This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Saturday was an extremely busy day for the NHL. There were 14 games on the schedule. Sunday…is a little less busy. Maybe they were worried about Daylight Saving Time ending? There are only two games Sunday, so here are my recommendations for who to target, and to avoid, for your daily fantasy lineup.
GOALIE
Braden Holtby, WAS vs. CGY ($26): Holtby is off to a bad start to the season, but he's starting to play better with a .923 save percentage over his last six outings. The Flames are actually off to a slow start offensively, and are also on the road for the second game of a back-to-back. That's the real cherry on top here.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Cam Talbot, CGY at WAS ($24): This was a tricky one to pick. The two goalies likely to start at home, Holtby and Anaheim's John Gibson, I am really all in on. On the flip side, the goalies on the road feel like pretty obvious ones to avoid. However, I thought you might look at Talbot's 2.46 GAA and think maybe you can get cute. The Capitals have scored 3.93 goals per game. Don't get cute.
CENTER
Ryan Getzlaf, ANA vs. CHI ($18): Getzlaf is usually a playmaker, but this year he's decided to shoulder the goal scoring responsibilities. The veteran center has tallied seven goals in 15 games, including one in each of the last four straight contests. The Blackhawks, like the Flames, are on the road for the second game of a back-to-back. They've also given up 34.5 shots on goal per contest.
CENTER TO AVOID
Jonathan Toews, CHI at ANA ($23): Unlike Getzlaf, Toews is off to a slow start. He has only posted three points, and he just notched his first point in seven games. John Gibson has been facing a lot of shots but has also registered a .926 save percentage, so obviously he's up for it.
WING
Jakub Vrana, WAS vs. CGY ($17): Vrana has started 52.4 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, second highest on the Capitals. It's paid off recently, with a four-game point streak. As previously noted, the Flames are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back, and Cam Talbot has finished with a GAA over 3.00 in each of his last two seasons.
Troy Terry, ANA vs. CHI ($10): Terry has started 59.3 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, second most among Anaheim forwards. He's also getting some power-play time, averaging 1:58 with the extra man. That has perhaps helped the 22-year-old notch a point in each of his last three games. Terry will try and keep that streak going against a Chicago team on the road for the second game of a back-to-back.
WINGS TO AVOID
Patrick Kane, CHI at ANA ($33): Kane got off to a hot start to the season, but he's cooled down considerably with only two points - both assists - in his last six games. I probably don't need to keep saying the Blackhawks and Flames are both on the road for the second game of a back-to-back. But I will mention the Ducks come in with a 2.40 GAA.
Johnny Gaudreau, CGY at WAS ($27): A few Flames forwards having heated up recently. Gaudreau has been one of them, though it's mostly been assists. Johnny Hockey hasn't recorded a goal during his last 11 games. Washington maintains a top-10 penalty kill and, as noted earlier, Holtby enters with a .923 save percentage over his last six starts.
DEFENSE
Michal Kempny, WAS vs. CGY ($17): John Carlson is drawing all the attention, but Kempny is reaping the benefits of being Carlson's partner on Washington's top pairing. He's only played in seven games this season but has eight points. That's not sustainable, but facing Cam Talbot and the Flames on Sunday is the kind of matchup that could keep his hot start going.
Cam Fowler, ANA vs. CHI ($16): The Ducks are trying to make things easy for Fowler offensively, as he's started a team-high 63.0 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone while averaging 2:44 per game on the power play. It's likely Corey Crawford will start Sunday, and he's off to a rough start to the campaign with a 3.67 GAA and .888 save percentage.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Mark Giordano, CGY at WAS ($24): Honestly, Giordano is the only defenseman enjoying a good season playing Sunday that encounters a tough matchup. Anybody else I tell you to avoid is going to be a pretty obvious call. Giordano is pricey, and there's the whole consecutive games thing and so on and so forth. I mentioned Holtby has posted a .923 save percentage over his last six contests. To make that more impressive, four of those games were on the road.
Erik Gustafsson, CHI at ANA ($17): Last season, Gustafsson emerged as the top defensive on the Blackhawks with 17 goals and 43 assists. This year, he has only managed four points - all assists - and none in his last six games. Gustafsson has also only put 14 shots on net over 11 contests. Now he has to visit Anaheim on the second night of a back-to-back.
