This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
I may be about to spring forward, but I'm not looking past today's NHL action. There are eight games Saturday evening, and they provide plenty of fodder for your DFS lineups. Here are some players to target, and to avoid, when setting your rosters.
GOALIE
Anton Forsberg, OTT vs. CHI ($31): Because the Senators tend to allow a lot of shots on goal, Forsberg has a 2.70 GAA in spite of a .921 save percentage. The Blackhawks don't tend to keep goalies too busy, though. They've averaged 28.8 shots on net and 2.58 goals per game.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TAM at EDM ($35): There's not really many goalies you might typically consider that are a clear choice to avoid Saturday. However, with all those worthwhile options, maybe you avoid paying Vasilevskiy's salary since he's visiting Edmonton. The Oilers have averaged 3.21 goals and 33.3 shots on net per game, and they do have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Those two are always a threat against even the best netminders.
CENTER
Jared McCann, SEA at MON ($18): The Kraken are largely bereft of offensive talent, but at least they have McCann centering the top line. He's tallied 22 goals on 140 shots on net in 52 games. The Canadiens have the league's highest GAA at 3.81, but I don't really see any Kraken player other than McCann as a viable option.
CENTER TO AVOID
Dylan Larkin, DET at CGY ($24): Larkin has reemerged this season after a tough 2020-21 campaign, but this is not an easy matchup to manage. Jacob Markstrom has a 2.12 GAA and .927 save percentage. Now, the Flames are facing the Avalanche on Sunday, so they may save Markstrom for that one. Even if that is the case, Larkin will be on the road against a defense that has only allowed 29.3 shots on net per contest and a team with the third-ranked penalty kill.
WING
Jake DeBrusk, BOS vs. ARI ($19): The Bruins decided to try DeBrusk on their top line, and he's responded with eight goals and two assists in his last eight games. The joys of playing with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. Now DeBrusk will be squaring off with a Coyotes team that has a 3.56 GAA and has allowed 34.9 shots on net per contest.
Tyler Toffoli, CGY vs. DET ($18): Toffoli is starting to fit in with the Flames, especially on the power play. He has 10 points over his last seven games, and five of them have come with the extra man. The Red Wings have a 3.72 GAA, second highest in the NHL, as well as a bottom-five penalty kill.
WINGS TO AVOID
Jason Robertson, DAL vs. NYR ($26): How do you recommend avoiding a player who recently had back-to-back hat tricks? Well, you remember that not every matchup is as easy as the Wild or the Jets right now. Like, say, if you are facing Igor Shesterkin and the Rangers. Even though Shesterkin's last start was rough, he still has a 2.02 GAA and .939 save percentage.
Zach Hyman, EDM vs. TAM ($19): McDavid and Draisaitl are elite centers, but the players on their wings do not reach that same level. Hyman is a fine forward, but he doesn't have a goal in his last seven games. I wouldn't want to have him in my lineup against Vasilevskiy, who has a 2.43 GAA and .917 save percentage.
DEFENSE
Noah Hanifin, CGY vs. DET ($16): Normally I have a tendency to recommend Rasmus Andersson when the matchup is favorable for the Flames, but this time I am recommending his top-pair partner in Hanifin. Hanifin has eight points in his last 15 games, and in three of his last four contests he's put four shots on goal. As I mentioned earlier, the Red Wings have a woeful 3.72 GAA.
Jeff Petry, MON vs. SEA ($16): It's been an inexplicably bad season for Petry, a player who came into the year with four straight 40-point campaigns. Recently though, he's looked more like himself. Over his last 10 games he has seven points. The Kraken have a 3.60 GAA, so perhaps Petry can stay hot.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Jacob Trouba, NYR at DAL ($18): This could be a low-scoring game, given the play of both likely starting goaltenders. I mentioned Shesterkin's numbers earlier, but Jake Oettinger is no slouch. He has a 2.29 GAA and .922 save percentage.
Shayne Gostisbehere, ARI at BOS ($17): The Coyotes, including Gostisbehere, have used a few easy matchups recently to rack up some points. That won't be happening Saturday. The Bruins have only allowed 29.1 shots on net per game, and Jeremy Swayman doesn't really need the help. He has a 2.06 GAA and .925 save percentage.
