This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
After a Friday with only one game on the slate, Saturday makes up for it. Even without the two afternoon games included, we have 13 evening contests on the docket. You are spoiled for choice on the DFS front. To try and cut through all the clutter, here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Jake Allen, MON vs. PHI ($30): Trying to identify a value option with a lower roster rate than Linus Ullmark, somehow I find myself landing on Allen. He isn't having a good campaign, and in truth he hasn't been good since he left the Blues to join the Canadiens. However, the Flyers sit last in goals per game at 2.47, and they have managed 29.2 shots on net per contest. You could easily grab a win with Allen and also get decent numbers, which would prove a real value on the DFS front.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG vs. PIT ($39): Hellebuyck is off to a great start to the campaign with a 2.07 GAA and .935 save percentage. However, given his career .916 save percentage, some regression is likely. The Penguins are fourth in goals per game and have also put 33.8 shots on net per contest, so they should keep Hellebuyck busy.
CENTER
Ryan O'Reilly, STL vs. ANA ($18): It was clear O'Reilly would get into the swing of things, and he has in a big way. He has seven points in his last six outings and is on a four-game point streak. The Ducks have a 4.24 GAA, and they've allowed a league-high 38.4 shots on net per game for good measure.
CENTER TO AVOID
Tyler Seguin, DAL vs. NYI ($15): Seguin has 13 points in 17 games, but he's only put 34 shots on net. He's also averaged only 1:54 on the power play, which isn't paltry but is definitely a step down from the big-time power-play practitioners. Ilya Sorokin has had a couple spotty starts but he still has a .925 save percentage, which was the save percentage he managed last season.
WING
David Perron, DET at CLM ($19): At this point in his career, Perron has evolved into more of a power-play specialist. He's averaged 16:45 per game in ice time, but 4:11 of that has come with the extra man. The former Blue also has six points over his last three outings. Columbus meanwhile has a 4.31 GAA, highest in the NHL.
Jaden Schwartz, SEA vs. LOS ($11): Schwartz picked up an assist in his last game, breaking a point drought and giving him 11 points on the season. He's also averaged 57.5 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, tops among Seattle's regulars. The Kings are the sole team Saturday playing on the second leg of a back-to-back, and their goaltending duo both sport GAAs over 3.00 and save percentages below .900.
WINGS TO AVOID
Patrick Kane, CHI at BOS ($22): Kane just can't get his shooting on track. He only has two goals on 4.5 percent shooting. Sure, he'll improve, but he's running into the NHL's best goalie (so far) in Ullmark. The Swedish goalie has an 1.89 GAA and .937 save percentage.
Jeff Skinner, BUF at TOR ($17): Skinner is more of a volume performer. His career 10.9 percent shooting isn't elite, and he's racked up goals by putting a lot of pucks on net. Well, the Maple Leafs have only allowed 28.1 shots on goal per game. Matt Murray has also played well in two starts since returning from injury.
DEFENSE
Alex Pietrangelo, VGK at EDM ($24): Pietrangelo has tallied 17 points in 18 games. That includes seven with the extra man. The Oilers have the 29th-ranked penalty kill, and also have allowed 34.8 shots on net per game, so Pietrangelo should be in his element in this one.
Cam Fowler, ANA at STL ($14): Fowler started the season very slowly, but he now has two assists in each of his last two games. The veteran Duck has averaged 24:56 per contest in ice time, so clearly his team is leaning on him. St. Louis has a 3.50 GAA, has allowed 34.0 shots on net per game, and has the 30th-ranked penalty kill.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Darnell Nurse, EDM vs. VGK ($16): Logan Thompson has a 2.27 GAA and .925 save percentage for the Golden Knights. Vegas has been strong defensively, even though it has a below-average penalty kill. Well that doesn't play into Nurse's game at all. He's only averaged 0:51 per contest with the extra man.
Drew Doughty, LOS at SEA ($15): Doughty and the Kings are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back, the one team that is true for. As was the case last year, the Kraken are limiting chances, having only allowed 27.4 shots on net per game. Martin Jones only has a .912 save percentage, but he has a 2.33 GAA because of all that shot suppression.
