This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Saturday's 11-game NHL slate begins at 7:00 PM Eastern time and offers plenty of selection. Despite the wide array of choices, certain players stand out as this evening's top value plays or guys to avoid.
GOALIE
Steve Mason, WPG at SJ ($27): Mason's Jets tenure got off to a turbulent start, but he's back on course with consecutive road wins in his past two starts. He allowed just one goal in each of those appearances, stopping 67 of 69 shots for a .971 save percentage. Look for more clear skies ahead against a Sharks team that's scoring the fourth fewest goals per game at just 2.45.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Braden Holtby, WAS at TOR ($36): Holtby will be tough to trust on the second night of a back-to-back for his club against one of the league's most dangerous offenses. While the talented netminder is capable of stealing games, there's simply too much risk involved in using him against a Maple Leafs team ranks fourth with 3.48 goals per game.
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CENTER
William Karlsson, VGK at ARI ($18): Karlsson enters this weekend on a torrid scoring pace, having racked up six goals and two assists in his past five games. The 24-year-old Swede has flipped the switch offensively, fitting in seamlessly in a top-six role with his new club. Expect his combination of usage and momentum to translate into further success against a Coyotes team that's allowing a league-high 3.67 goals per game.
CENTER TO AVOID
Sidney Crosby, PIT vs. TB ($32): Crosby lit the lamp for just the second time in 16 games Friday while raising his season rating to minus-12, but those small steps in the right direction aren't enough to justify using him at the gaudy price of $32. Further depressing his value is a nightmare matchup against a Lightning club that's allowing the fourth fewest goals per game (2.52) while scoring the most (3.90).
WING
Jason Pominville, BUF at MON ($12): Shortly after being moved back onto the top line alongside Evander Kane and Jack Eichel, Pominville responded with an assist and four shots in 17:32 of ice time Wednesday against Minnesota. That recent promotion makes Pominville an underrated asset at $12 against a Canadiens team that's allowing 3.43 goals per game this season. It doesn't hurt that he's already burned this opponent for two goals in one of their first two meetings this season.
Gabriel Landeskog, COL vs. CGY ($18): Colorado's captain has led by example recently, posting a marvellous two-way stat line with four goals, six points, a plus-7 rating and 20 shots in his past five games. The red-hot Landeskog has done most of his damage at even strength, but his role on the top power-play unit is a big part of what makes him a strong pick in this matchup. Calgary's only slightly worse than average defensively on the whole, but the Flames' penalty kill is operating at a league-worst 72.6 percent.
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WINGS TO AVOID
Patrik Laine, WPG at SJ ($26): Laine has been a goal-scoring machine, potting 11 in 22 games, including six on the power play. The rest of his game has been underwhelming for a $26 player, however, as the second-year sniper has a mere six assists this season and only 10 shots on goal in his past six games. Laine will find it difficult to light the lamp against a Sharks team that comes into the weekend allowing a league-low 2.20 goals per game while killing penalties at a league-best 89.7 percent rate.
Anthony Mantha, DET vs. NJ ($19): Mantha's been in a rut of late, failing to get on the scoresheet over his past three games heading into the weekend while posting a minus-2 rating. He's still seeing plenty of ice time, but the most expensive skater in an underwhelming Detroit offense simply doesn't have the supporting cast to justify that salary. Mantha's rating outlook also takes a hit in this one with backup Petr Mrazek scheduled to be in net for Detroit, as Mrazek's 3.10 GAA and .905 save percentage represent a major downgrade from Jimmy Howard's 2.50 and .923 marks.
DEFENSE
Duncan Keith, CHI at FLA ($17): Keith still hasn't scored on any of his 50 shots this season, but the veteran blueliner has found some offensive success nonetheless with 11 helpers in 21 games. Chicago's first-unit point man on the power play has only registered three of those assists with the extra man, but he brings strong offensive upside relative to his price, both on the power play and otherwise, against a Panthers team that's allowing 3.43 goals per game while killing off penalties at the league's second lowest rate of 73.2 percent.
Mikhail Sergachev, TB at PIT ($17): Sergachev's built for high-scoring games with plenty of open ice, and this matchup with a Penguins team that's allowing 3.43 goals per game figures to be just that. The 19-year-old Russian's five goals and 14 points in 21 games would make plenty of forwards jealous, and any defensive growing pains are overshadowed by his ability to keep possession, which is why Sergachev owns a strong plus-8 rating. In terms of offensive upside relative to price on the blue line, Sergachev's as good as it gets given his opposition.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Dustin Byfuglien, WPG at SJ ($21): Byfuglien's point drought grew to seven games Friday, as the offensive-minded blueliner continues to underwhelm in his area of expertise. Six of Byfuglien's 10 points this season have come with the extra man, making San Jose a nightmare matchup given the team's aforementioned penalty-killing success.
Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF at MON ($19): Ristolainen returned from a three-week absence due to a lower-body injury Friday, but he should still be left out of daily lineups for now. The hulking Finn was averaging a disappointing 4.6 fantasy points per game before going down and the team around him hasn't improved much if at all while Ristolainen was sidelined. Throw in uncertainty about how his body will respond in the second leg of a back-to-back, and the risk becomes too great given the minimal returns we've seen from him up to this point.
