This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Saturday offers up not only afternoon hockey, but morning hockey, thanks to the NHL teams over in Europe. There's an 11 a.m. ET start! However, I'm focused on the nine games starting at 7 p.m. ET or later for DFS purposes. With that in mind, here are my recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
We miss out on some favorable matchups happening in the afternoon, but opportunity is still there. Only one team is on the second leg of a back-to-back, though, and it is the Jets, who get to be at home for both games. Plus, they play the Coyotes on Saturday, a team that has some offensive talent but isn't terribly deep.
GOALIES
Cam Talbot, LOS vs. STL ($8,400): Talbot has been stellar to start his time with the Kings, as he has a 2.11 GAA and .927 save percentage. While he was poor for the Senators last year, he had a solid .914 save percentage over the prior three campaigns. The Blues have picked it up after a terrible start offensively but are still in the bottom 10 in goals per game.
Darcy Kuemper, WAS vs. CLM ($8,200): Kuemper has gotten the green light to return to the ice, and starting at home against the Blue Jackets is a nice way to ease back into action. Columbus is in the bottom eight in both goals per game and GAA, increasing the chances Kuemper picks up a win, even if he shows a smidge of rust Saturday.
Jacob Markstrom, CGY vs. NYI ($7,900): Markstrom has a 2.66 GAA, and while he hasn't been great, the Flames have held opponents to a mere 28.9 shots on net per game. Meanwhile, the Islanders have really scuffled offensively, having averaged 2.44 goals per contest.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Tom Wilson, WAS vs. CLM ($4,400): Wilson has eight points in 14 games, not too shabby considering the general lack of offensive output for the Capitals. His 8.8 shooting percentage should also certainly improve. There should be plenty of opportunity for Wilson against Columbus, who has a 3.53 GAA and has also allowed 33.5 shots on goal per game.
Logan Cooley, ARI at WPG ($3,900): Okay, so maybe Cooley isn't putting the pressure on Connor Bedard when it comes to the Calder some imagined, but the rookie center does have 12 points in 16 games, and his 7.4 shooting percentage is rather low for a forward. Plus, he's averaged 3:36 per game with the extra man, and his nine power-play points do stand out. The Jets, the one team on the second leg of a back-to-back, have a bottom-10 penalty kill. Also, Laurent Brossoit will be in net, and he has a career .907 save percentage.
Connor Zary, CGY vs. NYI ($3,700): Zary has quickly emerged as a name to know. Since the 22-year-old was called up, he's potted three goals and three assists through seven games. Now, his production level is probably not sustainable, but he's also averaged 2:39 per contest on the power play and is on the top unit for the Flames. The Islanders, in a break from recent tradition, have been porous defensively. They've allowed 34.8 points per game and rank 31st on the penalty kill.
FORWARD LINE STACKS TO CONSIDER
Rangers at Devils
Vincent Trocheck (C - $5,400), Artemi Panarin (W - $8,100), Alexis Lafreniere (W - $4,200)
Not having Selke-level defender Nico Hischier for most of the season and Akira Schmid proving not ready for primetime has left the Devils languishing at goal prevention. New Jersey has a 3.73 GAA, and Vitek Vanecek has an .889 save percentage. The Rangers' second line was not together when the season began, but this trio is crushing it at the moment.
Getting the promotion to the second line when Filip Chytil went down has worked a treat for Trocheck, as he has a four-game point streak. Not only that, but he has seven points across those four outings for good measure. It really helps to get to play alongside Panarin, who literally has registered at least one point in every game this season. He's also put 55 shots on net through 14 contests, and his 14.5 shooting percentage is entirely sustainable. I find myself recommending Lafreniere a lot, so I suppose you can consider me a fan of him in a post-hype sleeper sort of way, especially given his general salary level. Like Trocheck, he has a four-game point streak, with multi-point games in his last two contests.
Bruins vs. Canadiens
Charlie Coyle (C - $4,100), James van Riemsdyk (W - $4,500), Trent Frederic (W - $2,800)
Goaltending rotations are commonplace these days, but the Canadiens take it to a new level by having three goalies that get starts from time to time. Of course, none of them are good, so that's still a problem. Montreal has a 3.47 GAA and has allowed 34.4 shots on net per game. The Bruins feel a bit more dependent on the first line than in the past, but that's a lot of salary outlay, so I will take a shot on the second line.
Coyle, usually a 40-point guy, has 12 points through 15 games. He also recently had his first career hat trick. Van Riemsdyk has the most upside, as he plays first-team power-play unit, which means time with David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand. Indeed, five of JVR's 11 points have come with the extra man. Frederic doesn't get any power-play time, but he has three goals this season and had 17 last year. Not everybody is going to be a clear standout in a line stack.
DEFENSEMEN
Charlie McAvoy, BOS vs. MON ($6,400): Since returning from his four-game suspension, McAvoy has three points in two games, and he's returned to his robust role on the power play. He's averaged 3:36 per game with the extra man and notched 19 power-play points last year. The Canadiens have a bottom-10 penalty kill, and as I noted they have given up 34.4 shots on net per contest.
Filip Hronek, VAN vs. SEA ($4,900): Hronek has been thriving in his role as second banana behind Quinn Hughes. He just had an 11-game point streak end, but he ended that streak with his first goal of the season, which pairs with 16 assists. The Kraken continue to lack in net, as Philipp Grubauer is on pace to have a sub-.900 save percentage for the third season in a row, which constitutes his entire time with the team.
Erik Gustafsson, NYR at NJD ($4,300): Gustafsson has done something improbable: Kept the Rangers from missing Adam Fox. Stepping into the outsized skates of the Norris winner, Gustafsson is yet-another Ranger with a four-game point streak going. The Devils, meanwhile, rank 30th in GAA. Somewhere, Jacques Lemaire weeps.
