Friday was a light day in the NHL, but Saturday is the opposite with 10 games on the DFS docket starting at 7 p.m. EDT. You have plenty of lineup options, and I have several lineup recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Two teams are on the second leg of a back-to-back. The Islanders get to be at home for both and will be welcoming the Flames on Saturday. The Kings were visiting the Islanders on Friday, and now travel to face the Devils.
GOALIES
Jake Oettinger, DAL vs. DET ($8,200): The Red Wings could blow their chances of making the playoffs again and are just above the bottom-10 in goals per game while Dylan Larkin is out. As a Detroit fan, I'm not loving it. I also will not allow fandom to stand in the way of recognizing Dallas is likely going to win on Saturday. And even though Oettinger has posted a 2.64 GAA and .900 save percentage overall, his defense has frequently helped him out.
Joey Daccord, SEA at VAN ($7,900): Daccord got pulled last time out while the club is on the first leg of a back-to-back. It may make sense to play him in this matchup and save Philipp Grubauer for Sunday. This is all about the matchup as the Canucks rank 31st for offense and last in GAA, so Seattle should come out on top.
Jacob Markstrom, NJD vs. LOS ($7,800): Both teams find themselves in the bottom-five when it comes to average goals. I'd roster Markstrom since Jersey's at home and the Kings will be playing for a second straight day.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Jason Zucker, BUF vs. TOR ($5,000): For the second consecutive season, Zucker has reached 20 goals for the Sabres. But this time, he's done it in 47 appearances. The veteran has been bolstered by potting five over his last six. The Leafs are careening off a cliff and way worse defensively than I envisioned as they're actually last in the league with 32.1 shots allowed per game.
Jordan Eberle, SEA at VAN ($4,900): I did mention earlier that the Canucks carry the league's highest GAA. They also maintain the worst penalty kill. Eberle has registered an even 22 goals and 22 assists, with 16 of those 44 points coming on the power play.
Blake Coleman, CGY at NYI ($4,000): Catching former Flame David Rittich in net behind a team on the second leg of a back-to-back is better than seeing Ilya Sorokin. Of course, the Flames aren't exactly a team for stacking lines. Coleman has notched four points during nine outings since returning from injury where he's also directed 24 shots on net.
FORWARD LINE STACKS TO CONSIDER
Canadiens vs. Sharks
Nick Suzuki (C - $6,900), Cole Caufield (W - $6,700), Juraj Slafkovsky (W - $6,200)
The Sharks are far from home. And while they boast offensive talent, they still lack on defense with a bottom-four mark in both GAA and shots allowed. The band is back together as Montreal's elite first line has reformed post-Olympic break. That always makes for an exciting stack.
Suzuki has been even better than last year when he posted 89 points and a plus-19 as he's currently at 75 with 35 of those on the man-advantage while listing a plus-25. Caufield is expected back Saturday after missing the last matchup with an illness. All that did was delay him from getting to 40 goals as he's at 37. Since returning from standing out for Slovakia at the Olympics, Slafkovsky has picked up eight points through seven appearances while establishing career-highs of 24 goals and 53 points.
Devils vs. Kings
Nico Hischier (C - $5,700), Timo Meier (W – 55,400), Dawson Mercer (W - $3,700)
The Kings - as I've mentioned a couple times - also played on Friday. Anton Forsberg has allowed at least three goals in six of his last seven outings and is in line to start Saturday. It's worth combining a Devils line, and this is the one I chose.
Hischier has gotten to 20 goals for the fifth straight season. He's also tallied 15 points with the extra man while the Kings have a bottom-five penalty kill. Meier has recorded 17 goals alongside a 7.9 shooting percentage that proves he's been unlucky. He's been undeterred with 101 shots over 25 games since the start of the New Year. Mercer has emerged from the middle of the lineup to find himself on the top trio. He's also contributed three points from his last five matchups to give him 33 on the campaign.
DEFENSEMEN
Dougie Hamilton, NJD vs. LOS ($5,600): It's been a tumultuous season for Hamilton, yet he's posted 18 points from his last 21 games - includes eight on the power play on the lead man-advantage. The Kings are bottom-five on the penalty kill and will be on their second straight night.
Vince Dunn, SEA at VAN ($4,100): With four points over his last four appearances, Dunn currently sits at 39. That's also where he ended up last year. Dunn has notched more than half of that scoring on the power play while the Canucks enter Saturday with the league's worst penalty kill.
Filip Hronek, VAN vs. SEA ($4,000): Hronek has produced multiple points during two of his last five. He's also managed 11 PPPs on the campaign and will be facing a Kraken squad ranked 31st on the penalty kill.
