NHL DFS Picks: Yahoo Plays and Lineup Strategy for Saturday, February 11
Saturday is packed to the brim with NHL action, but don't worry. I'm not going to look at the full day, and leaving you scrambling to get your DFS lineups in by 12 p.m. EST. There are six NHL games starting at 7 p.m. or later, and these are the players to target, and to avoid, from that slate.
GOALIE
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG vs. CHI ($31): This is actually the Jets' first game since the All-Star break, so they should be well rested. Hellebuyck has a 2.45 GAA and .923 save percentage, and Chicago is in the bottom two in goals and shots on net per game. It's a nice way to ease back into action.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Filip Gustavsson, MIN vs. NJD ($33): I think the Wild may be primed to go back to swapping starts between Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury, given that Gustavsson looked good in his start after the break, while Fleury was pulled in his outing. Either way, I don't want a Wild goalie against the Devils, even with Jack Hughes out. New Jersey has averaged 3.49 goals and 34.2 shots on net per game, so it's not just Hughes.
CENTER
Anze Kopitar, LOS vs. PIT ($19): Kopitar had his best month of the season in January, picking up six goals and eight assists in 13 games. The Kings are rested, while the Penguins are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. That will means a tired defense for a team that ranks in the bottom six in shots on net allowed per contest, possibly with third-string goalie Dustin Tokarski in net if Tristan Jarry isn't ready to return.
CENTER TO AVOID
Mika Zibanejad, NYR at CAR ($30): Zibanejad has a new winger to work with in Vladimir Tarasenko, but he also has to square off with the Hurricanes while being on the road for the second night of a back-to-back. While Mika is an elite player who has earned his lofty salary, he's also a risk against a Carolina squad that has allowed a league-low 26.4 shots on net per game.
WING
Nikolaj Ehlers, WPG vs. CHI ($25): Since returning from injury, Ehlers has 15 points in 14 games. That's impressive, but he only has four goals on 45 shots on net in that time. His 8.9 percent shooting since getting healthy should improve. That could definitely happen against Chicago, a team in the bottom seven in GAA and shots on net allowed per game — and on the second leg of a back-to-back for good measure.
Calle Jarnkrok, TOR vs. CLM ($15): I figured Jarnkrok might be in trouble when Auston Matthews went down and second-line center John Tavares got kicked up to the top unit, but that hasn't been the case. Instead, Jarnkrok has five points over his last nine outings. Both of these teams are on the second leg of a back-to-back, but the Maple Leafs are at home, and the Blue Jackets are 30th in GAA.
WINGS TO AVOID
Matthew Boldy, MIN vs. NJD ($19): Boldy has looked good in his sophomore season, though he has relied to some degree on quantity as his 16 goals have come on 160 shots on net, a mathematically simple conversion over to 10.0 percent shooting. The Devils, though, have only allowed 28.6 shots on goal per game. That's helped them post a 2.65 GAA.
Patrick Kane, CHI at WPG ($19): He's suffered from bad puck luck and is at the center of trade speculation, but Kane has still been fairly productive, and remains the clear top forward on Chicago's roster. That being said, in addition to Hellebuyck's .923 save percentage, the Jets have the third-ranked penalty kill, and 16 of Kane's 35 points have come with the extra man.
DEFENSE
Brent Burns, CAR vs. NYR ($24): Burns is on a seven-game point streak, and while the Rangers have strong defensive numbers, Igor Shesterkin started Friday, and that changes the landscape. Not only does that mean the Blueshirts are on the second leg of a back-to-back, Jaroslav Halak has a .904 save percentage over the last three seasons and is a seldom-used backup for a reason.
Torey Krug, STL vs. ARI ($18): Krug got back into the swing of things prior to the break. He returned, played in four games, and picked up four assists and 13 shots on net. The Coyotes may have saved Karel Vejmelka for this game, but he still has a 3.16 GAA and .908 save percentage, and the Coyotes are bottom five in shots on goal allowed per contest.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Adam Fox, NYR at CAR ($25): I'm not looking to pay Fox's salary in a scenario like Saturday's. The Hurricanes have been as stingy as any team, and since returning from injury Frederik Andersen has a 2.19 GAA and .919 save percentage in seven appearances. Plus, the 'Canes have a top-eight penalty kill, and Fox does a lot of his damage on the power play.
Seth Jones, CHI at WPG ($19): Jones has been enjoying a nice run of play, but visiting Winnipeg could pump the brakes on that. Hellebuyck has a .923 save percentage, and the Jets have the third-ranked penalty kill. And, of course, Chicago is playing their second game in as many nights.
