This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Saturday's NHL slate is a busy one, with 11 games on tap beginning at 1:00 PM Eastern time. Below you'll find which players stand out from the pack as options to target, as well as those that should be avoided.
GOALIE
Marc-Andre Fleury, VGK at BUF ($33): Fleury got his mojo back by blanking the Red Wings on Thursday, but his price has only risen by $1 since then heading into an even more favorable matchup. Buffalo's league-worst offense is mustering a mere 2.40 goals per game, and Vegas would double the Sabres' season win total of 22 in one fewer game played should the heavily favored Golden Knights come out on top in this one.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Petr Mrazek, PHI vs. WPG ($28): As has been the case with countless Flyers goaltenders over the years, Mrazek looked like the team's savior in net for a few games after being acquired at the trade deadline only to turn into a massive disappointment. He's been shelled for at least four goals in each of his past four starts, allowing a total of 18 on 123 shots for a putrid .854 save percentage over that stretch. With Patrik Laine (more in him later) and the third-ranked Jets offense in town, this promises to be another long afternoon for Mrazek.
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CENTER
Riley Nash, BOS vs. CHI ($17): Nash has been the biggest beneficiary of Patrice Bergeron's (foot) absence. He's having the time of his life filling in for Bergeron in between Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak on the top line, with three goals and seven points in five games since shifting to that spot. Don't expect that success to slow down against a Blackhawks team that's currently employing the tandem of Anton Forsberg and Jean-Francois Berube in net.
CENTER TO AVOID
Anthony Cirelli, TB vs. MON ($18): Most Lightning players make for fine choices in this home tilt against an overmatched Canadiens club, but it's tough to expect Cirelli to live up to his $18 valuation given his lack of ice time. While he does have a pair of multi-point efforts in four NHL games, the undersized forward has been entrusted with just 10:02 of ice time per game while never reaching the 13-minute mark, so expectations should be tempered regardless of opponent.
WING
Patrik Laine, WPG at PHI ($27): It's remarkable that 11 other wingers in this slate are still priced above or equal to Laine's salary considering his torrid recent scoring pace. The man with arguably the league's most dangerous shot has been putting it to good use recently, potting eight goals in his last four games and 14 in the past 10 to close within one goal of Alex Ovechkin's league-leading 40. Given Mrazek's recent struggles, it wouldn't be surprising to see Laine take over the top spot in the Rocket Richard Trophy race by the end of the day.
Brian Gionta, BOS vs. CHI ($13): Gionta's too good a player to ignore at $13 in this favorable matchup. The 39-year-old Rochester native has looked very spry since rejoining the NHL following the Olympics with a goal, four points and a plus-2 rating in four games. Between his role on the second power-play unit and Boston's tremendous depth up front, Gionta's getting plenty of offensive opportunities despite only averaging just over 14 minutes of ice time per game. That low ice time is already baked into his extremely affordable valuation, anyway.
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WINGS TO AVOID
Wayne Simmonds, PHI vs. WPG ($15): Simmonds may seem like a good value at $15, but he's had some serious trouble shaking off the rust with minus-7.3 combined fantasy points in two games since returning from an upper-body injury. The risk is too great given his low ceiling against a Jets team that's allowing the fifth-fewest goals per game in the league (2.61).
Alex Ovechkin, WAS at SJ ($35): As usual, power-play production has been a key component of Ovechkin's fantasy value. He's tied for the Washington lead with 25 power-play points and is tied for fourth in the entire NHL with 12 goals in such situations. Ovechkin's unlikely to add to either of those totals here, however, as he faces a league-best Sharks penalty kill that's operating at 84.7 percent.
DEFENSE
Keith Yandle, FLA vs. NYR ($19): Florida's forwards have come alive on the offensive end recently, allowing Yandle to put his elite puck-moving skills on display. He needs just one more assist to break 40 for the fourth time in his career, and has been eclipsing that pace easily of late with 18 helpers in his last 17 games and seven in the past four. Yandle's former team in New York is uncharacteristically allowing the seventh-most goals in the league (3.13), so he's primed to keep the good times rolling in this matchup.
Tyson Barrie, COL vs. ARI ($20): Barrie's enjoyed tremendous success on the offensive end recently, posting four goals and 13 points in his past nine games. An Arizona offense that ranks 30th at 2.41 goals per game is unlikely to trouble his minus-13 rating, while Barrie's skills in the offensive zone are likely to translate to points against the league's sixth-worst defense (3.17 goals per game), especially with goaltender Antti Raanta battling a lower-body injury.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Alex Pietrangelo, STL at LA ($24): Pietrangelo's been a shadow of his usual self over the past 10 games, posting just two points while averaging fewer than 3.2 fantasy points per game for a Blues team that's won only once in that stretch. Living up to his $24 price will be tough against a Kings club that's allowing just 2.48 goals per game – second fewest in the league.
John Carlson, WAS at SJ ($25): Carlson's 25 power-play points are tied with Ovechkin for the team lead, and they represent a significantly greater portion of the blueliner's season total (53). However, that offense has come at the cost of some defensive downside -- Carlson's minus-7 rating is the second worst of his career, and he's an ugly minus-6 over the last 10 games. San Jose's excellent penalty killing limits his ceiling, but Carlson's low floor remains.
