This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
There are four NHL games Sunday evening, but unfortunately New Jersey's game is a matinee so it won't be involved in the action on Devil's Night (which I learned in adulthood is entirely a Detroit thing and thus a reference lost on everybody else). For the eight teams playing, here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Logan Thompson, VGK vs. WPG ($37): The tricky thing about Sunday's goalies is that every netminder catching a team on the second leg of a back-to-back is extremely questionable so I don't trust any of them. Thompson may not be in a situation like that, and he is at home with a 1.69 GAA and .943 save percentage on the season.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Jaroslav Halak, NYR at ARI ($21): This is a "don't get cute" recommendation. The Coyotes are terrible offensively, and their home arena hosts 4,600 fans. The Rangers are on the road for the second straight day, and Halak is - simply put - not a good goalie at this point in his career with a .901 save percentage the last three seasons spread over three different teams.
CENTER
Trevor Zegras, ANA vs. TOR ($18): The NHL's flashiest player has produced this year now that he centers Anaheim's top line. He's netted four goals in eight games, though it would be nice if he produced more than one assist. With the Maple Leafs on the second leg of a back-to-back, Erik Kallgren will be in net Sunday and enters with a career 3.34 GAA and .885 save percentage.
CENTER TO AVOID
William Karlsson, VGK vs. WPG ($17): I will say right now this is the only game where I'm avoiding non-goalies as all the other matchups project for more offense. Karlsson has four goals through nine games, perhaps reminding people of the 43 from Vegas's inaugural campaign. He also lists a 28.6 shooting percentage, and even during his peak that was only at 23.4. Regression will arrive for Karlsson, who hasn't reached 20 goals in any of the last three years.
WING
Lawson Crouse, ARI vs. NYR ($14): Crouse got his first significant minutes last season averaging 17:26 in ice time, a three-minute increase from his previous high. He paid that off with 20 goals in 65 games. Crouse is currently on Arizona's first line and has recorded four points through seven games. The Rangers are on the road for the second straight day, and I noted earlier how poor Halak has been the last three seasons. And this year, he's managed an .867 save percentage in three starts.
Taylor Raddysh, CHI vs. MIN ($14): Raddysh has racked up six points in his last five games in his sophomore season, which is also his first full campaign with the Blackhawks. Marc-Andre Fleury will be back in Chicago on Sunday having struggled to a 2.99 GAA and .906 save percentage the last two seasons .
WINGS TO AVOID
Kyle Connor, WPG at VGK ($25): You knew the game I was going back to. Connor has been utterly snakebit to start this campaign. He scored a goal in the opener, but hasn't lit the lamp since. Of course, Connor's 3.3 shooting percentage is going to at least triple, and probably quadruple. For now, he's been cold and unlucky while Logan Thompson has done well.
Mark Stone, VGK vs. WPG ($19): Several Golden Knights are off to hot starts, while Stone has been more within the realm of expectations with four assists but only two goals. Not terrible, but he's not been hot like many of his teammates. Connor Hellebuyck, meanwhile, comes in with a 2.51 GAA and .925 save percentage through six starts.
DEFENSE
Jacob Trouba, NYR at ARI ($19): Trouba has only registered three points - all assists - but he's also put 29 shots on net in nine games. That's a lot for a defenseman, and the results will eventually come. Though the Rangers are on a back-to-back, this is still a matchup worth targeting as the Coyotes have ranked last in GAA and shots on net allowed per game since the start of last season.
Calen Addison, MIN at CHI ($13): If you haven't gotten around to it, go ahead and familiarize yourself with Addison. The rookie has been immediately thrust into a significant power-play role, and he's averaged over four minutes a night there. That's paid off for the 22-year-old, who's recorded five of his seven points on the power play. Since the start of last season, the Blackhawks have the 25th-ranked penalty kill, and their roster is less formidable this year.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Shea Theodore, VGK vs. WPG ($19): I'm recommending avoiding Theodore instead of Alex Pietrangelo for a couple of reasons. Pietrangelo's 11.8 shooting percentage is going to regress and he's the one on the first power-play unit, while Theodore has zero PPPs. The Jets had penalty-kill issues last season, but Pietrangelo isn't as well positioned on that front and Hellebuyck has looked solid so far.
Neal Pionk, WPG at VGK ($16): Pionk has potted three goals through eight games, but with a 15.0 shooting percentage that would be good for a forward. For comparison's sake, he produced three goals in each of his last two seasons. I'm not saying he doesn't score again all year, but I doubt it happens against Thompson and the Golden Knights.
