This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The first Friday of March is here, and what does it have in store for us? How about seven games on the docket for the NHL? Every team has now played at least 51 games. If we aren't in the home stretch of the regular season, we're close. Here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Igor Shesterkin, NYR vs. NJD ($37): Honestly, this is a tough day for goalies. For starters, no team in the bottom eight in goals per game is playing. Teams with elite number-one goalies like Tampa Bay, Carolina, and Pittsburgh are on the second leg of a back-to-back. As such, I'm just going with the elite goalie at home in Shesterkin. He's probably the Vezina favorite due to his 1.98 GAA and .940 save percentage. I'll pay his salary and work around that with the rest of my roster.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Cal Petersen, LOS at CLM ($30): Petersen has taken over as the primary goalie for the Kings recently, though he hasn't necessarily been good. He has a 2.74 GAA and .900 save percentage in his last nine outings. You might think you can sneak him into your lineup against the Blue Jackets, but the Jackets' issues are defensively. Offensively they are in the top 10 in goals per game.
CENTER
Phillip Danault, LOS at CLM ($18): Like I said, the Jackets' struggles are defensively. They have a 3.61 GAA and have allowed 35.7 shots on net per contest. Danault has been doing quite well in the role of the Kings' second-line center. He has six goals and three assists in his last 11 games.
CENTER TO AVOID
Mark Scheifele, WPG vs. DAL ($23): Scheifele is coming off a three-point game, but that was against the Canadiens, who have the highest GAA in the NHL. Facing Dallas is tougher. Jake Oettinger has posted a 2.28 GAA and .922 save percentage for the Stars.
WING
Lucas Raymond, DET at TAM ($17): As a Wings fan, I have been thrilled to see what Raymond has been able to do as a teenaged rookie, and DFS players have been happy with him as well. After a bit of a dry patch, the Swede has kicked it back into high gear with six goals and seven assists in his last 16 games. Wisely, the Lightning had Andrei Vasilevskiy in net Thursday against the Penguins. However, that means on the second night of a back-to-back we will likely be seeing Brian Elliott in net for Tampa, and he has a .902 save percentage.
Alexis Lafreniere, NYR vs. NJD ($12): Lafreniere was the first-overall pick in 2020, the same year the Red Wings snagged Raymond fourth overall. While Lafreniere has struggled a bit to live up to his lofty expectations, he does have 13 goals in 52 games, and five goals in his last nine outings. The Devils have a 3.57 GAA, so perhaps Lafreniere can stay hot.
WINGS TO AVOID
Jake Guentzel, PIT at CAR ($27): Both the Penguins and Hurricanes are on the second night of a back-to-back Friday. However, the Penguins are the ones on the road. Plus, Carolina is in the top five in GAA, shots on net allowed per game, and penalty-kill percentage. While the Hurricanes' backup Antti Raanta only has a .908 save percentage, he has a 2.55 GAA because of the team in front of him.
Pavel Zacha, NJD at NYR ($12): Zacha was expected to be a key cog in the Devils' offense once the young players started to round into form. Well that's happening and while Zacha is a top-six forward, he's not necessarily the star of the show. He's more of a solid contributor with 26 points in 51 games. I like him in favorable matchups, but taking on Shesterkin is not such a matchup.
DEFENSE
Drew Doughty, LOS at CLM ($21): Doughty has 30 points this season, which would be great if he had been healthy for the full campaign. However, Doughty has done that in a mere 36 games. He's been stellar when healthy. I'll happily pay his salary to have him face a team with a 3.61 GAA that has also allowed a league-high 35.7 shots on goal per contest.
Jared Spurgeon, MIN at BUF ($18): Spurgeon has 20 points and 60 shots on net in 37 games. He's averaged 3:00 on the power play, tallying eight points with the extra man. The Sabres have a 3.55 GAA and have given up 34.3 shots on net per game. They also have a bottom-10 penalty kill.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Dougie Hamilton, NJD at NYR ($21): Hamilton has looked good since returning to the lineup, with three points in four games. However, a road matchup with the Rangers is a little different than facing the Blackhawks or Blue Jackets. Shesterkin has an 1.98 GAA and .940 save percentage. It's too much of a risk to me.
Neal Pionk, WPG vs. DAL ($17): Pionk has 22 assists in 49 games, though goals have been hard to come by. He only has two all season. Plus, for a guy who broke out with 25 power-play points a few seasons ago, the defenseman only has two power-play points in his last 19 games. Now he's likely facing Oettinger and his 2.28 GAA and .922 save percentage.
