This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
GOALIE
Jake Oettinger, DAL at BUF ($26): Oettinger looks like a no-brainer in this situation against the Sabres, and it's tough to make an argument that he's not the top option on this slate. He posted a .911 save percentage and a 2.36 GAA last season. While his numbers have slid a bit this year, the matchup against Buffalo's 26th-ranked offense (2.54 goals per game) is difficult to pass up.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Linus Ullmark, BOS vs. WAS ($32): Ullmark has been simply mediocre at home this season, registering a .903 save percentage and a 2.67 GAA in his own barn. He'll typically receive plenty of offensive support, but this has the making of a high-scoring game. The Capitals rank 10th in the league with 3.28 goals per game.
CENTER
Chandler Stephenson, VGK vs. MON ($19): Stephenson is on pace for a career year, recording 11 goals and 26 assists through 39 games while posting seven power-play points. He's playing nearly 20 minutes per night, and his work on the power play raises his ceiling against the Canadiens' 28th-ranked PK (74.6 percent).
CENTER TO AVOID
Josh Norris, OTT at PIT ($20): Norris is red hot with six goals and an assist over the last eight games. However, three of those goals have come with the man advantage, and the Penguins' suffocating PK, which ranks second in the league at 89.5 percent, will lower Norris' ceiling.
WING
Bryan Rust, PIT vs. OTT ($25): We're back to banging the "Bryan Rust is Underrated" drum. The 28-year-old posted 49 goals through 111 games over the last two seasons, and he's accrued nine goals and 20 points through 16 games this season. The Senators have shown some occasional life this season, but they still have allowed 3.59 goals per game.
Tomas Hertl, SJ at SEA ($20): Timo Meier is drawing a lot of attention these days, but Hertl has been excellent too. The 28-year-old has recorded 20 goals on 115 shots (17.4 percent) and 15 assists through 40 games. He scored on 17 percent of his shots last year, so this is certainly sustainable, and the Kraken have allowed 3.62 points per game – the fourth-highest rate in the league.
WINGS TO AVOID
Craig Smith, BOS vs. WAS ($18): Smith has been solid this season with 13 points through 29 games, including six points and 31 shots on net over the last 10 games. His shooting volume provides a solid floor, but his usage is still suspect. The 32-year-old is handling just 14:34 of ice time per game despite getting power-play shifts.
Tyler Toffoli, MON at VGK ($18): Toffoli has put up six goals and 13 assists through 27 games, scoring on just 9.0 percent of his shots so far. After scoring above a 15.8 percent clip over the last two seasons, Toffoli has regressed to the average that he registered over the previous three seasons. Being on the road against a stout Vegas defense will make it difficult to turn things around.
DEFENSE
Alex Pietrangelo, VGK vs. MON ($22): Pietrangelo started the year slowly, but he got back up to speed quickly with 25 points, nine with the power play, through 29 games while recording 79 shots on net and 60 blocked shots. The Canadiens' PK (74.6 percent) ranks 28th in the league, and they're last in the league overall with a 3.66 GAA.
Miro Heiskanen, DAL at BUF ($15): It's a head-scratcher why Heiskanen is listed with this low a salary, as he has recorded 22 points, eight with the man advantage, through 35 games. He has an intriguing floor with 84 shots on net and 48 blocked shots, and a struggling Buffalo defense provides a significant ceiling.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Thomas Chabot, OTT at PIT ($19): Chabot has been up and down this season, posting 19 points, eight with the man advantage, and 88 shots on net through 32 games. The matchup against Tristan Jarry and the Penguins means his ceiling will be low, and the Senators' suspect goaltending is a serious issue for Chabot, who has finished with a negative plus-minus in four of the last nine contests.
Neal Pionk, WPG at NSH ($18): Pionk has gone quiet recently, posting just one point over the last eight games. He typically leans heavily on the power play for his production, but Nashville's PK (81.0 percent) has been stout, and Juuse Saros has recorded an excellent 2.06 GAA at home this year.
