This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
It's a lovely, robust day of NHL action as the league heads toward the holiday hiatus when next week begins. For now, 'tis the season for DFS action. There are 11 games on the slate, which is a delightful amount of hockey. Here are my players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Alexandar Georgiev, COL at CHI ($31): Georgiev righted the ship against the Sharks, and now Tuesday he faces an offense that, quietly, may be just as bad as the Sharks? Seriously, Chicago has averaged 2.33 goals and 27.2 shots on net per contest. This team is really bad, a one-man offense, and that "man" is a teenager. I like Georgiev's chances of back-to-back strong starts.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Igor Shesterkin, NYR at TOR ($34): Shesterkin has a Vezina, and has always been an above-average goalie his entire career, but he's scuffled this year. He'll be fine, I believe, but the Maple Leafs may have the best offense in the NHL. They are second in goals per game to the Canucks, but while the Canucks are actually in the bottom five in shots on net per contest, the Leafs have averaged 32.9 shots on goal per game.
CENTER
Dylan Cozens, BUF vs. CLM ($17): Cozens has had some offensive struggles, but he also has a 6.8 shooting percentage, indicative of poor puck luck. He's put 74 shots on goal through 30 games, and this is a good opportunity for Buffalo's second-line center. The Blue Jackets have a 3.63 GAA, but have also allowed 34.5 shots on goal per contest.
CENTER TO AVOID
Tomas Hertl, SAN vs. LOS ($24): Hertl has been a one-man offense for the Sharks. He's had a hand in 26 goals for a team that has scored a total of 66 goals. Alas, he's got a real tough road ahead of him Tuesday. The Kings are in the top three in GAA, shots on net allowed per game, and penalty-kill percentage.
WING
Quinton Byfield, LOS at SAN ($18): Here we go! This is why the Kings drafted Byfield second overall. Sure, it helps he skates on the first line next to Anze Kopitar, but the big wing has 23 points in 27 games. The Sharks are terrible offensively, but equally bad defensively. They have a 3.90 GAA and have given up 36.0 shots on net per contest.
James van Riemsdyk, BOS vs. MIN ($15): JVR has five points and 16 shots on goal over his last six games. However, he also still has a 9.7 shooting percentage on the year, below his career 11.9 shooting percentage, and it would be his lowest percentage in over a decade. The Wild are the one team on the second leg of a back-to-back, and Marc-Andre Fleury will be in goal. He has a .906 save percentage over the last three weeks.
WINGS TO AVOID
Kirill Kaprizov, MIN at BOS ($30): Well, I just noted the Wild are the sole team on the second night of a back-to-back. That is a point against Kaprizov, and so is the fact he's been more power-play dependent than usual. He has tallied 13 of his 25 points with the extra man, and the Bruins have the league's top penalty kill.
Tyler Toffoli, NJD vs. PHI ($23): Toffoli recently had two points against Columbus. Nice, but it was Columbus. Also, it was the only game in which he has registered a point in his last eight outings. It'll be harder to score against the Flyers than the Blue Jackets, especially with Carter Hart likely to return. Hart has a 2.42 GAA and .919 save percentage.
DEFENSE
Evan Bouchard, EDM at NYI ($23): Bouchard didn't have a point in his last game, but that broke a 13-game point streak. On the year he's picked up a whopping 16 points on the extra man. I definitely did not anticipate this before the season began, but the Islanders have the league's worst penalty kill.
Devon Toews, COL at CHI ($19): Toews has 16 points in 31 games, but if Cale Makar is out again, Toews will be on the top power-play unit and that increases his DFS upside. Of course, facing the Blackhawks is helpful enough as is. Chicago has a 3.60 GAA and has given up 32.4 shots on net per contest.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Filip Hronek, VAN at NAS ($22): Hronek has been productive enough to avoid being in the shadow of Quinn Hughes. The defenseman has 28 points in 32 games. Juuse Saros has been red hot, though. Over his last 10 outings he has a 2.02 GAA and .937 save percentage. Nashville hasn't been good on the power play over the course of the season, but with Hughes around, Hronek can only pick up so many power-play minutes.
Luke Hughes, NJD vs. PHI ($15): It's not surprising that the Devils have given Hughes a sizable role on the power play, especially with Dougie Hamilton hurt. The rookie has averaged 3:08 per game with the extra man, and eight of his 16 points have come on the power play. Unfortunately for Hughes, the Flyers have a top-five penalty kill.
