Tuesday was free of NHL action. Wednesday, though, is packed to the brim like one’s stomach after Thanksgiving dinner. There are 14 games on the slate, and there are no games Thursday. Make the most of this DFS docket. Here are my players to target, and to avoid, for your lineups.
GOALIE
Carter Hart, PHI at NYI ($37): Hart’s couple of starts recently after a week’s absence were encouraging, and he has a 2.40 GAA and .919 save percentage on the season. It helps that the Flyers have only allowed 27.7 shots on net per contest. The Islanders, meanwhile, are off to a slow start, as they rank 29th in goals per game.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Thatcher Demko, VAN at COL ($36): Vancouver’s offense is tops in the league in goals per game, so it hasn’t needed high-end goaltending. However, that is what Demko has provided. It will be hard for him to keep up his .929 save percentage, especially when considering games like this visit to Colorado. The Avalanche are in the running for the NHL’s best offense as well. They rank third in goals per game, but are tied for the league lead with 34.0 shots on net per contest.
CENTER
Matty Beniers, SEA vs. SAN ($16): Beniers has gotten aggressive recently, with three shots on net in each of his last three games, which has helped him add to goals to his total. Even so, he still has an 8.3 shooting percentage that should improve. Facing the Sharks definitely has the potential to help, as they have a 4.17 GAA and have allowed a whopping 38.3 shots on net per contest.
CENTER TO AVOID
Evgeni Malkin, PIT vs. NYR ($24): Malkin has been excellent, though his 20.5 shooting percentage is a smidge high. The Rangers have a 2.42 GAA and have only given up 28.3 shots on net per game. Obviously, you have a lot of options for your lineups. I don’t want to spend on Malkin’s salary given this matchup under those circumstances.
WING
Owen Tippett, PHI at NYI ($19): Tippett has tallied seven goals in 18 games, but notably he’s also put 61 shots on net. Oddly, the Islanders have been porous defensively, having allowed 35.1 shots on net per contest. Also, the Islanders have the 31st-ranked penalty kill, and Tippet has averaged 2:34 per game with the extra man.
Lucas Raymond, DET vs. NJD ($18): Raymond returns from Sweden in fine form, having potted a goal in three-straight games. While he may be back from his home country, he also gets to face a Devils teams with a 3.81 GAA and questionable goaltending. He need not be in Sweden to light the lamp.
WINGS TO AVOID
Sam Reinhart, FLA vs. BOS ($28): On the flip side of the Islanders we find the Bruins, tops in the NHL in penalty-kill percentage (and also GAA, while I’m at it). Reinhart has been stellar on the power play since joining the Panthers, but he’s also been quite dependent on it for production. Throw in his 25.5 shooting percentage, and regression plus a bad matchup could spell disappointment for Reinhart.
Jeff Skinner, BUF at WAS ($21): Skinner started the year strong, but over his last four games he only has one point, a power-play goal on his only shot on target against Chicago. He also is without Tage Thompson as his center for a while. Now, it may not continue, but Charlie Lindgren has a 2.01 GAA and .940 save percentage in five starts, good enough I wonder if maybe he supplants Darcy Kuemper as Washington’s lead goalie.
DEFENSE
Brady Skjei, CAR vs. EDM ($17): Skjei has quietly tallied 39 and 38 points in each of his last two seasons. This year, though, he has 12 points already. Skjei also has 20 shots on net across his last eight outings. The Oilers, well, their struggles are well-documented, and they have a 3.88 GAA.
Pavel Mintyukov, ANA vs. MON ($15): Mintyukov started his rookie season on fire, and while his scoring has slowed down he’s still getting power-play time, and he’s also put 15 shots on net over his last seven games. The Canadiens do everything poorly defensively. They have a 3.56 GAA, have allowed 34.9 shots on goal per game, and has the 25th-ranked penalty kill.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Brandon Montour, FLA vs. BOS ($23): Montour and Aaron Ekblad returned from the injured list at the same time. Ekblad has gotten down to business immediately, while Montour has been a bit slower to find his footing. He has zero points, but also only two shots on goal across two games. Facing the Bruins is not ideal for trying to get on track.
Kris Letang, PIT vs. NYR ($17): Letang has 10 points in 17 games, and the Rangers “only” rank 12th in penalty-kill percentage. If you are going to catch New York anywhere, it’s here. The problem, though, is that Erik Karlsson has rendered Letang a non-factor on the power play. Once prolific with the extra man, the veteran defenseman has zero power-play points this year.
