This article is part of our FantasyDraft NHL series.
Saturday is a big day for college football, but not everybody is preoccupied with that. There are also 10 games on the daily fantasy hockey slate. That means a lot of players to choose from, and this article will help make your decisions easier for you.
GOALIE
Montreal Canadiens, MON vs. DET ($15,900): Since returning from injury, Carey Price has a 1.25 GAA and a .962 save percentage. That's helped the Canadiens win four games in a row, while the Red Wings have lost six consecutive. Detroit has also only scored 2.73 goals per game, so Price might not be tested too much.
CENTER
Jack Eichel, BUF at PIT ($14,200): The Penguins and Sabres are playing the second game of a home-and-home Saturday. Since Tristan Jarry played Friday, and since Matt Murray is hurt, Casey DeSmith likely will be in net for Pittsburgh. Eichel has 19 points in 26 games and plays a ton of minutes on the power play. That bodes well, as the Penguins have had one of the worst penalty kills in the league.
Kyle Turris, NAS vs. ANA ($10,400): Since joining the Predators, Turris has seven points in 10 games, including five on the power play. The Ducks, meanwhile, have allowed the most shots per game in the league, and they are on the second night of a back-to-back on the road. Anaheim's backup netminder Ryan Miller is off to a good start, but he's only played in six games, and in his last one he allowed three goals on 13 shots.
WING
Johnny Gaudreau, CGY vs. EDM ($15,000): Gaudreau is on the pricier side, but he's well worth it in this matchup. The Oilers have a 3.31 GAA, and now Cam Talbot is hurt. That leaves Laurent Brossoit (3.60 GAA, .876 save percentage) as their top netminder. Gadreau already has 11 goals and 23 assists through 34 games, including 13 power-play points. On top of anything else, the Oilers have the league's worst penalty kill.
Jeff Skinner, CAR vs. FLA ($12,400): Skinner has started a whopping 70.0 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, the most of any Hurricane. He's also already put 87 shots on net in 24 games, and the Panthers allowed 35.5 shots on goal per contest before their game Friday night against San Jose. Roberto Luongo got that start, which likely means James Reimer (3.73 GAA, .889 save percentage) in net for this one.
Jake Guentzel, PIT vs. BUF ($11,100): Guentzel has picked it up recently, as he has six goals and seven points in his last five games. He's also put 18 shots on net in those games. The Sabres have a 3.85 GAA on the road, and this will also be their second game in as many nights, which should also help Guentzel.
DEFENSEMEN
John Klingberg, DAL vs. CHI ($11,600): Despite giving up 34.0 shots per game, the Blackhawks have done well defensively thanks to great goaltending from Corey Crawford. However, Crawford is now on injured reserve, leaving Anton Forsberg (3.67 GAA, .904 save percentage) as Chicago's de facto No. 1 goalie. Klingberg already has 22 points in 25 games, including eight on the power play. The Blackhawks have a good penalty kill, but that may not continue to be the case without Crawford tending the goal.
Alexander Edler, VAN vs. TOR ($8,500): Since returning from injury, Edler has averaged 11.14 fantasy points per game. In his last eight games, he has four points and 21 shots. The Maple Leafs have a 3.00 GAA, but they've also given up 33.7 shots per game. That should allow Edler and the Canucks to put a lot of pressure on Toronto's netminder.
