This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Saturday's nine-game NHL slate offers no shortage of options as the league's second straight busy night of action. Some of the night's best bargains are low-cost supporting players in prominent roles such as Penguins first-liner Conor Sheary. Read on to see the rest of Saturday's top value plays:
GOALIE
Cam Ward, CAR at OTT ($29): Prior to allowing two goals in Thursday's loss to the league-best Canadiens, Ward had won five straight while giving up just five goals in that span. Despite that success, the veteran is still priced among backups at just $29. The bang for the buck here is way too good to pass up, especially against a Senators team that has lost three of its last four home games.
Goalie to Avoid
Jacob Markstrom, VAN at COL ($31): Markstrom has been struggling of late, with 16 goals allowed in his past four starts. The Canucks aren't good enough to expect a win in any road game, and they will have trouble beating Colorado with tremendous young netminder Calvin Pickard in net. There's little reason to pay up $31 for Markstrom with many cheaper, higher-upside options available.
CENTER
Jake Guentzel, PIT vs. NJ ($14): Guentzel is still just $2 above the minimum despite putting up two goals and an assist in his first three games. He also gets to face backup Keith Kinkaid after Cory Schneider started in net for the Devils on Friday. This combination of vulnerable opposition and low price is too good to turn down.
Center to Avoid
Evgeny Kuznetsov, WAS at TOR ($19): Kuznetsov still costs $19 despite putting up just nine points in 20 games to open his season. Even in a good matchup against the defensively-deficient Maple Leafs, he offers inferior bang for the buck compared to his teammates.
WINGS
Conor Sheary, PIT vs. NJD ($17): Sheary already has nine points in 14 games, and he will have an excellent chance to add to that total against Devils backup goalie Keith Kinkaid. He has skated over 17 minutes in three of his past four games as the first-line right winger alongside Sidney Crosby, and he should continue to play a pivotal offensive role in this plus matchup.
Andre Burakovsky, WAS at TOR ($14): Burakovsky has three points and a plus-2 rating in his past two games as the first-line right winger opposite Alex Ovechkin. He should continue to produce against a Maple Leafs team that ranks 27th with 3.25 goals allowed per game. His combination of role, momentum and matchup make Burakovsky a can't-miss value at just $14.
Wings to Avoid
Corey Perry, ANH at SJ ($24): Perry hasn't scored in 13 games, and that's unlikely to change against a Sharks team that has allowed just 2.14 goals per game. Wait until the veteran winger has heated back up and has a better matchup.
Gustav Nyquist, DET vs. MON ($18): Nyquist has been scuffling for a while now, with just 53.0 fantasy points in his past 14 games. That averages out to just 3.8 fantasy points per contest, and a matchup with a Canadiens team that leads the league in points and has allowed just 2.19 goals per game is unlikely to get him going.
DEFENSEMEN
Alec Martinez, LA vs. CHI ($18): The Blackhawks seem like a tough matchup at first, but their 30th-ranked penalty kill suggests it's very possible to exploit them. While only three of Martinez's 13 points have come on the power play, he has a great opportunity to connect on the man advantage while extending his point streak to five games. Los Angeles' most productive defenseman has been underpriced all season and makes for a good bargain as usual.
Tyson Barrie, COL vs. VAN ($15): Barrie opened his sixth NHL campaign in a slump, but he has a great chance to continue his recent surge against the struggling Canucks. The offensively-gifted blueliner has picked up the pace with points in three straight games after putting up just six in his first 16, and he should be able to push that point streak to four while facing a team that has given up 36 goals in its past 10 games. His offensive pedigree suggests Barrie won't be priced at just $15 for long, so take advantage of this bargain before others realize he has regained the form that saw him top 49 points in each of the past two seasons.
Defensemen to Avoid
Ryan Suter, MIN at STL ($25): Suter continues to play big minutes for the Wild but should be avoided in this tough matchup. Blues netminder Jake Allen is 6-0-2 with a 1.24 GAA at the Scottrade Center, so getting the offensive statistics that drive fantasy value will be difficult for the veteran blueliner.
Kevin Shattenkirk, MIN vs. STL ($20): The offensive struggles should go both ways in this one given that the Wild have allowed a league-low 1.90 goals per game. Shattenkirk has blocked more than two shots in just one game this season, so his value is almost nonexistent when he isn't scoring.
