This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Saturday provides you with an uncommon opportunity as a daily fantasy hockey player. There are four afternoon games on the slate, so DraftKings has broken the day up into two separate contests. So, before we get to the eight evening games, here are some quick hits for Saturday afternoon.
GOALIE:Tuukka Rask, BOS at BUF ($7,700)
CENTER:Ryan Johansen, NAS vs. NJD (6,200); Brayden Schenn PHI vs. CHI ($5,200)
WING:Wayne Simmonds, PHI vs. CHI ($6,500); Marian Hossa, CHI at PHI ($6,100); Mats Zuccarello, NYR vs. CAR ($6,500)
DEFENSEMEN: Duncan Keith, CHI at PHI ($5,200); Mark Streit, PHI vs. CHI ($4,200)
GOALIE
Frederik Andersen, TOR at VAN ($7,700): Andersen has middling numbers overall, but in his last six starts he hasn't let in more than two goals or had a save percentage worse than .931. Of equal importance is Vancouver's lackluster offense. They are 29th in goals scored, and 24th on the power play. The Canucks aren't likely to threaten Andersen too much, and Toronto is a good bet to win the game as well.
CENTER
Matt Duchene, COL vs. DAL ($5,700): Both Stars goalies are sporting GAAs over 3.00, and Dallas is at the bottom of the league in terms of goals allowed. Colorado's offense doesn't inspire as a whole, but Duchene has seven goals on 43 shots on net in 18 games. He's a proven commodity who has put at least 200 shots on goal in his last three seasons, and this is a decidedly favorable matchup.
Alexander Wennberg, CLM at ARI ($5,600): Mike Smith has stabilized things a bit for the Coyotes, but the team is still ranked 28th in goals allowed and 22nd on the penalty kill. Plus, on his career, Smith only has a .913 save percentage. Wennberg has 10 power-play points and 20 total points in 22 games, and he's emerged not only as Columbus' top center but the pivot on their top-ranked power play as well.
WING
David Perron, STL vs. WPG ($4,800): Perron didn't register a point in his last game, but he had an eight-game point streak before that. He's taken 49 shots on goal in 24 games, and he's playing his most minutes per game since the 2013-14 season. Against a Jets team allowing three goals per game, Perron has the chance to be a great value at this price.
Nick Foligno, CLM at ARI ($5,800): Like Wennberg, Foligno has 10 power-play points. However, Foligno is more of a goal scorer, as he's lit the lamp nine times and taken 48 shots on goal. He's playing a career high in minutes and power-play minutes, and now he's got a nice matchup to exploit.
Patrick Eaves, DAL at COL ($6,000): Semyon Varlamov and his 3.09 GAA and .905 save percentage will be in net for the Avalanche on Saturday, which is a fortuitous turn of events for Eaves and the Stars. Eaves' scoring has dropped down a bit, but his shots haven't, and he has 61 shots on goal in 24 games. He's also playing 3:22 a night on the power play, and as long as that continues, the opportunities will be there for him.
DEFENSE
Colton Parayko, STL vs. WPG ($4,900): Parayko is the Blues defenseman you can get at a relative bargain. While he doesn't cost as much as Alex Pietrangelo ($5,300) or Kevin Shattenkirk ($5,400), he still produces. Parayko's got 13 points, four on the power play, but hasn't yet scored a goal despite 65 shots. Plus, on top of his offensive production, he's blocked 39 shots, which is good against a team with some offensive firepower like the Jets.
Aaron Ekblad, FLA at OTT ($4,800): While Mike Condon has a .935 save percentage in five games this season, his career .906 save percentage is not an encouraging sign for the Senators. Ekblad has scored six goals this season, and even if Condon keeps playing well, Ekblad should put a few pucks on the net. He leads the Panthers with 77 shots on goal, so even if he doesn't score he should be able to help your fantasy team at a reasonable price.
