This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
March is right around the corner, but don't forget about Thursday. After all, there are seven NHL games to end February. Here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your daily fantasy lineup. Let's try and close the month out in style!
GOALIE
Marc-Andre Fleury, VGK vs. FLA ($29): The Golden Knights have a 2.47 GAA at home, and fittingly so does Fleury. The Panthers are fine offensively, but it's usually a good bet to trust Fleury and his teammates when they are playing in Vegas. There's a good chance Flower will pick up a win, and he may not be busy, as the Golden Knights only allow 29.0 shots on net per game at home.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Tuukka Rask, BOS vs. TAM ($36): Rask has a 2.40 GAA, but over his last five outings he has a 2.89 GAA and .898 save percentage. Yes, the Lightning are on the road, and on the second game of a back-to-back. However, they've scored 3.60 goals per game in away contests, so this still won't be easy for the Czech netminder.
CENTER
David Krejci, BOS vs. TAM ($18): Thanks to a goal and an assist in his last game, Krejci now has 15 goals and 40 helpers on the year. He's also been hot recently, as he has 14 points in his last 10 contests. While I worry about the Lightning offense on the road for the second game of a back-to-back, I am less concerned about them defensively. That's mostly because Louis Domingue will likely be in net, and he has a .908 save percentage.
CENTER TO AVOID
Elias Pettersson, VAN at ARI ($25): Pettersson is still defying logic with his 23.0 shooting percentage as a rookie, but there's still reason for concern here. For starters, he'll be on the second night of a back-to-back. Second, Darcy Kuemper has a 2.32 GAA an .923 save percentage in 2019. The Coyotes also have the second-ranked penalty kill, and 16 of Pettersson's points have come with the extra man.
WING
Max Pacioretty, VGK vs. FLA ($16): Pacioretty has had an up-and-down season in his first year in the desert, but he's still got 20 goals on 153 shots in 51 games. He may not get back to his 30-goal self, but he's at least moving in the right direction, and the addition of Mark Stone adds more offensive punch around him. Just as importantly, the Panthers have a 3.77 GAA on the road, bottom five in the league.
Brady Tkachuk, OTT vs. EDM ($16): Who will step up for the rebuilding Senators? Could it be Tkachuk, who had the bona fides to be drafted fourth overall last summer. He also shown his potential, as he has 14 goals and 17 assists in 52 games. Now he gets to face a Oilers team that has a 3.35 GAA on the road, and that is on the second night of a back-to-back as well.
WINGS TO AVOID
Mitch Marner, TOR at NYI ($28): Marner is having a great season, but he's been held to only two goals in his last 14 games. It's going to be hard for him to break that slump here. The Islanders have a 2.32 GAA, which is lowest in the NHL. On top of that, Marner will be playing his second game in as many nights.
Mike Hoffman, FLA at VGK ($20): Hoffman has been a power-play force this season. A whopping 27 of his 55 points have come with the extra man. That's a problem in this matchup, though. The Golden Knights have the sixth-ranked penalty kill. Plus, as previously noted, Vegas has a 2.47 GAA at home.
DEFENSE
John Klingberg, DAL at LOS ($20): Though injury robbed Klingberg of a chunk of the season, he's still managed 30 points and 114 shots on net in 45 games. The Swede has also tallied 15 points with the extra man. February has been unkind to the Kings, as they have a 3.69 GAA this month. If that's not enough, they have the 30th-ranked penalty kill overall as well.
Zach Werenski, CLM vs. PHI ($15): Werenski has a point in each of his last three games, including two with the extra man. Considering the upgrades the Blue Jackets made at the trade deadline, his fantasy ceiling is on the rise now. The Flyers have a 3.33 GAA and the 28th-ranked penalty kill, and right now Carter Hart is out.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Morgan Rielly, TOR at NYI ($25): Rielly never really slowed down after his hot start, although his power-play numbers have dropped. He has only three points with the extra man in his last 87 games. This is about the matchup, though. The Islanders have a 2.23 GAA at home, best in the league.
Drew Doughty, LOS vs. DAL ($16): After finding his form briefly, Doughty has succumbed to the morass that is the Kings offense. He's got zero goals in his last 13 games, and zero points in his last four. This isn't a good matchup to turn things around in. The Stars have a 2.63 GAA, top five in the NHL.
