This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Saturday's nine-game NHL slate begins at 1:00 PM Eastern time, so make sure to set your lineups bright and early. Below you'll find which players to target and which to avoid.
GOALIE
Mike Smith, CGY vs. ANH ($29): Smith's been hot lately, holding each of his past 10 opponents to three or fewer goals while posting an excellent .934 save percentage with three wins in his last five starts. The affordable veteran should continue to keep the good times rolling at home against a visiting Anaheim club that's scoring the ninth fewest goals per game (2.69).
GOALIE TO AVOID
Cam Talbot, EDM at DAL ($30): Talbot was sharp in Thursday's 2-1 shootout victory over the Ducks, but surrendered a combined 18 goals while failing to notch a win over his previous four starts. A reversion back to that struggling form is likely against a Stars team that's 15-5-1 at home.
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CENTER
Mika Zibanejad, NYR at ARI ($19): Zibanejad took a few games to get his rhythm back after missing some time with a concussion, but he looked back in form Wednesday against the Blackhawks with five shots and a power-play goal. New York's power play revolves around setting him up for one-timers, which is why he leads the team with six extra-man tallies and ranks second overall with 12 goals despite playing in just 31 games. A Coyotes team that's allowing 3.50 goals per game – second most in the league – will have a hard time containing the talented sniper.
CENTER TO AVOID
Anze Kopitar, LA vs. NSH ($24): Kopitar's having a fantastic all-around season as usual, but he's hit a snag of late with an average of just 4.6 fantasy points per game over his past 10. That's not a trend owners want to see ahead of a matchup with a defensively sound Nashville club that's allowing just 2.65 goals per game – sixth fewest in the NHL.
WING
Sebastian Aho, CAR at BOS ($19): The 20-year-old Aho has really come into his own over the past six games, with an astounding six goals and four assists in that stretch. His average of 7.1 fantasy points per game is already tops among Carolina wingers and it should only keep climbing. Don't count on anybody stopping him right now.
Ondrej Palat, TB at OTT ($17): Palat's one of many secondary scorers having strong campaigns for the Lightning, as he's contributed seven goals, 18 assists and a plus-15 rating. He's been even better over the past five games, with four points in just a shade under 19 minutes of ice time per game. All the extra opportunities that come with his recent bump in playing time should be magnified further by a plus matchup against a sinking Senators team that's allowed the fourth most goals per game (3.29).
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WINGS TO AVOID
Mikko Rantanen, COL vs. MIN ($18): Rantanen leads the Avalanche with seven power-play goals and ranks second on the team with 15 points in such situations. Unfortunately, those totals are unlikely to rise against a Wild penalty kill that ranks fourth at 84.3 percent. It doesn't help that Minnesota netminder Devan Dubnyk has been on fire of late.
Brock Boeser, VAN at TOR ($22): Boeser's come back down to earth a bit with a combined 2.3 fantasy points in his last two games. A Maple Leafs team that ranks fifth with 3.21 goals per game and seventh with an 83.7 percent penalty kill is likely to keep Boeser's power-play total at 15 points while potentially sending his even rating plummeting into the negatives.
DEFENSE
John Klingberg, DAL vs. EDM ($23): Among his many skills, Klingberg is a maestro with the extra man. Fourteen of his 36 points have come on the power play, and both of those totals can be expected to rise against a league-worst Oilers penalty kill that's operating at just 70.5 percent. He doesn't come cheap, but Klingberg's offensive upside makes him a strong value play in a slate with seven other blueliners at least as expensive.
Brandon Montour, ANH at CGY ($14): Montour's having a tremendous all-around campaign relative to his price, with six goals, 19 points and a plus-8 rating. He even has six power-play points, which puts Montour in position to take advantage of Calgary's penalty kill, which ranks seventh worst at 78.3 percent.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
P.K. Subban, NSH at LA ($23): Subban is an explosive offensive force from the blue line at times, but such moments have primarily come on the power play, where Subban's scored 14 of his 29 points. Los Angeles will be a tough place for him to succeed, as the Kings are allowing a league-low 2.32 goals per game thanks to a league-best 87.8 percent penalty kill.
Kevin Shattenkirk, NYR at ARI ($20): Shattenkirk hasn't been the offensive force New York was hoping for when they signed him this past offseason, as he hasn't lit the lamp since Nov. 6 and has just three points in the past 13 games (one in the last seven). More than half of his points this season have come on the power play and Arizona's penalty kill is actually a respectable-ish 19th, which is amazing relative to the team's struggles at even strength.
