This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
As is often the case on a Saturday, there are a few afternoon games on the NHL's schedule: Blues-Sabres, Jets-Canadiens, and Capitals-Red Wings. Nobody would blame you for wanting to try and take advantage of Montreal and Washington's great matchups, but there are also eight games Saturday night, and here are the players on the evening slate who stick out as being enticing values.
GOALIE
Peter Budaj, LOS vs. FLA ($7,900): Budaj's last four starts have been pretty rough, but in his five starts before that he posted a sterling 0.60 GAA and .975 save percentage. Overall, he has a 2.15 GAA, in part because the Kings have allowed only 25.7 shots on net per game, the fewest in the league. The Panthers are the only team playing Saturday that also played Friday, which also gives Budaj's win potential a boost.
CENTER
Bo Horvat, VAN vs. CGY ($4,800): Horvat has taken the reins from the Sedin twins to a degree, as he leads the Canucks with 18 goals and 39 points, with seven of those points coming in his last six games. Calgary's likely starting netminder Brian Elliott played well in his last start, but he still has a .898 save percentage this season, and the Flames have allowed 2.81 goals per game. The Flames also have the 19th-ranked penalty kill, and Horvat does have seven power-play points. He's averaged 3.0 fantasy point per game, which is nice production for a player at this salary.
Tomas Hertl, SAN at ARI ($4,500): Hertl has found his footing after returning from injury, as he's notched six points and 22 shots on goal in his last eight games. The Coyotes are a great matchup for him, as Arizona has allowed 3.14 goals and 33.8 shots on net per game. Arizona has been even more generous with the shots recently, as they've given up 35.7 shots on goal in February. Hertl is rather cheap, making him a great buy low candidate in this matchup.
WING
Anders Lee, NYI at NJD ($5,900): Lee has been scorching hot the last few weeks, as he's tallied 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) and 56 shots on net in his last 16 games. He's being helped by the fact he's been getting to start from a favorable position quite often. The line of Lee, John Tavares, and Josh Bailey are the top three forwards on the Islanders in terms of shifts started in the offensive zone. On top of that, Lee has 10 power-play points, and in those last 16 games he's averaged 3:21 per game with the extra man. The Devils have allowed 31.3 shots on goal per contest, and their penalty kill ranks a middling 16th.
Jonathan Drouin, TAM at DAL ($5,400): Nobody is worse than Dallas on the penalty kill, and only Colorado has allowed more goals per game on average. The Stars are also on a downswing, as they've allowed 3.75 goals per contest in the month of February. Drouin has played 3:02 a night on the power play, and he's tallied 15 power-play points. He's the kind of player who is primed to take advantage of this rather favorable matchup.
Kyle Palmieri, NJD vs. NYI ($4,700): Speaking of players who have produced with the extra man, Palmieri has 13 power-play points already in 2016-17, one season after tallying an impressive 23. He's playing more time on the power play this year too, as he's averaged 2:46 per game with the extra man. Thomas Greiss has struggled for the Islanders recently, as he's got a 3.74 GAA and a .875 save percentage in February. New York has allowed 32.3 shots on net per game, so if Greiss doesn't turn things around the Islanders could be in a lot of trouble, and Palmieri could be a beneficiary of that.
DEFENSE
Alec Martinez, LOS vs. FLA ($4,700): As noted previously, the Panthers will be on the second night of a back-to-back. When playing on zero days of rest, Florida has allowed 2.80 goals and 33.5 shots on net per game, and overall they've allowed 31.5 shots on goal per contest. Martinez has averaged 3.1 fantasy points per game, and he's started 37.4 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, which is higher than usual for a defenseman. He's also blocked 117 shots, which could give him a little extra fantasy value.
Dion Phaneuf, OTT at TOR ($4,300): Phaneuf has a point in four straight games, including three goals. Overall, in 55 games he's picked up 112 shots on net and 101 blocked shots. The Maple Leafs have attempted 61.2 shots on net per 60 minutes, which means Phaneuf should have plenty of chances to get in front of the puck. On top of that, Toronto has allowed 32.5 shots on net per game, meaning Phaneuf should be able to get involved offensively as well.
