This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Happy St. Patrick's Day! There are six games on the slate, presuming that the Blues and Kings don't run into weather and travel issues again. Here are some players to target, and some others to avoid, for your NHL DFS lineup.
GOALIE
Thatcher Demko, VAN at OTT ($33): Demko has had to face a ton of shots recently, which explains why he has a 2.74 GAA despite a .920 save percentage. It would be nice if he could get some defensive support, but Demko's play (plus Vancouver's offense) has gotten him a win in six of his last seven outings. I don't think the Senators are that bad offensively — they do average 31.8 shots on goal per game — but I do think Demko has a great chance of picking up a win in this matchup.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Jacob Markstrom, CGY vs. EDM ($26): Markstrom left the Canucks this offseason to become the new top goalie for the Flames. The Swede got off to a strong start to the season, but then had a few bad games before missing time with injury. Since returning, he has a 2.18 GAA and .915 save percentage in five starts. However, the Oilers have scored 3.32 goals per game, and they put three goals past Markstrom on Monday.
CENTER
William Karlsson, VGK vs. SAN ($19): Yes, Karlsson will never get back to being that guy who scored 43 goals in Vegas' inaugural season, but he's still a key cog in an offense with a lot of talent. "Wild Bill" has 18 points in 26 games, and he's also averaged 2:48 per game with the extra man. The Sharks shouldn't provide too much of a challenge, as they have the second-highest GAA in the league at 3.46.
CENTER TO AVOID
Mark Scheifele, WPG vs. MON ($28): Scheifele is a star, but this is a tough matchup, as Carey Price has a 1.50 GAA and .950 save percentage over his last six starts. With Price firing on all cylinders, he and Jake Allen are in the running for the scariest goaltending duo in the NHL.
WING
Brock Boeser, VAN at OTT ($21): Last year puck-luck limited Boeser to 16 goals in 57 games, but this year things have turned around and he has 14 goals in only 42 outings. The fact he's averaging over four minutes of power-play time for the second season in a row definitely helps. You know what also helps a player score goals? Facing a Senators team with a woeful 3.97 GAA.
Jakub Voracek, PHI at NYR ($19): Voracek is not a big-time goal scorer, and he has a shooting percentage below 10.0 for the sixth straight season. On the other hand, he's an excellent playmaker, having notched over 40 assists in each of his last six campaigns, and he has 17 through 23 this year. It doesn't seem like Igor Shesterkin will be ready to return from his groin injury, which has led to a lot of Keith Kinkaid for the Rangers recently. The last time Kinkaid got any real playing time he posted an .891 save percentage.
WINGS TO AVOID
Matthew Tkachuk, CGY vs. EDM ($23): Tkachuk's shot has been failing him this season, as he has a 7.6 shooting percentage that is well below his career average. He has seven goals in 29 games, and only one goal in his last 10 contests. I do not believe Mike Smith can keep this up long term, but he has a 2.31 GAA and .921 save percentage in 14 games. He's managed to live up to those numbers recently as well, as he has a 2.27 GAA and .918 save percentage over his last four starts.
Evander Kane, SAN at VGK ($20): The strength of Kane's game is getting pucks on goal, but the Golden Knights have only allowed 27.5 shots on net per contest. Plus, the shots that get in net rarely go in, especially when Marc-Andre Fleury is in net. Fleury has managed an incredible 1.77 GAA and .926 save percentage and is possibly the frontrunner for the Vezina right now.
DEFENSE
Jeff Petry, MON at WPG ($23): To the extent it can be official, Petry is officially the top defenseman for the Canadiens now. He has 25 points in 28 games, including 10 on the power play. The 33-year-old hasn't slowed down either, as he has nine points in his last 10 contests. Normally, you might be a little hesitant about a player squaring off with Connor Hellebuyck, but the Jets' netminder has a 3.30 GAA and .900 save percentage over his last 11 games.
Tyler Myers, VAN at OTT ($16): Given that the Senators have a 3.97 team GAA (the Sharks are second worst and have a 3.46 GAA), I wanted to get another Canuck in here. However, I thought I might try and save you some salary and not go with Quinn Hughes, an obvious choice that will put a dent in your available money. In that case, Myers seems like a fine option. He's tallied 14 points in 32 games with 61 shots on goal while averaging 22:03 in ice time.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Brent Burns, SAN at VGK ($20): It's strange to see a defenseman who once tallied 300 shots or more on goal in four straight seasons have only 67 shots in 26 games. Hey, it's hard to be 36 and in the NHL. Of course, this is mostly about the matchup. In case you need a reminder, Marc-Andre Fleury has a 1.77 GAA and .926 save percentage.
Torey Krug, STL at LOS ($17): When he was in Boston, Krug was a machine on the power play. Given that, it's generally surprising to see him have a mere five power-play points through 28 games this season. The move to St. Louis has not paid off on that front. Cal Petersen has been a consistent goalie in his limited NHL career, and he's kept that up this year with a 2.64 GAA and .921 save percentage.
