This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
There are 11 NHL games Saturday. Now, a lot of them are in the afternoon, which can complicate things for DFS players. That being said, the first game isn't until 2 p.m. EDT. That's a little easier to handle than a 12:30 p.m. start. Even you West Coasters should be able to manage that, especially if you are prepping for a day of watching college hoops. As such, I have decided to look at the full slate for Saturday. Here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Tristan Jarry, PIT at ARI ($32): Some good offensive performances recently have helped the Coyotes out of the basement in offense. That being said, their 2.63 goals per game is still bottom 10, and they've averaged a mere 25.8 shots on net per contest. I'm not worried for Jarry, who has a 2.31 GAA and .922 save percentage.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Juuse Saros, NAS vs. TOR ($31): I'm not so much concerned that Saros has allowed five goals in two of his last three starts, though that's certainly not ideal. No, this is mostly about the matchup. The Maple Leafs have averaged 3.67 goals and 34.5 shots on net per contest.
CENTER
Bo Horvat, VAN vs. CGY ($20): Horvat has gotten hot, with 14 points in his last 11 games. Normally, you'd still be wary of selecting him in a matchup against the Flames. However, Calgary is on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back, and Jacob Markstrom played Friday. That likely means Dan Vladar in net, and he has a 2.90 GAA and .903 save percentage.
CENTER TO AVOID
Brayden Point, TAM vs. NYR ($26): Point recently ended his first four-game pointless streak since his rookie campaign, but that was with two assists against the lowly Kraken. The Rangers are a different story. Igor Shesterkin has a 2.07 GAA and .938 save percentage on the campaign.
WING
Jordan Kyrou, STL at CLM ($22): Kyrou has quietly been a point-a-game player this year. He's tallied 59 points in 56 contests. It helps that he has 16 points in his last 12 outings. The Blue Jackets, meanwhile, have a 3.68 GAA and have allowed a league-high 35.5 shots on net per contest.
Cole Caufield, MON vs. OTT ($20): Caufield has started 55.7 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, highest among Canadiens forwards. He's got a spot next to Nick Suzuki on the top line and is producing big time. Over his last 16 games Caufield's tallied 21 points. The Senators are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back, and Filip Gustavsson has a 3.68 GAA and .890 save percentage.
WINGS TO AVOID
Roope Hintz, DAL at NYI ($24): Though Hintz plays center for the Stars, Yahoo has him listed as a wing. Playing in that pivot role, he's found success. However, he is on the road against the Islanders, and Ilya Sorokin has been stellar this year. In fact, over his last 10 games he has an 1.68 GAA and .945 save percentage.
Patrik Laine, CLM vs. STL ($22): Given how proficient Laine was at scoring goals when he came into the league, it's surprising that his 18.9 percent shooting this season is the highest of his career. Ville Husso might help with some regression Saturday. He has a 2.22 GAA and .930 save percentage.
DEFENSE
Jeff Petry, MON vs. OTT ($18): After spending most of the season unable to get on the scoresheet, suddenly you can't keep Petry from contributing. Ten of his 16 points – and 30 of his 87 shots on net – have come in his last 14 games. As I noted, the Senators are on the second leg of a back-to-back, and Gustavsson has a 3.68 GAA and .890 save percentage.
Torey Krug, STL at CLM ($17): Krug is on a roll with five points in his last six games. He also has 14 power-play points and have averaged 2:54 per contest with the extra man. The Blue Jackets have an average penalty kill, but they also have a 3.68 GAA.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
John Klingberg, DAL at NYI ($19): Klingberg has stepped up with Miro Heiskanen out, but tallying three points against the Canadiens isn't quite like facing the Islanders on the road. Sorokin has a 2.30 GAA and .926 save percentage, and the Islanders also have the eighth-ranked penalty kill.
Jacob Trouba, NYR at TAM ($18): It's impressive that Trouba has 30 points in 61 games, given that he doesn't see much time on the power play (1:14 per game). That being said, he's on the road against the Lightning and Andrei Vasilevskiy on Saturday. After two great starts in a row, the Russian goalie has a 2.37 GAA and .919 save percentage.
