This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
We head into the weekend with seven games on the NHL slate. That's a pretty sizable set, albeit not as hefty as Thursday or Saturday. Let's sort through the possibilities to find some players to target and avoid.
GOALIE
Cam Ward, CAR vs. BUF ($32): The Sabres will be playing on the second of back-to-back nights, and because of an injury to Robin Lehner, third-string goalie Linus Ullmark may be in net. Ward has a 2.31 GAA, while the Sabres are only scoring 2.30 goals per game. The Hurricanes are also 13-4-1 at home, giving Ward's chances of picking up a win a little boost.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Frederik Andersen, TOR at NYR ($35): After a long period of strong play in net, Andersen has a 4.24 GAA and .868 save percentage in his last four starts. The Rangers are second in the league with 3.43 goals per game, and the Leafs have given up 32.6 shots on goal per contest. Despite the tough matchup, Andersen is the second-most-expensive goalie, which seems like a bit much.
CENTER
Mikael Backlund, CGY vs. NJD ($15): It was only a couple weeks ago that Backlund put together a six-game point streak wherein he notched 11 total points. After a couple of pointless games, he then picked up two more points in his last outing. The Devils, who will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back, are giving up 2.90 goals and 31.3 shots on goal per game. Backlund is pretty cheap for a player who's been this hot, making him look like a great value.
CENTER TO AVOID
Jonathan Toews, CHI at WAS ($20): Washington's Braden Holtby has a 1.90 GAA and .932 save percentage, and the Capitals feature the league's stingiest defense in terms of goals allowed. Toews is only averaging 6.0 fantasy points per game, and seven of his 21 points have come on the power play. The Caps have the third-ranked penalty kill, so Toews won't find easy passage there.
WING
Nick Foligno, CLM at TAM ($24): The Lightning are another team playing on the second night of a back-to-back, and they currently rank 25th in goals allowed and 22nd in penalty-kill percentage. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets have a stellar power play, and that includes Foligno. He's got a whopping 16 points with the extra man. While Foligno is pricey, he's well worth it in this matchup.
Sebastian Aho, CAR vs. BUF ($16): Aho has been overshadowed by some of his fellow rookies, but he has 23 points, including six in his last eight games. The Sabres are ceding 33 shots on goal per contest, and they're dead last in penalty-kill percentage. Aho only has four power-play points, but with a matchup this good, perhaps he can add to that total.
WINGS TO AVOID
Artemi Panarin, CHI at WAS ($29): Panarin has been excellent, but this is obviously an exceedingly tough matchup. As previously mentioned, the Capitals lead the league in goal prevention, and they have a great penalty kill. Panarin has notched 14 of his points with the extra man, so being able to produce on the power play has been important to his fantasy value. While his 8.3 fantasy points per game are impressive, you won't find a healthy player averaging fewer points until you get down to Taylor Hall, who will only cost you $25 and has a better matchup (against Calgary). If you want a high-priced player, there are better options available, and there are also several value plays with much more favorable matchups.
Jonathan Drouin, TAM vs. CLM ($19): Sergei Bobrovsky is expected back in net for the Blue Jackets, which is a concern for Drouin – after all, Bobrovsky has a 2.00 GAA and .931 save percentage, and the Jackets are third in goals allowed. Drouin will also be playing on the second night of a back-to-back; with 14 teams in action Friday, you can find players who are more likely to deliver bang for your buck.
DEFENSEMEN
Jacob Trouba, WPG at ARI ($16): After a slow start following his holdout, Trouba has seven points and 24 shots on goal in his last eight games. Overall, he's taken 63 shots on goal and blocked 59 in 29 games. The Coyotes have allowed a league-worst 34 shots on goal per contest, so Trouba should have plentiful opportunities to continue putting pucks on net. Considering Arizona also allows 3.18 goals per game, perhaps one of them will even go in.
Keith Yandle, FLA vs. NYI ($15): The Islanders give up a whopping 33 shots on goal per game, tied for 28th in the NHL, and they also rank 21st on the penalty kill. Yandle has put 101 shots on goal in 43 games, and he also has nine power-play points. He's playing 3:21 per game with the extra man, putting him in good position to take advantage of New York's mediocre penalty kill.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF at CAR ($20): Sixteen of Ristolainen's 27 points have come with the extra man. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, sit atop the league in penalty-kill percentage. Carolina also only gives up 27.2 shots on goal per game as well. Throw in Buffalo playing its second game in as many nights, and there are too many questions about Ristolainen to justify paying the price.
Brent Seabrook, CHI at WAS ($18): Seabrook hasn't notched a point in his last six games, which is part of why he's only averaging 5.2 fantasy points per game now. Given Holtby's 1.90 GAA and Washington's third-ranked penalty kill, this doesn't seem like the game in which Seabrook is going to turn it around. On top of everything else, Seabrook's shots are down, as he's only tallied 63 in 42 games.
