This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
There are 12 games Saturday, although two of them – Flyers vs. Bruins and Predators vs. Avalanche – are afternoon affairs that have been given their own slate. Don't fret, though, because there are still 10 games on the evening slate, and that means plenty of players to choose from. Here are some of the top choices from the bunch.
GOALIE
Peter Budaj, LOS vs. WPG ($7,700): The Kings give up the fewest shots in the league, as they cede a mere 25.7 per contest. The Jets have a middle-of-the-road offense, including a power play that only ranks 20th. Winnipeg will also be on the second night of a back-to-back, which means Michael Hutchinson (3.30 GAA, .890 save percentage) could be in net. That would increase Budaj's chances of picking up a win.
CENTER
Eric Staal, MIN at DAL ($6,500): The Stars are allowing three goals per game, and their penalty kill ranks a woeful 29th. That bodes well for a Wild team that is averaging 3.23 goals per game. They are led by Staal, who has 38 points, 11 on the power play. He has been hot as well, as he has 14 points in his last 10 tilts.
Logan Couture, SAN vs. STL ($6,200): The Blues, perhaps surprisingly, are tied for the third-worst goals against average (3.02) in the league. They owe that largely to the poor .892 save percentage their goalies have put up. Couture has notched 14 goals on 113 shots in 42 games, so he can certainly take advantage of some sketchy goaltending. He's also blocked 40 shots, a decent number for a forward, giving him a little boost of potential value.
WING
Jakob Silfverberg, ANA at ARI ($6,400): The Coyotes give up the most shots in the league, and they will be on the second night of a back-to-back on top of that. Do you know who leads the Ducks in shots? Given whose note I asked the question in, you likely guessed Silfverberg, and you'd be right. He's notched 123 shots in 44 games, and 13 of those shots have ended up in the back of the net.
Mark Stone, OTT vs. TOR ($5,600): Toronto is yet another team who will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back, and that could mean newly acquired Curtis McElhinney is in net for the Leafs. They are giving up 32.6 shots on goal per game, which could put quite a bit of pressure on the veteran journeyman. Stone has notched 10 points in his last 10 games, and he's never had fewer than 23 goals in a full season.
Tanner Pearson, LOS vs. WPG ($5,200): As mentioned earlier, Hutchinson, who has poor numbers on the season, could be in net for the Jets on Saturday. Regardless, Winnipeg is allowing three goals per game, so it shouldn't be a tough matchup either way. Pearson has 10 points, and 31 shots on net, in his last 10 games, so there's a good chance he will remain hot Saturday.
DEFENSE
Justin Schultz, PIT at DET ($5,100): Detroit's expected starting goalie, Petr Mrazek, has a 3.19 GAA and a .893 save percentage. That has to be enticing for Schultz, who has nine points in his last 10 games. He's also put 73 shots on goal in 41 games, a solid number for a defenseman. Though Kris Letang is back, Schultz can still provide good fantasy production, especially at this price.
Dion Phaneuf, OTT vs. TOR ($4,500): Phaneuf is averaging 3.1 fantasy points per game, which is a solid number considering his price point. He's put 86 shots on goal and blocked 84 in 40 games. In addition to giving up 32.6 shots on goal per contest, the Leafs also take 33.2 shots per tilt. Phaneuf should be able to help your fantasy team at both ends of the ice in this matchup.
