This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
There are six games on the NHL schedule Sunday. At Yahoo, it's always worth scrolling all the way through the player pool because some solid players can be found at, or near, minimum price. With that said, here are some targets, fades and values to consider when assembling your lineups.
GOALIE
John Gibson, ANA vs. CGY ($32): There have been some hiccups, but Gibson owns a 5-3-1 record with a .925 save percentage and a 2.16 GAA over his past nine starts. Calgary enters with an average of 2.62 goals per game this year, and the Flames are playing their fourth road game in six nights, with Sunday's game being the second leg of a road back-to-back for Calgary after they lost to the Kings 5-0 on Saturday. This salary isn't steep enough to fade Gibson.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Semyon Varlamov, COL at STL ($27): With an .891 save percentage and 3.30 GAA through seven starts and a road date with the Blues, there isn't a lot to be excited about with Varlamov. The St. Louis offense is in need of a slump-busting matchup (2.17 goals per game), and the Blues have averaged the seventh-most scoring chances per game (21.62) at five-on-five. St. Louis also has a fourth-worst 0.971 PDO at five-on-five, which suggests positive regression is coming.
CENTER
Rickard Rakell, ANA vs. CGY ($17): The Flames allowed the second-most road goals per game in the league last season and, as noted, Calgary is in the final leg of a four-game road trip and coming off a 5-0 drubbing from the Kings on Saturday. Rakell has exploded out of the gate with six points and three goals through his first three games, with an average TOI of 18:12 and 2:52 of power-play time. Perhaps most encouraging are Rakell's 11 shots over the past two games.
CENTER TO AVOID
Nathan MacKinnon, COL at STL ($25): St. Louis is currently a middle-of-the-pack team in a number of per-game statistics of note: goals (15th-ranked 2.67), scoring chances allowed per 60 minutes (10th-ranked 19.62) and five-on-five save percentage (18th-ranked .912). However, the Blues are likely underachieving given their 54.2 CorsiFor percentage. It all adds up to a difficult road matchup for MacKinnon and, at the salary, you have safer options.
WING
Mats Zuccarello, NYR vs. WPG ($20): Dating back to the 2014-15 season, Zuccarello owns a 22nd-ranked 2.07 points per 60 minutes among skaters with at least 2,000 minutes. It's an impressive mark, and Zuccarello is already up to eight points through 12 games to start the year with an average of 18:45 per night (2:58 on the power play). It also doesn't hurt that New York is the highest-scoring team in the league, and Winnipeg is allowing 3.0 goals per game and 30.96 scoring chances per 60 minutes this season.
Tomas Tatar, DET vs. EDM ($15): The Oilers are playing their third road game in four nights and have allowed 11 goals through the first three outings. Tatar has three helpers and 15 shots with an average of 19:23 per night (3:26 on the power play). Entering the season, Tatar owned a career 12.9 shooting percentage, so his current 2.9 mark has positive regression ahead.
WINGERS TO AVOID
Taylor Hall, NJD at CAR ($25): Carolina has allowed the second-fewest scoring chances per game (18.06) and owns the fifth-best CorsiFor percentage (53.08). Fading Hall is risky because of his high-shot volume and strong offensive start, but this should be a low-event game, and Hall's salary is hefty.
Marian Hossa, CHI vs. DAL ($21): While the veteran has excelled to start the season (nine points through 11 games), Hossa is also spending the majority of his time checking the opposing team's best player. In Saturday's game against Dallas, Hossa spent 48 percent of his even-strength ice time against Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. This isn't the ideal spot to spend up for Hossa.
DEFENSE
Colton Parayko, STL vs. COL ($16): With 20 shots through his past six games and an average of 22:00 of ice time (2:13 on the power play), Parayko presents nice value in a home matchup against Colorado. As noted, the Blues' offense has some positive regression ahead, and Avalanche goalie Varlamov has been underwhelming.
Noah Hanifin, CAR vs. NJD ($12): At minimum price, Hanifin is a potential flier to create cap space to spend up for more reliable contributors. The teenager has been extremely efficient this year with 3.56 points per 60 minutes, which paces all defensemen with at least 100 minutes. While this is likely to be a low-event game, Hanifin is averaging 2:01 of power-play time per game and doesn't need to do much to return a profit on his salary.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Dustin Byfuglien, WPG at NYR ($23): Logging big minutes against the league's highest-scoring team doesn't check out as a friendly fantasy matchup for Byfuglien. Additionally, Henrik Lundqvist (career .920 save percentage) will man the crease for the Rangers. Any gains Byfuglien grabs with his high-shot volume or points are at risk of being bled back through a minus rating. At the salary, Byfuglien is incredibly risky.
Erik Johnson, COL at STL ($20): This is a hefty toll given Johnson's shut-down role. He'll likely spend most of the night matched up with Vladimir Tarasenko's line, which shouldn't allow many offensive opportunities. Instead, Johnson carries risk to post a minus rating, as Tarasenko owns a 65.8 GoalsFor percentage dating back to the 2014-15 season.
