This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
We're a couple days from December, and there is a lot of talk about how much of the NHL season's overall picture is solidified by Thanksgiving. Certainly, some interesting information is in the books as is, but each day is a new opportunity from a DFS perspective. Tuesday brings us 10 games of NHL action. Here are my players to target, and to avoid, for your lineups.
GOALIE
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. ANA ($39): Demko started the season red hot, but recently has performed more like many goalies do, which is to say he has mixed great starts with iffy outings. All in all though, he has a .925 save percentage, and the Ducks are a matchup that makes it more likely this will be a strong start. Anaheim has averaged 2.76 goals and 28.9 shots on net per contest.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Jake Oettinger, DAL vs. WPG ($35): Oettinger, like Demko, has been hit and miss recently. The difference is that while Demko is facing the Ducks, Oettinger has to deal with a visit from the Jets. A little quietly, the Jets have scored 3.55 goals per game, top eight in the NHL.
CENTER
Robert Thomas, STL at MIN ($18): The Blues have picked it up offensively, and Thomas is a big reason why. He's now up to 22 points in 20 games. Also, he has averaged 3:19 per contest with the extra man. The Wild are last on the penalty kill, so that bodes well.
CENTER TO AVOID
Sebastian Aho, CAR at PHI ($24): Aho has produced as per usual, with 17 points in 17 games. Philly, though, has been stout defensively. The Flyers have only allowed 27.0 shots on net per contest, and Carter Hart has a 2.53 GAA. At home,, he has a 2.29 GAA.
WING
Lawson Crouse, ARI vs. TAM ($18): Crouse has been on a tear with 10 goals in his last 12 games. While he won't keep converting at this rate, it is encouraging to me he's put 37 shots on net during this stretch. When you shoot that often, good things happen. The Lightning are on the second leg of a back-to-back, which should mean the return of Jonas Johansson into the net. Prior to Andrei Vasilevskiy getting healthy, Johansson posted a 3.41 GAA and .894 save percentage while serving as the interim No. 1 netminder.
Jordan Eberle, SEA at CHI ($18): After missing three games with injury, Eberle has gotten hot, posting seven points over six games. His 7.3 percent shooting signals better puck luck should be on its way, too. This matchup could benefit him, as Chicago has a 3.68 GAA and has allowed 33.0 shots on net per contest.
WINGS TO AVOID
Filip Forsberg, NAS vs. PIT ($28): Forsberg's salary is a little lofty for me with 20 teams in action Tuesday. Tristan Jarry has a 2.44 GAA and .918 save percentage, and a .926 save percentage over his last 11 outings. The Penguins also have a top-10 penalty kill, and Forsberg's tallied nine of his 25 points with the extra man.
Troy Terry, ANA at VAN ($14): Terry hoped he would take a step forward this season to try to hearken back to his 37-goal campaign two years prior, but it hasn't worked out. While he has 13 points in 21 games, he's all but disappeared lately. Over his last seven games he has two points, both assists, and has put only five shots on net. As I noted, Demko has a .925 save percentage this year.
DEFENSE
Dougie Hamilton, NJD vs. NYI ($22): Hamilton, a prolific shooter, has 59 shots on net in 19 games. While he's seen fewer minutes on the power play with young Luke Hughes around, the senior defenseman still has eight points with the extra man as well. The Islanders, surprisingly, have allowed 35.2 shots on net per game, and also have the 31st-ranked penalty kill.
Filip Hronek, VAN vs. ANA ($21): Quinn Hughes is gunning for the Norris, but Hronek is as a good a No. 2 defenseman as you can find in the NHL. He's notched 22 points in 22 games himself, and that's on 4.2 percent shooting that is below his career 5.2 percent mark, so he hasn't necessarily been lucky either. The Ducks have allowed 32.1 shots on goal per contest, and after a hot start John Gibson has an .861 save percentage over his last four appearances.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Darnell Nurse, EDM vs. VGK ($19): Nurse just had a three-assist game, which has improved his stock, but I'd pump the brakes. He still only has eight points this season, and those three assists came against the Ducks. The Golden Knights are a different matter, even on the second leg of a back-to-back. Logan Thompson will be in net, and he has a 2.32 GAA and .922 save percentage.
Mikhail Sergachev, TAM at ARI ($18): As I noted, the Lightning are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. Sergachev has been good, but the rebound of Victor Hedman has cut into his numbers a bit. The Coyotes have an above-average penalty kill, and I am envisioning Connor Ingram being in the net here. He has a .920 save percentage this season.
