This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Saturday's all-day NHL slate is a busy one, with 13 games on the schedule starting at 2:00 PM Eastern time. Even with the large available selection, there are certain players that stand out as options to target or avoid regardless of contest format. Read on to find out which ones those are.
GOALIE
Henrik Lundqvist, NYR at FLA ($26): Lundqvist has always been a slow starter, but he's begun to round into form with wins in consecutive starts against two of the league's best teams in Vegas and Tampa Bay. Tacking another victory onto that streak shouldn't be difficult against a Panthers team that's allowed 4.17 goals per game en route to a 4-7-1 start. At $26, Lundqvist makes for the perfect complement to a more expensive option in your two goalie slots, and the King won't be this cheap much longer given the recent improvements from both him and his team.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Anders Nilsson, VAN vs. PIT ($34): Don't try to get cute here. Nilsson's played pretty well in four appearances when called upon over Jacob Markstrom, but the downside is astronomical against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs. While Nilsson could be worth the gamble at a lower price, Pittsburgh's small-sample offensive struggles are overshadowed by all the big-name offensive contributors on the roster capable of breaking any game open.
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CENTER
Elias Lindholm, CAR at ARI ($15): Lindholm continues to fly under the radar despite a terrific two-way start during which he's posted three goals, four assists and a plus-3 rating while averaging 19:32 of ice time per contest through 11 games. The 2013 fifth overall pick is Carolina's most well-rounded forward and brings plenty of momentum into this meeting with the Coyotes after scoring on one of his season-high seven shots Thursday in Colorado. Arizona's allowing a league-high 4.36 goals per game, so the offensive opportunities will be there.
CENTER TO AVOID
Jack Eichel, BUF at DAL ($30): Eichel's average of 6.8 fantasy points per game is lowest among centers priced at $24 or higher and second lowest among centers valued at $20 or above. Given the quality alternatives available in his price range, it doesn't make sense to use Eichel against a Stars team that boasts the league's third stingiest penalty kill at 86.7 percent.
WING
Chris Kreider, NYR at FLA ($18): Like his teammate Lundqvist, Kreider's upped his game of late following a slow start. Gifted with one of the league's deadliest combinations of size and speed, the 6-foot-3, 224-pound power forward has crashed the net effectively, producing all four of his goals in the past six games while firing 23 shots over that span. Expect another strong performance given Florida's aforementioned defensive struggles.
Adrian Kempe, LA vs. NSH ($16): Kempe got off to a slow start with no points and a minus-2 rating while failing to break 11 minutes of ice time in his first five games. In eight appearances since, the 2014 first rounder has six goals, 10 points and a plus-11 rating with over 15 minutes in three of those contests. There's still room for his role to grow, but Kempe's already a strong value at $16 given his recent form, especially against a slow-starting Predators team playing the second leg of a West coast back-to-back.
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WINGS TO AVOID
Corey Perry, ANH at SJ ($20): Perry morphed into a high-teens goal scorer last season after consistently topping 30 beforehand, and the 32-year-old forward has kept up that diminished pace in the early going this year. With elite setup man Ryan Getzlaf (face) sitting this one out, Perry will struggle to live up to his lofty valuation on the second night of a back-to-back. It doesn't help that San Jose's penalty kill has been second best in the league at a tremendous 89.4 percent rate.
Artemi Panarin, CLS at TB ($23): Columbus will be relying even more heavily on Panarin for scoring if Cam Atkinson (lower body) is out for a third consecutive game, but getting on the scoresheet will be tough for the Russian either way. His countryman Andrei Vasilevskiy has held seven of his last eight opponents to two or fewer goals while starting in net for Tampa Bay, and Panarin also carries rating downside against a Lightning team that's averaging a league-best 3.86 goals per game.
DEFENSE
Erik Karlsson, OTT vs. VGK ($30): Karlsson's elite offensive upside makes him worth his lofty price in this matchup. He's already racked up 12 points in eight games and should find further success against a Golden Knights team that's missing its top three goalies due to injuries. Fourth stringer Maxime Lagace has a 4.58 GAA and .855 save percentage, so the sky's the limit for Ottawa's best offensive player.
Cody Franson, CHI at MIN ($12): Franson has been effective when called upon, averaging 8.3 fantasy points per game in four appearances. The two-time 30-point scorer has been slotted into the lineup in consecutive games and would make an effective low-cost play if he suits up against the Wild. Minnesota netminder Devan Dubnyk has allowed opponents to find plenty of fantasy success with a 3.03 GAA and .905 save percentage in the early going after a dreadful closing stretch last season.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Brent Burns, SJ vs. ANH ($32): Burns has been underwhelming at even strength, as four of his seven assists have come with the extra man, and he still hasn't lit the lamp while posting a minus-8 rating. This slate's most expensive blueliner will also have trouble producing on the power play against a Ducks team that's killed off penalties at an 84.9 percent rate.
Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF at DAL ($20): Ristolainen's average of 4.6 fantasy points per game is worst among defensemen priced at $16 or more. He's picked up 48 of his 91 points since the start of the 2015-16 campaign on the power play, so Ristolainen's average is unlikely to rise here given Dallas' aforementioned penalty killing success.
