This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
It's a beautifully busy night of NHL hockey Saturday. There are 11 games on the slate, which I always love to see. Saturdays are for hockey. Here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups. Let's do this thing!
GOALIE
Logan Thompson, VGK vs. STL ($41): How good has Thompson been this year? He just allowed four goals to the high-flying Sabres and still has a 2.32 GAA and .925 save percentage. This matchup should be easier. The Blues are currently last in goals per game.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Linus Ullmark, BOS at BUF ($36): This should be a fun one, as the Bruins and Sabres are first and second in goals per game. Of course, that means it likely won't be fun for the goalies, and that includes Ullmark. He's crushed it to start the campaign, but he's on the road against a Buffalo battalion that has averaged 3.86 goals per contest. If they can drop four on Thompson, they can do it against Ullmark.
CENTER
Jonathan Toews, CHI at ANA ($18): Toews has been a steady presence. While he doesn't have any multi-point games, he's had one point in 10 of the 13 contests he's played in. As such, I am comfortable expecting a point from Toews in this matchup, and possibly even more than one. The Ducks are last in GAA, and have somehow allowed 40.4 shots on net per game.
CENTER TO AVOID
Nazem Kadri, CGY vs. WPG ($26): Kadri came out of the gates hot for the Flames, but over his last seven games he has three points. Now, that's still good, but definitely a step down from the nine he had in his first six outings. Connor Hellebuyck has not slowed down at all, and he has an 1.98 GAA and .938 save percentage.
WING
Brock Boeser, VAN at TOR ($17): Since returning to the lineup, Boeser has a point in both of his games. While he doesn't have a goal yet this season, he's never failed to have at least 23 goals in a full NHL campaign. Have you heard the name Keith Petruzzelli? With the Maple Leafs on the second night of a back-to-back, Petruzzelli could be making his NHL debut, even though he is ostensibly the fifth-string goalie for the Leafs.
Kyle Palmieri, NYI vs. CLM ($17): After a slow start, Palmieri has five points in his last six games. He's also averaged 2:42 per game with the extra man for good measure. The Blue Jackets, meanwhile, have a 4.38 GAA and have allowed 35.4 shots on net per contest.
WINGS TO AVOID
Vladimir Tarasenko, STL at VGK ($25): Several Blues are off to slow starts, hence them being last in goals per game, but Tarasenko has not been one of them. And yet, even he has only four points over his last nine outings after having six in his first three. As I noted earlier, Thompson has a 2.32 GAA and .925 save percentage.
Patrik Laine, CLM at NYI ($21): Laine only has one goal and two assists since returning from injury. His 7.4 percent shooting should improve, but this is not the matchup for a turnaround. Ilya Sorokin has a 2.09 GAA and .936 save percentage, and the Islanders have a top-five penalty kill for good measure.
DEFENSE
Dougie Hamilton, NJD vs. ARI ($20): Hamilton showed some of what he can do last year, his first with the Devils, but this is the defenseman the team was dreaming of when they got him. He's racked up 11 points through 14 games, and he's put a whopping 54 shots on net. The Coyotes have allowed 35.7 shots on goal per game, so expect Hamilton to be quite busy.
Shea Theodore, VGK vs. STL ($19): Theodore has 11 points through 15 games, including a three-game point streak. His 10.7 percent shooting will likely regress, but Theodore is routinely a guy who puts up over 200 shots on net per season. The Blues aren't just having issues on offense. They also have a 3.83 GAA.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Rasmus Dahlin, BUF vs. BOS ($26): There is reason for concern about Ullmark, but Ullmark is also a reason for concern for a player like Dahlin. Also, the blueliner has tallied eight of his 17 points on the power play, and the Bruins have the league's best penalty kill. This salary is a little steep given the matchup.
Devon Toews, COL vs. CAR ($20): Toews has nine points in 10 games, but he has only averaged 1:20 per game on the power play. He won't be primed to take advantage of Carolina's surprisingly struggling penalty kill. The Hurricanes are still suppressing shots though, having only allowed 26.2 on net per game. Toews may have nine points, but he only has 19 shots on goal.
