This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Halfway through the week and halfway through the month we have three NHL games Wednesday. There are some COVID-19 scares going on right now, but as of this moment here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Anthony Stolarz, ANA vs. SEA ($33): John Gibson got banged up in his last game, and there is no need to rush him back into action to face a Kraken team on the second leg of a back-to-back. Plus, it's not like Stolarz has been a slouch himself. He has a 2.27 GAA and .930 save percentage.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Marc-Andre Fleury, CHI vs. WAS ($32): Fleury has an 1.87 GAA and .939 save percentage over his last 10 games. Of course, on the season he has a .913 save percentage. This is definitely the toughest matchup of the day, though. The Capitals have scored 3.39 goals per contest, the only team in the top 10 playing Wednesday.
CENTER
Ryan Getzlaf, ANA vs. SEA ($16): Getzlaf is back, and soon he will be dishing out assists again. On the season he has 19 helpers in 25 games, and more goals will come once his shooting percentage raises from an unsustainable 1.7. The Kraken are in the top five in shots on net allowed per game, but in spite of that they are in the bottom five in GAA. That's problematic goaltending, and it likely won't be better on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back.
CENTER TO AVOID
Jonathan Toews, CHI vs. WAS ($12): Toews has a goal in back-to-back games. Those are also his only two goals of the season. He won't have a 4.2 shooting percentage all season, but he's also only managed 48 shots on goal in 27 games. The Chicago captain simply isn't shooting a lot. Meanwhile, the Capitals don't allow many shots, as they've only given up 28.4 shots on net per contest.
WING
Artemi Panarin, NYR at ARI ($32): A lot of Rangers forwards have scuffled recently, but not the reliable Panarin. He has 14 points in his last nine games, including four on the power play. I even like him on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. The Coyotes have a 3.67 GAA.
Sonny Milano, ANA vs. SEA ($17): Milano is going to put up career-best numbers this season, as he already has 20 points in 25 games. He's been helped by the fact he's started a hearty 77.2 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, second highest on the Ducks. As I mentioned earlier, the Kraken are on a back-to-back and also in the bottom five in GAA. Both Philipp Grubauer and Chris Dreidger have save percentages not even close to getting over .900 at the moment.
WINGSTO AVOID
Patrick Kane, CHI vs. WAS ($28): Kane has 22 points in 23 games, which is good, but he only has seven goals, which is unexpected from him. In fact, he only has one goal in his last 11 outings. I don't know if he'll get back on track in this matchup. The Capitals have a 2.50 GAA.
Jaden Schwartz, SEA at ANA ($17): Schwartz is having a good year with 19 points in 26 games, though I don't think he ever reaches the highs of two years ago when he had 20 power-play points. He had three last year and only has three this year, so that feels increasingly like a fluke. Well, the Ducks have a top-five penalty kill anyway, not to mention a 2.63 GAA.
DEFENSE
Adam Fox, NYR at ARI ($24): The Ducks have a top penalty kill, but the Coyotes are down in the bottom five. That's right up Fox's alley. He has 12 power-play points in 28 games after having 23 last year in his Norris-winning campaign. Even on a back-to-back and at this salary I want him in this matchup.
Shayne Gostisbehere, ARI vs. NYR ($15): Jakob Chychrun is out, which means an even bigger role for Gostisbehere. He's already averaged 21:35 in ice time, and 2:54 on the power play. That has helped the 28-year-old to 17 points (five with the extra man) in 27 games. The Rangers are on the road for the second night of a back-to-back, and Igor Shesterkin has been banged up. There's a good chance he won't play in this game, and even if he does will he be at full speed?
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Seth Jones, CHI vs. WAS ($20): Jones has been exactly what the Blackhawks wanted, but at this salary I don't know about having him in my lineup in this matchup. Ilya Samsonov will likely be in net, and he has a 2.47 GAA and .915 save percentage. That's in part due to the fact the Capitals have allowed a mere 28.4 shots on goal per game.
Mark Giordano, SEA at ANA ($17): As you have probably surmised, I'm down on the Blackhawks and Kraken on Wednesday. Giordano is a 38-year-old defenseman on the second leg of a back-to-back who recently returned from COVID-19 protocols. He will likely be facing Stolarz and his .930 save percentage. None of that adds up well for him.
