This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving. The NHL was off, but it's back in a big way Friday! However, a lot of the action is in the afternoon. Still, in the evening there are seven games taking place, so you have plenty of DFS options. Here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Ville Husso, DET vs. ARI ($36): The Wings took a shot on Alex Nedeljkovic last season and…it didn't work out. They went back to the drawing board and swung for the fences on Husso and, so far, this time it's panning out just fine. Husso has a 2.36 GAA and .922 save percentage through 13 outings. The Coyotes are 28th in goals per game, but last in shots on net per game at a mere 24.4.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG at DAL ($38): As the goalie with the highest salary Friday, Hellebuyck has little margin for error. This year, he's largely been up to the task, but he's coming off allowing six goals to the Wild. The Stars have scored 3.95 goals per game, which is second highest in the NHL, so that's foreboding.
CENTER
Brock Nelson, NYI at CLM ($21): Last season, Nelson had 37 goals, but only 22 assists, unusual for a center. This year the wealth is being spread a bit more. While Nelson has nine goals, he's added 11 assists through 21 games. Columbus, meanwhile, has a 4.26 GAA, highest in the NHL.
CENTER TO AVOID
Dylan Cozens, BUF vs. NJD ($19): Cozens has a three-game point streak, but I don't expect it to become four. The Devils have been the stingiest defense in the league, allowing only 24.8 shots on net per contest. Cozens has a 9.8 shooting percentage, which isn't bad, but is far from elite. You have to make your chances count against this Devils squad.
WING
Adrian Kempe, LOS at SAN ($18): The Sharks have the league's best penalty kill, but they still have a 3.50 GAA, which is bottom-10 in the NHL. Thus, I was looking for a guy who hasn't been too power-play dependent. Only three of Kempe's 12 points have come with the extra man, including only one of his seven goals.
Kevin Labanc, SAN vs. LOS ($13): Somebody on the wing for the Sharks has to perform outside of Timo Meier. Labanc is the best bet. He plays on San Jose's top line, and he's started 56.8 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. That's third among Sharks forwards behind his two linemates. The Kings have a 3.45 GAA as a team, and Jonathan Quick has an .892 save percentage.
WINGS TO AVOID
Johnny Gaudreau, CLM vs. NYI ($28): Gaudreau has lived up to his end of the bargain for the Blue Jackets, but even with that I question him at this salary. Ilya Sorokin has a 2.20 GAA and .934 save percentage, and Gaudreau is missing a couple key teammates and power-play weapons for good measure.
Jamie Benn, DAL vs. WPG ($21): Benn has been revitalized this year, but I'm not counting on it continuing. He has a 20.5 shooting percentage, and over the previous two seasons he managed a 9.5 shooting percentage. Also, 10 of his 22 points have come on the power play, and the Jets have the fifth-ranked penalty kill.
DEFENSE
Mikhail Sergachev, TAM vs. STL ($19): Victor Hedman is the big name in Tampa Bay, but Sergachev has been a true star thus far. He has 18 points through 19 games, including eight on the power play. The fact the Russian has averaged 3:00 per contest with the extra man is encouraging here, as the Blue rank 30th on the penalty kill.
Noah Dobson, NYI at CLM ($19): Dobson has followed up his breakthrough campaign with a torrid start to this season. He has six goals on 62 shots on net and added eight assists. As I noted, the Blue Jackets have a league-high 4.26 GAA, and they've allowed 36.9 shots on goal per contest.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Jakob Chychrun, ARI at DET ($25): This feels a little presumptuous for a defenseman who has played in all of two games this year. Chychrun has been good in the past, but he's never been one of the, say, five or 10 best defensemen in the NHL. The Red Wings rank 11th on the penalty kill and have allowed a middling 31.6 shots on net per game. Throw in Husso's 2.36 GAA and .922 save percentage, and I am sold more on Detroit at home than Chychrun on the road.
Josh Morrissey, WPG at DAL ($18): Morrissey has 16 assists in 18 games, which is staggering. However, he's 27, in his seventh season, and has never had more than 26 helpers in a campaign. This pace is unsustainable. That pace is also meeting a goalie in Jake Oettinger with a 2.32 GAA and .924 save percentage.
