gostisbehere ($4,100) has failed to mark the scoresheet through five games to start the campaign despite boasting a high-end 1.8 points per 60 minutes over the past three seasons. Statistical correction is ahead, and Philly lands in the noted soft matchup against Dallas.
There's been nothing to write home about from Nick Leddy ($3,100) to begin the year, but the veteran is skating on the No. 1 power-play unit and offers significant cap relief. Plus, he's topped 30 points six times in his career, so there's a proven offensive track record.
