This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
A busy holiday weekend packed to the brim with NHL action continues on Saturday. There are nine games taking place, featuring a litany of intriguing fantasy options. Here is our best effort to help you sift through all the information at hand in hopes of helping you construct a strong daily fantasy lineup.
GOALIE
Calvin Pickard, COL vs. VAN ($7,700): Pickard is being given the start Saturday, and he lucked into a particularly good matchup. The Canucks aren't as staggeringly bad offensively as they were when the year began, but they are still in the bottom five in the league in goal scoring. While Pickard's playing time has been limited, he's posted a .931 save percentage this season and he had a .922 save percentage last season. Colorado has had their own issues, but this is still an opportunity to pick up a win for a relatively cheap price.
CENTER
Kyle Turris, OTT vs. CAR ($5,500): Turris has notched nine goals, albeit on an elevated shooting percentage, but he's taken 41 shots on goal so he has at least been pretty busy. Cam Ward has seen an uptick in his level of play recently and has a .918 save percentage, but he's still the same guy who hasn't posted a mark above .910 over a full season since 2011-12. It feels like a favorable matchup for Turris, who is modestly priced and has been productive when healthy in his career.
Mikko Koivu, MIN at STL ($4,400): Koivu picked up an assist Friday, which gives him nine points, and three power-play points, in total. While he hasn't been prolific, he is playing more than 20 minutes a night, and more than 2:30 on the power play. He's also blocking over a shot per game, which is an added bonus for a forward. St. Louis' Jake Allen has played better recently, but only has a .914 save percentage. There aren't a lot of really outstanding matchups for centers Saturday, but Koivu has the chance to produce on the cheap if you are looking to save money to spend elsewhere.
WING
Matt Duchene, COL vs. VAN ($6,100): The Canucks played last night, with Ryan Miller in net, which means Jacob Markstrom and his .897 save percentage might get the nod Saturday. Duchene has missed a little time, but in 15 games he's notched seven goals and 36 shots on net. Having a player of his caliber going up against a struggling Vancouver team is definitely enticing.
Marcus Johansson, WAS at TOR ($5,300): Johansson has cooled down a bit after a hot start, though he did light the lamp for the eighth time Friday. More importantly, the Maple Leafs have allowed 3.3 goals per game, one of the NHL's worst averages. You don't need a player to be hot in order to trust them in a matchup like this.
Charlie Coyle, MIN at STL ($5,200): Coyle tallied two goals Friday, giving him seven on the season. He scored 21 goals last year, and he's taken 48 shots on goal in 20 games, which is the most shots per game of his career. You can't expect Coyle to score twice again, but it's a palatable price to pay for a player having a good start to the season.
DEFENSE
Matt Niskanen, WAS at TOR ($4,700): Niskanen hasn't scored a goal yet, but with 37 shots on goal one is bound to trickle in eventually. Besides, he does have nine assists, and he's playing almost 23 minutes a night. You combine all that with a matchup against Toronto, and it's looking like a nice night to select Niskanen.
Jake Muzzin, LOS vs. CHI ($4,600): Muzzin has had a forgettable season so far, but three of his five points have come in his last three games. Additionally, he's taken 51 shots and he's averaging 22:41 a night, so it's not like he hasn't been active. Muzzin gets to face Chicago on the second night of a back-to-back, and he gets to go up against their league-worst penalty kill. Yes, Muzzin only has one power-play point so far, but he's played 2:25 a night with the extra man and he had 13 power-play points last season. Plus, a matchup with Chicago should bring a few blocked shots his way.
