This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The NHL regular season is nearing a close, with several teams jockeying for playoff positioning. Here are some players to target and avoid for Wednesday's four-game slate…
GOALIE
Calvin Pickard, COL vs. DET ($30): Picking a goalie for the Avalanche may seem questionable, but it isn't as unjustifiable as you might think. The Wings have only scored 2.37 goals per game, and they've averaged 50.9 shot attempts per 60 minutes. That's the second lowest total in the NHL, so Pickard may not be too bothered even though the Avs are one of the worst teams in the league. Additionally, while Pickard has had a season to forget, over his last 10 games he's had a more respectable 2.43 GAA and .927 save percentage.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Anton Khudobin, BOS at CGY ($30): The Flames have won 10 games in a row will be at home for this one. Though the Bruins are having a fine season and have won three in a row, they are still clearly facing a formidable challenge. Khudobin has a 2.76 GAA and a .895 save percentage. A goalie having a bad year against a hot team? That doesn't usually equate to fantasy gold.
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CENTER
Brayden Schenn, PHI vs. PIT ($14): At even strength, Schenn is an offensive-oriented player, as he's started 37.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. However, he's first and foremost a power-play weapon. Schenn has averaged 3:55 per game on the power play, notching 15 goals and 11 assists in that time. The Penguins have the 20th-ranked penalty kill, so on paper, this matchup is favorable toward Schenn. On top of that, Pittsburgh has allowed 32.5 shots on goal per contest, so at this price, it's worth it to see if Schenn can find power-play success yet again.
CENTER TO AVOID
Ryan Kesler, ANA vs. STL ($20): For a little while now, Jake Allen has been one of the stingiest goalies in the league. In his last 16 contests, he's posted a 1.91 GAA and a .935 save percentage. Kesler did notch three points in his last game, but he only has two goals in his last 24 contests. The Blues also have the eighth-ranked penalty kill, which won't make things any easier for the veteran center.
WING
Henrik Zetterberg, DET at COL ($17): Sure, Pickard was the pick among goaltenders, but the fact remains that the Avalanche have allowed an average of 3.25 goals and 32.1 shots on net per game. Even though Pickard has been better recently, he still has a 2.43 GAA in his last 10 games because of Colorado's defensive woes. Zetterberg has 14 points in his last 10 games, posting multi-point showings in six of those. Colorado has the 24th-ranked penalty kill, so perhaps Zetterberg can find a bit of luck with the extra man.
Alexander Steen, STL at ANA ($16): Part of the reason for selecting Steen from this article comes from the fact John Gibson is banged up and considered day-to-day once again. At the moment, Jonathan Bernier (2.69 GAA, .911 save percentage) is projected to start for the Ducks. That makes this a more interesting matchup for Steen, who has averaged 5.6 fantasy points per game. A lot of that has come from his power-play success, as he's notched 14 points with the extra man in 62 games.
WINGS TO AVOID
Patrick Eaves, ANA vs. STL ($18): Since becoming a Duck, Eaves has four points in seven games, which is good. On the other hand, he has zero power-play points, and his power-play minutes are down quite a bit from his time in Dallas (3:11 per game to 2:02). St. Louis, as previously mentioned, has the eighth-ranked penalty kill, so this may not be the day for Eaves to regain that power-play glory. Allen's overall strong play in net is also a point against Eaves in this one.
Drew Stafford, BOS at CGY ($17): Yes, the move from Winnipeg to Boston has given Stafford's numbers a boost, but the fact remains he's only averaged 3.9 fantasy points per game. Now he has to go up against Brian Elliott who, in addition to winning nine games in a row, has a 1.93 GAA and .934 save percentage over his last 16 contests. It's hard to bet on Stafford keeping up his pace since he's joined the Bruins in general, but this matchup seems particularly tough.
DEFENSEMEN
Shayne Gostisbehere, PHI vs. PIT ($15): Gostisbehere has started 45.4 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone and averaged 3:59 per game on the power play. In his last 13 games he's tallied 42 shots on goal, and as noted earlier, the Penguins allow 32.5 shots on net per contest. Gostisbehere has registered 19 power-play points, and despite all his offensive achievements, he's still quite reasonably priced.
Erik Johnson, COL vs. DET ($15):Erik Johnson only has one point since returning from injury, but in those nine games he's tallied 19 shots on net and 13 blocked shots. He's also averaged 2:31 per game on the power play. On the season, he only has a 1.5 shooting percentage, so more luck could be around the corner. The Red Wings have allowed 3.01 goals and 30.6 shots on net per game, so maybe Johnson can start adding some points to his total Wednesday.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Torey Krug, BOS at CGY ($19): As previously mentioned, Elliott has a 1.93 GAA and a .934 save percentage in his last 16 games. The Flames have also only allowed 28.7 shots on goal per game, and the Flames also have the 14th-ranked penalty kill. That's not great, but it is technically above average. Krug is tied for being the third most expensive defenseman, and the two players above him are both Penguins. You can do better than Krug against the hottest team in the league.
Sami Vatanen, ANA vs. STL ($17): Vatanen has only averaged 5.3 fantasy points per game, with only 98 shots on goal in 60 games to his name. While he does have 12 power-play points, only one has come in his last 20 games. As mentioned previously, St. Louis' Allen has a 1.91 GAA and a .935 save percentage, and of course the Blues have that eighth-ranked penalty kill. This probably won't be the night Vatanen rekindles his power-play success.
