This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The NHL fires up 12 games this Saturday, and 10 of them will be in the evening. This article focuses on the evening slate that features six divisional contests. Plenty of rivalries are on tap, so read on for tips and tricks in setting your DFS lineup.
GOALIE
Tristan Jarry, PIT at FLA ($28): Jarry has had little trouble on the road this year with a .919 save percentage, and he made 35 saves in a matchup against the Panthers last month. Florida is struggling now too, as the team has scored just two goals on 57 shots over its last two games.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Matiss Kivlenieks, CLS vs. COL ($29): Kivlenieks has shown promise in the NHL, but he's taken down the Rangers and Sabres. The Avalanche are a different beast. They're 5-1-0 over the last six games and have averaged 4.7 goals per game in that span.
CENTER
Paul Stastny, VGK vs. CAR ($17): Stastny has been bumped to the top line and has capitalized with authority lately, generating nine points (four goals, five assists) across the last seven contests. The Hurricanes can't seem to hold up defensively either, as they've let in 15 goals over four games.
CENTER TO AVOID
Kevin Hayes, PHI at WAS ($18): Hayes has picked up the pace lately and is bolstered on the second line, but it'll be quite tough to keep the motor roaring against the Capitals. Ilya Samsonov has a .933 save percentage and 2.07 GAA in the new year.
WING
Steven Stamkos, TB vs. NYI ($29): A normally strong defensive squad, the Islanders have struggled in that area lately and are in major danger against the Lightning. Stamkos and his cohorts have been rolling, and he's on a nine-game point streak during which he's racked up 14 points (eight goals, six assists) and a plus-13 rating.
J.T. Miller, VAN vs. CGY ($22): The Flames have a collective 4.33 GAA over the last six contests, and this will be a tough road contest. Miller has been far from short on production, as he's posted a point in seven of eight games, totaling 10 points (five goals, five assists).
WINGS TO AVOID
Claude Giroux, PHI at WAS ($20): Giroux is mired in a four-game pointless streak with a minus-2 rating, and he's failed to surpass two shots on net in each of those contests. That's not an appealing floor, and Washington's stout defense will look to shut him down again.
Frank Vatrano, FLA vs. PIT ($17): Vatrano has gone four straight games without a point, and he's accrued a minus-3 rating over that stretch. He averaged less than 15:00 of even-strength ice time in that span, and it'll be tough to beat Jarry with limited opportunities.
DEFENSE
Jaccob Slavin, CAR at VGK ($17): Slavin is the Hurricanes' top blueliner with Dougie Hamilton on the mend, and he's answered the bell with points in five straight games. He shoots and blocks a ton of shots, and he'll vie to leverage his power-play minutes against a Golden Knights' penalty kill that has ranked 25th over the last month with 9.1 GA/60, per Natural Stat Trick.
Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. CGY ($17): One of two rookie defensemen with 40 points already, Hughes has been red hot since the All-Star break with six points in as many games. He's stacked up 19 points on the power play this year, and he'll get a crack against division rival Calgary's putrid penalty kill, which has coughed up 10.62 G/60 over the last month -- 29th in the league.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Oscar Klefbom, EDM vs. NSH ($21): Klefbom has failed to mark the scoresheet in five of the last six games, and although his blocks and shots give him a solid floor, he's finished minus-2 in two straight. It'll be a difficult task to reach his ceiling too, with the Predators' crease rounding into form.
Ivan Provorov, PHI at WAS ($17): Provorov looks like he'll finish with a career high in points this year, but he's gathered half of those on the power play. Samsonov's play speaks for itself, but the Caps have locked down the penalty kill in 2020, yielding 3.04 G/60 -- the third-best rate in the league.
