This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Wednesdays are typically lighter days for the NHL. Not this week, though! We've got seven games on the schedule from the NHL, giving us more options than usual. Here are the guys to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Stuart Skinner, EDM vs. ARI ($32): My hope is that, by this point, the Oilers realize Skinner should be their top goalie, not Jack Campbell. Skinner is the one with the .916 save percentage this year, and the career .913 save percentage. Now, Skinner does have a 2.93 GAA, in part because the Oilers have allowed 33.6 shots on net per contest. The Coyotes, though, have only managed 23.9 shots on goal per game, fewest in the NHL.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Alexandar Georgiev, COL vs. BOS ($36): Georgiev has a 2.68 GAA and .920 save percentage, but recently he has not looked like that goalie. Over his last three starts he has a 4.39 GAA and .845 save percentage. A visit from the Bruins, a team that has averaged 3.96 goals per game, isn't going to help him turn it around.
CENTER
Logan Couture, SAN vs. VAN ($17): Though Couture has a 20.0 shooting percentage, he has 13 goals and 11 assists through 28 games, and that's impressive. He's also averaged 2:46 per game on the power play and notched eight points with the extra man. The Canucks have a bottom-five penalty kill, and all in all they have a 3.85 GAA.
CENTER TO AVOID
Vincent Trocheck, NYR at VGK ($18): Trocheck is coming off a two-point game, but that was at home against the Blues. Visiting the Golden Knights will be trickier. Logan Thompson has a 2.55 GAA and .921 save percentage, and Trocheck has been hit-or-miss after a hot start to his first campaign as a Ranger.
WING
Jack Quinn, BUF at CLM ($17): The rookie Quinn is up on the second line, and he's going to stay there with the way he's been playing. He has five goals and four assists over his last eight outings. The Blue Jackets are 31st in GAA and shots on goal allowed per game, and they are on the second leg of a back-to-back as well.
T.J. Oshie, WAS at PHI ($15): It's been your typical Oshie season. He can't stay on the ice, but when he's healthy he's producing. Since returning from his latest injury, the American has five points and 20 shots on net in seven games. Carter Hart has been struggling for a while now, as he has a 3.50 GAA and .877 save percentage over his last 11 starts.
WINGS TO AVOID
Mikko Rantanen, COL vs. BOS ($30): Rantanen is crushing it as usual, but now both Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog are out, and the Finn is going to be having to carry the offense almost by himself. Not only that, but the Bruins have a 2.17 GAA, which is lowest in the NHL. I am wary of Rantanen's salary in this scenario.
Reilly Smith, VGK vs. NYR ($18): This is a bet on regression in two ways. One, Smith's 18.2 shooting percentage is likely to drop. Two, Igor Shesterkin's .910 save percentage is likely to rise. He has a career .925 save percentage, after all, and this season he still has a 2.67 GAA thanks to stingy defense.
DEFENSE
Evan Bouchard, EDM vs. ARI ($15): After a bit of a slow start following his breakthrough campaign last year, Bouchard has three goals and three assists over his last eight games. On the year, he's put 59 shots on net in 26 contests, most among Edmonton defensemen. I note that here because the Coyotes have allowed 34.5 shots on goal per game.
Owen Power, BUF at CLM ($14): That first goal is going to arrive for Power. He's played 23:36 per night, including 2:03 on the power play, and put 33 shots on net. The rookie does have 10 assists as well, so he's contributing to the score sheet. Joonas Korpisalo has a career .902 save percentage, and he'll be behind a defense on the second leg of a back-to-back Wednesday.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Quinn Hughes, VAN at SAN ($21): Hughes is all about the power play. Thirteen of his 24 points, all assists by the way, have come with the extra man. Well, the Sharks have the league's best penalty kill. This matchup is designed to keep Hughes in check.
Devon Toews, COL vs. BOS ($17): Maybe I'd still risk Cale Makar in this matchup, because he's just so prolific from the blue line, but I am more confident in avoid Toews this week. Having only one goal through 21 games is indicative of some bad luck, but the Bruins don't need to rely on bad luck from the opposition. Linus Ullmark, in particular, has an 1.93 GAA and .936 save percentage.
