NHL DFS Picks: Yahoo Plays and Strategy for Saturday, December 30

Hey, you can handle writing your New Year's resolutions Sunday. Saturday, focus on putting together your DFS lineups. We have seven NHL games starting at 7 p.m. EST or later. Here are my players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups. Oh, and don't forget your DFS lineups Sunday either. I guess you'll have to balance DFS and resolution writing one of the days this weekend.

GOALIE

Linus Ullmark, BOS vs. NJD ($35): Ullmark's out of the running for the Vezina already, and his .913 save percentage is fine, but unremarkable. The Devils are in the top 10 in goals per game. So why am I making this recommendation? Well, because New Jersey is also on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. Plus, they are in the bottom five in GAA. The Devils' offense may not be as good, and with their poor goaltending, I think Ullmark is quite likely to pick up a win.

GOALIE TO AVOID

Cam Talbot, LOS vs. EDM ($35): Talbot may succeed Ullmark as the winner of the Vezina, but this is not the day for him. Even with their slow start to the season, the Oilers have averaged 3.50 goals and 34.1 shots on net per game. Why sweat out a matchup against Connor McDavid if you don't have to?

CENTER

Ryan O'Reilly, NAS at WAS ($19): O'Reilly has taken to Nashville with gusto, tallying 14 goals on 84 shots on net and adding 15 assists in 36 games. Both of these teams are on the second night of a back-to-back, so I am less concerned about the fact O'Reilly and company are in the road under such parameters. Plus, he may be catching a tired Darcy Kuemper, as he played almost all of Friday's game after Charlie Lindgren was injured.

CENTER TO AVOID

Robert Thomas, STL at PIT ($23): O'Reilly's old team, the Blues, are also on the road for the second game of a back-to-back. Pittsburgh, though, is rested, and Tristan Jarry has been much better than Kuemper. Jarry has a 2.49 GAA and .916 save percentage.

WING

Carter Verhaeghe, FLA vs. MON ($23): While Matthew Tkachuk's numbers are deflated by an incredible run of poor puck luck, Verhaeghe has delivered once again. After scoring 42 goals last year, he has 17 this season with a whopping 123 shots on net through 35 games. The Panthers may be closing out a back-to-back, but both games are at home, and the Canadiens are a favorable matchup. That goes double with Jake Allen in line to start, as Allen has a 3.43 GAA and .904 save percentage.

Nick Paul, TAM vs. NYR ($16): Paul is currently benefitting from skating next to Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov. He doesn't score like those two, but recently had back-to-back games with a goal and two assists. It may not be easy to do that against the Rangers, but the Rangers are on the second leg of a back-to-back, and Paul's salary allows you to get a piece of Tampa's top line without too much financial outlay.

WINGS TO AVOID

Zach Hyman, EDM at LOS ($25): From time to time, I do find myself not wanting to roster a goalie because of a tough matchup, but also not wanting to roster a certain player from the opposing team on account of the aforementioned goalie. The Oilers have a robust offense, but the Kings are in the top three in GAA, shots on net allowed per game, and penalty-kill percentage. Hyman's 17.1 shooting percentage is a bit high based on his standards, and eight of his 33 points have come with the extra man. Both Talbot and Hyman are better saved for another day.

Chris Kreider, NYR at TAM ($24): Kreider has been hot, but Saturday could cool him down a bit. Yes, the Rangers are on the road for their second game in as many nights. Beyond that, though, Andrei Vasilevskiy has been good after scuffling upon returning from injury. Across his last 10 starts he has a 2.39 GAA and .923 save percentage.

DEFENSE

Charlie McAvoy, BOS vs. NJD ($23): McAvoy's absences have been tough for the Bruins, as he is the only defenseman producing at all this year. He has 19 points in 25 games, including one in each of his last two contests. The Devils are in the bottom five in GAA, and also below average in terms of killing penalties.

Brady Skjei, CAR at TOR ($17): Somewhat quietly, Skjei has six goals and 15 assists in 36 games. However, he did have 18 goals last year, so maybe the defenseman has been generally undervalued for a bit here. Don't overlook him Saturday. The Maple Leafs are on the second leg of a back-to-back, and journeyman Martin Jones was in the AHL before he was called up. Jones is 33, and he has a career .905 save percentage.

DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID

Morgan Rielly, TOR vs. CAR ($20): Carolina's goaltending has been spotty, but good luck getting a puck on net. The Hurricanes have allowed a mere 25.8 shots on net per game, lowest in the NHL. They also have an above-average penalty kill. Rielly has notched nine of his 27 points with the extra man.

Mike Matheson, MON at FLA ($20): Matheson has 86 shots on net and 14 power-play points, and the Panthers are on the second leg of a back-to-back. So why avoid him? Well, the Panthers are in the top five in GAA and shots on goal allowed per game, and also in the top 10 on the penalty kill.