This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The NHL playoffs began Monday with four games, and now the other four series kick off Tuesday, giving us another quartet of Game 1s on the docket. Here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineup.
GOALIE
Jacob Markstrom, CGY vs. DAL ($32): Markstrom helped push the Flames to a division title, posting a 2.22 GAA and .922 save percentage. He's caught about as good of a matchup as you can get in the playoffs. The Stars ranked 21st in goals per game, lowest of any playoff team.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Vitek Vanecek, WAS at FLA ($20): As long as the Panthers are in the playoffs, you are going to want to avoid the goalie that is facing them. They averaged 4.11 goals per game in the regular season, and no other team averaged more than 3.80. Vanecek is the first goalie up to face this formidable offense. Steer clear.
CENTER
Nazem Kadri, COL vs. NAS ($27): The Avalanche have gotten themselves healthy for the playoffs, so watch out. Kadri enters the playoffs on a three-game point streak, giving him 87 points in 71 games. Juuse Saros may miss the beginning of this series, which would leave David Rittich in net. He had a 3.57 GAA and .886 save percentage.
CENTER TO AVOID
Evgeni Malkin, PIT at NYR ($23): Malkin had a fine season, though his linemates Danton Heinen and Rickard Rakell aren't great. This is more about the matchup, though. Malkin is on the road facing Igor Shesterkin, the likely Vezina winner who posted a 2.07 GAA and .935 save percentage.
WING
Andrew Mangiapane, CGY vs. DAL ($15): Mangiapane piled on the goals this season, jumping from 18 last year to 35. That includes eight goals with the extra man. The Stars had the 19th-ranked penalty kill, so if Mangiapane gets some power-play time, it could pay off.
Frank Vatrano, NYR vs. PIT ($13): Vatrano tallied 13 points in 22 games after being dealt to the Rangers. He's on the first line for New York, and he has Mika Zibanejad as his center. Tristan Jarry is officially out for Game 1, leaving Casey DeSmith to start. He posted a 2.79 GAA and .914 save percentage this year.
WINGS TO AVOID
Filip Forsberg, NAS at COL ($27): The Predators are going to have to hope that Forsberg can keep riding the 18.6 percent shooting he managed this year. He came into this season with a career 12.1 percent rate, so it may be tricky. Meanwhile, Colorado keeper Darcy Kuemper posted a 2.54 GAA and .921 save percentage.
Joe Pavelski, DAL at CGY ($25): In his age-37 season, Pavelski had his first 80-point campaign. However, he's heading into a tough situation in Game 1 of this series. As I noted, Markstrom had a 2.22 GAA and .922 save percentage. Not only that, but the Flames had the sixth-ranked penalty kill. Pavelski tallied 25 of his 81 points with the extra man.
DEFENSE
MacKenzie Weegar, FLA vs. WAS ($21): Weegar was quite active this year. He put up 44 points, 203 shots on net, and 156 blocked shots, and he'll also be back paired with Aaron Ekblad for the postseason. Weegar's shooting prowess should come into play, as the Capitals only allowed 29.0 shots on net per contest. When Vanecek did have to handle shots, however, he posted a .908 save percentage.
Rasmus Andersson, CGY vs. DAL ($19): I recommended Andersson a lot during the regular season, so why change things for the playoffs? It makes sense, especially since the Swede tallied 19 power-play points this year. As I noted, the Stars had the 19th-ranked penalty kill.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Kris Letang, PIT at NYR ($24): Letang was his steady self, but his lofty salary makes him daunting in this matchup. As I mentioned earlier, Shesterkin had a 2.07 GAA and .935 save percentage. I'll take the likely Vezina winner at home over the high-salaried, if talented, defenseman on the road.
Miro Heiskanen, DAL at CGY ($16): Heiskanen did set a new career high in points, but a lot of people expected him to take a bigger step forward. He notched 36 points, but that was only one more than his previous personal best. The Finn is a good defenseman, but he'll be facing a goalie that had a great year. Not only that, but the Flames only allowed 29.0 shots on net per contest.
