This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
It's time for another exciting Saturday of NHL action, which means another opportunity for DFS success. There are nine games on the slate with the first pucks dropping at 7 p.m. EST. To try and help make this a worthwhile weekend, here are my lineup recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Three teams are on the second day of a back-to-back. Toronto hosts Montreal, so it may be fine especially if Joseph Woll can show some of his better form from last season. The Capitals are visiting the Blues. And the Red Wings welcome the Rangers, though they latter offer the best opportunity in terms of these matchup for a reason I'll get into later.
GOALIES
Jacob Markstrom, NJD at NYI ($7,700): Markstrom has yet to find his footing for the Devils, though it is possible a corner has been turned with a 1.77 GAA and .931 save percentage over his last four starts. The Islanders sit bottom-five in goals. And with Mathew Barzal out, there's a good chance that's where they remain for a while.
Kevin Lankinen, VAN vs. EDM ($7,500): A goalie that's been unexpectedly excellent is facing an offense that's been surprisingly poor. Some may fear the bottom falling out on both fronts at the exact same time, but I say ride the wave. Lankinen has posted a 2.08 GAA and .923 save percentage through nine outings. The Oilers have scored a mere 2.36 goals per game. Maybe things "normalize" on one of those fronts or both, though maybe a hot goalie stands tall at home against a struggling attack instead.
Jordan Binnington, STL vs. WAS ($7,500): You'll never believe this, but it's been hard to get a read on Binnington. He's recorded a 2.78 GAA and .904 save percentage overall with a 2.03/.926 from the last three appearances. I know the Caps off to a hot start offensively, yet the lineup isn't all that different from the one that averaged 2.63 goals and 26.5 shots last season. And they'll be on the road for the second game of a back-to-back.
VALUE PLAYS
Claude Giroux, OTT at BOS ($5,900): Giroux is still able to contribute during his age-36 season with 11 points while directing 19 shots on net across his last six outings. Jeremy Swayman has enjoyed a couple strong starts, but mostly looks like a player who held out until the start of the regular season having produced a 3.14 GAA and .894 save percentage. He should eventually round into form, so take advantage while you can.
Brayden Schenn, STL vs. WAS ($4,900): Schenn has only notched five points, though there are a couple reasons to think things will improve for him. With Robert Thomas out, he's centering the Blues' top line. That means Schenn is between Jordan Kyrou and Pavel Buchnevich. He's also sporting a 2.9 shooting percentage that should significantly improve. Maybe catching the Capitals on the second of consecutive nights will help. Logan Thompson also comes in with a .903 save percentage.
Phillip Danault, LOS vs. CLM ($4,700): Danault is riding a four-game scoring streak. He's totaled eight points, and that's with a 3.8 shooting percentage. The Blue Jackets have struggled to a 3.33 GAA, and that's with Elvis Merzlikins posting a .910 save percentage. Given his career .904, I expect a drop in performance.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Rangers at Red Wings
Vincent Trocheck (C - $6,700), Chris Kreider (W - $5,700), Reilly Smith (W - $4,700)
When I expressed my enthusiasm for the quality of the matchup for the Rangers, I bet you expected to see them pop up here. Indeed, they have. Not only are the Wings playing for a second straight day, but Alex Lyon is hurt. That led the team to call up Ville Husso from the AHL for a spot start. Detroit jettisoned the veteran to the minors for a reason, and that lies in his 3.26 GAA and .894 save percentage in the NHL since joining the club. The Rangers' second line offers plenty of talent for a stack on Saturday.
The Red Wings also rank bottom-five in shots allowed, and that's to Trocheck's benefit as he's generated 200-plus in each of the last two seasons with 30 so far this season. Trocheck also has nine points. Goals have always been Kreider's specialty, even if he's currently taken that to extremes with seven markers and zero assists. He supplied 36 helpers last season and 25 the year he went off for 52 goals, so things will balance out. Smith is a veteran who's used to hopping around the league, so it's not surprising he's doing fine with his third team in as many seasons with two goals and six assists.
Canucks vs. Oilers
Elias Pettersson (C - $5,500), Conor Garland (W - $5,700), Pius Suter (W - $4,600)
This is straightforward. The Oilers have the league's worst penalty kill. In fact, their percentage is below 60 percent. All three of these Canucks have recently participated on the top power play. Suter's spot there feels temporary, but he'll benefit if he's there again - and you could too.
Pettersson has been a lightning rod for criticism this season. His production somewhat justifies that with only five points, yet his 9.1 shooting percentage should improve and he's averaged 3:50 on the man-advantage. Pettersson has also never failed to reach at least 27 goals and 66 points in a full NHL campaign, so things should turn around. Garland is on a three-game point streak and has been unexpected productive. While his 14.8 shooting percentage is high, that's not an unsustainable number. Garland's ice time is up quite a bit, mostly because he's now on the first PP where he's averaged 3:33. Over his first four NHL seasons, Suter managed 14 or 15 goals - and he's already at four. While he wasn't on the power play for most of the season, he logged 3:57 there on Thursday.
DEFENSEMEN
Brandt Clarke, LOS vs. CLM ($6,200): If you're still adapting to the current season, Clarke's name might not mean much to you. But the young defenseman has been prolific in his much larger role stepping up for the injured Drew Doughty averaging 18:28 per game in ice time, including 3:15 on the power play. Clark has tallied 12 points, and that's with a 3.3 shooting percentage. As previously noted, the Blue Jackets have a 3.33 GAA with Elvis Merzlikins playing well above his usual level.
Dougie Hamilton, NJD at NYI ($5,900): Only twice in Hamilton's last 10 games has he failed to get on the scoresheet. He's also the Devils defenseman you want to get any PP production with five points while up a man. Why is having such a defenseman to your benefit? After finishing with a bottom-five penalty kill last year, the Islanders once against find themselves down in the bottom-five on that front.
Mike Matheson, MON at TOR ($5,500): Matheson has been all over the ice, as per usual. He's also put 20 shots while blocking 41. Though none of those shots have gone in yet, he's still chipped in nine points. The Leafs are on the second leg of a back-to-back and Joseph Woll has barely played this season due to injury along with the play of Anthony Stolarz. He enters with an .892 save percentage from two outings, and could easily not be in form on Saturday.
