This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
It's a busier Sunday than usual for the NHL, and there are five games during the evening slate that starts at 7 p.m. EST. That's not a lot of action, but it offers more than most Sundays. Here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Jacob Markstrom, CGY at CHI ($32): Markstrom's terrible start to the season was a bit puzzling, and truth be told his .909 save percentage over his last 11 outings isn't great. However, he's also posted a 2.35 GAA during that stretch because the Flames clamp things down on the back end. The Blackhawks threaten no defenses as they rank last in goals per game and 31st in shots on net. This is one of those occasions where you wonder if Markstrom will even have to face 20 shots, which obviously lowers the chances of giving up goals.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Alex Stalock, CHI vs. CGY ($27): This was tricky because we have a lot of lopsided matchups. Stalock comes in with a .921 save percentage, but in only 12 appearances. During his career, the 35-year-old journeyman has maintained a .909 mark. While the Flames have only scored 3.05 goals per game, they've also directed 34.5 shots on net and that's top-five in the league.
CENTER
David Krejci, BOS at ANA ($18): Krejci's return to Boston has gone well with 28 points in 34 games. While the Bruins are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back, who cares? The Ducks rank last in the NHL in GAA and shots against, so the matchup is well worth it.
CENTER TO AVOID
Robert Thomas, STL at MIN ($19): Both clubs are on the second straight night, but Minnesota gets to be at home. The Wild also sit in the top-10 in shots allowed, and it's likely Filip Gustavsson will be in net assuming he's over the illness that caused him to leave Wednesday. He's registered a 2.25 GAA and .924 save percentage through 15 appearances, and unlike Stalock he's only 24 so could easily be taking his game to a new level. That all has me concerned for Thomas, a playmaker who's more of an assist threat than a goal producer.
WING
Matthew Boldy, MIN vs. STL ($17): With Mats Zuccarello out for a couple games, Boldy has been up on the Wild's top line. He already had a huge role on the power play with 15 points. The Blues carry a bottom-five penalty kill and will be on the road for the second game of a back-to-back.
Rickard Rakell, PIT at ARI ($17): Rakell is firing pucks on net with gusto with 116 shots in 38 games to lead the Penguins. The Coyotes have experienced issues allowing shots having given up 34.6 shots on goal per game, so Rakell should be busy as usual tonight.
WINGS TO AVOID
Michael Bunting, TOR at PHI ($20): Bunting skates on Toronto's top line, but he's not quite on the same level as a player. As such, I have less confidence in him on the road having just played Saturday. Carter Hart has been up and down all year, but he's certainly capable of having a big game and standing on his head based on a .911 save percentage.
Troy Terry, ANA vs. BOS ($15): Terry hasn't been able to produce like he did last season, thanks largely to his shooting percentage regressing from his 19.3 last year. While the Bruins are on the second leg of a back-to-back, this matchup is still imposing as they're first in GAA and on the penalty kill.
DEFENSE
Noah Hanifin, CGY at CHI ($18): Hanifin's offense has slowed down, but he still has 16 points. He's also put 91 shots on net, the most of any Calgary defenseman. The Blackhawks have allowed 33.2 shots on goal, and Hanifin could get back on track if Stalock is ready to regress to his career numbers.
Calen Addison, MIN vs. STL ($13): Addison is basically a power-play specialist, but he's thrived in that role with 15 points. The Blues, as I noted, maintain a bottom-five penalty kill. Thomas Greiss will presumably be in net and he enters with a 3.55 GAA and .903 save percentage.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Seth Jones, CHI vs. CGY ($16): Jones has recorded a point in each of his last two games, but I think that stops here. The Flames have only allowed 27.8 shots on net and they list the seventh-ranked penalty kill, with more than half of Jones' points coming with the extra man.
Colton Parayko, STL at MIN ($15): Parayko has notched five points in his last nine games and he logs a lot of minutes, but all that ice time can add up for a defender on the road for his second matchup in as many days. And as detailed earlier, Gustavsson has posted a 2.25 GAA and .924 save percentage. Parayko has also averaged less than a minute per game on the power play.
