This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The NHL takes us into the weekend Friday with six games on the slate. February is almost over, and soon enough every team in the league will have played at least 50 games. Plus, the trade deadline is right around the corner too. Here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Laurent Brossoit, VGK at ARI ($28): Robin Lehner is banged up once again, so I am going to assume Brossoit will be in net. In the four games he's played in the last month he's posted a 2.46 GAA and .912 save percentage. Thanks to a recent offensive uptick from the Canadiens and continued struggles from the Coyotes, the Coyotes are now last in both goals and shots on net per game.
GOALIE TO AVOID
John Gibson, ANA vs. LOS ($30): Gibson has been struggling, as he has a 3.70 GAA and .888 save percentage over his last eight games. The Kings have scored 2.90 goals per game, which is middling, but they keep opposing goalies busy. Los Angeles has averaged 35.6 shots on net per contest.
CENTER
Vincent Trocheck, CAR vs. CLM ($18): The Hurricanes have as much depth as any lineup, and Trocheck is as good of a second-line center as you will find. He's tallied 35 points in 50 games, including nine on the power play. The Blue Jackets are on the second leg of a back-to-back, and due to injuries in net they may be starting who is technically their five-string goalie Jet Greaves, a 20-year-old who would be making his NHL debut.
CENTER TO AVOID
Mark Scheifele, WPG at COL ($22): Scheifele has had a good year, but I am hesitant to pay his salary given that he's on the road against the Avalanche on Friday. Darcy Kuemper has a 2.47 GAA and .919 save percentage. He also has an 1.73 GAA and .944 save percentage over his last 12 games.
WING
Jonathan Marchessault, VGK at ARI ($19): Marchessault has potted 20 goals on 151 shots on net in 46 games this season. He's also notched seven power-play points in his last 15 games. The Coyotes have a 3.63 GAA, and on top of that they have the 31st-ranked penalty kill.
Brandon Hagel, CHI vs. NJD ($14): Hagel showed a little promise as a rookie and got himself a bigger role this year. He's averaged 17:20 in ice time and notched 14 goals and 13 assists in 46 games. The Devils are in the bottom six of the NHL in GAA, and they are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back.
WINGS TO AVOID
Patrik Laine, CLM at CAR ($22): Laine has been red hot, but if he's going to get slowed down being on the road for the second night of a back-to-back against the Hurricanes. Carolina has only allowed 28.9 shots on net per contest and has the league's best penalty kill. Also, Frederik Andersen has a 2.12 GAA and .927 save percentage.
Jeff Skinner, BUF at STL ($18): Skinner had a four-goal game recently. That's also the only game in which he has lit the lamp in his last 11 outings. Now, he'll likely be facing Ville Husso, who has an 1.97 GAA and .936 save percentage.
DEFENSE
Justin Faulk, STL vs. BUF ($18): Faulk just had a six-game point streak snapped, but he still put three shots on net and blocked five shots in that game. Over his last seven outings he has 18 shots on goal and 15 blocked shots. Meanwhile, the Sabres have a 3.56 GAA and have allowed 34.6 shots on net per contest.
Shea Theodore, VGK at ARI ($17): Theodore has started 57.9 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, highest among Vegas defensemen, and second most on the team overall. He has notched eight goals and 26 assists in 47 games, and he has 10 points with the extra man. Theodore had 15 power-play points last season, so we know he can get it done with the man advantage. As I previously mentioned, the Coyotes have the 31st-ranked penalty kill.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Zach Werenski, CLM at CAR ($20): Time to wind it back to everything I already said about the Hurricanes. They have the league's best penalty kill. They have allowed a mere 28.9 shots on net per contest. Andersen has a 2.12 GAA and .927 save percentage. Oh, and the Blue Jackets are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back as well.
Damon Severson, NJD at CHI ($17): Severson played well while Dougie Hamilton was out, but now Hamilton is back and Severson's opportunities will likely drop a bit, especially on the power play. He's also on the second night of a back-to-back Friday. Marc-Andre Fleury has been up and down this year, but over his last 16 games he has a 2.52 GAA and a .918 save percentage.
