This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
We've had quite a few games postponed due to COVID-19 in this NHL season, but recently the weather has been the culprit. The Stars have had their third game in a row put on the back burner due to the weather down in Texas. However, there are still nine NHL games Thursday, leaving plenty of options for your daily fantasy lineup. Here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your roster.
GOALIE
Cal Petersen, LOS at ARI ($29): It seems like the Jonathan Quick era is over in Los Angeles. Petersen has gotten the bulk of the starts this season and has posted a 2.49 GAA and .926 save percentage. The Coyotes have scored 2.60 goals per game, which isn't bad, but they've only managed a mere 27.7 shots on net per contest. It's hard to score when you are shooting that infrequently.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Igor Shesterkin, NYR at PHI ($30): The Rangers felt like they could allow Henrik Lundqvist to leave because of the presence of Shesterkin, and so far that has panned out. He's posted a .918 save percentage as the primarily goalie for the Broadway Blueshirts. The Flyers have COVID-19 issues, but they've also scored 3.54 goals per game, so if this contest happens I'm concerned for Shesterkin's upside.
CENTER
Ryan O'Reilly, STL vs. SAN ($22): O'Reilly has been a consistent contributor this year, as he has at least one point in 10 of his last 12 games. He also has three power-play points and has averaged 2:50 per game with the extra man. The Sharks had one of the best penalty kills last year, but they are in the bottom half of the league this year, and they also have a 3.57 GAA.
CENTER TO AVOID
Evgeni Malkin, PIT vs. NYI ($23): Are we seeing the beginning of the downside of Malkin's career? He may be a future Hall of Famer but the 34-year-old has only seven points in 14 games. Maybe he will turn it around. On the other hand, Thursday he faces an Islanders team with a 2.20 GAA and which has only allowed 27.4 shots on net per contest.
WING
Cam Atkinson, CLM vs. NAS ($20): Atkinson had a rough campaign last year, but he's looked more like the guy who scored 41 goals two seasons ago recently. The winger has nine points and 21 shots on goal over his last six games. He's also averaged 2:31 per game with the extra man, and the Predators have the 30th-ranked penalty kill.
Alex Kerfoot, TOR vs. OTT ($14): What's better than facing the team with the highest GAA in the NHL? Facing them at home for the second time in as many nights. The Leafs get another shot at the Sens, and that offers a good chance to save some salary. Kerfoot is listed as a wing on Yahoo, though he's playing third-line center for the Leafs. He also has four points in his last five contests.
WINGS TO AVOID
Kirill Kaprizov, MIN at ANA ($17): Kaprizov has nine points through 12 games, but he's also played 4:19 per game with the extra man, and that's likely to drop a bit unless Minnesota's opponents keep taking an inordinate number of penalties. Anaheim's offense has been lackluster, but John Gibson is buoying the team with a 2.33 GAA and .921 save percentage.
Kyle Palmieri, NJD at BOS ($17): Palmieri is back from the COVID-19 list, but he has also yet to score a goal in nine games. I'm not sure this will be the matchup where he gets on the scoresheet. The Bruins rank second both in GAA and penalty-kill percentage, and that's what is to be expected based on how Tuukka Rask and company have looked in recent campaigns.
DEFENSE
Seth Jones, CLM vs. NAS ($18): Finally, Jones is looking more like himself. While he has eight points on the season, seven of them have come in his last seven outings. His 2.6 percent shooting is also likely to improve. Meanwhile, the Predators have a 3.47 GAA. Time for Jones to get one over on his former team!
Rasmus Dahlin, BUF at WAS ($12): Dahlin already has two 40-point seasons to his name at the age of 20, and he's still got room to grow. This year he's started 60.5 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, highest among Buffalo defensemen, and he's averaged 3:54 per game with the extra man as well. As for the Capitals, they have a 3.57 GAA, in part because they've allowed 32.0 shots on net per game.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Kris Letang, PIT vs. NYI ($20): While Letang has played better than his teammate Malkin, the defenseman doesn't have a goal yet this season. Will he light the lamp eventually? Assuredly yes, but I'm not betting on it happening against the Islanders. After all, Semyon Varlamov has a 1.89 GAA and .931 save percentage, and his defense keeps him from being too busy as well (27.4 shots on net per game).
Drew Doughty, LOS at ARI ($19): Putting Doughty in your lineup has typically paid off this season, but his 17.4 percent shooting is bound to regress towards the mean. It might happen against the Coyotes on the road Thursday. Darcy Kuemper had a couple bad road starts against Vegas to start the season – totally forgivable – but since then he has an 1.79 GAA and .934 save percentage over nine starts.
