Yahoo DFS Hockey: Saturday Picks

Yahoo DFS Hockey: Saturday Picks

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.

There's 14 games this Saturday, although the main Yahoo slate only carries 11 of them. Read on to help sift through the duds and set your lineup with confidence. 

GOALIE

James Reimer, CAR vs. CLM ($27): Reimer looks great in a backup role, as he has won both of his starts and posted a .940 save percentage in the process. The Blue Jackets, on the other hand, look lost without last year's stars in the fold, and they've scored just nine goals over the last four games. Plug in Reimer as one of the cheapest crease dwellers in this slate. 

GOALIE TO AVOID

Corey Crawford, CHI vs. WPG ($32): It has been a bumpy start for Crawford, as he allowed nine goals over his first two games, losing both. Crawford is no stranger to the Jets, as they torched him last year and left him with an .876 save percentage and 4.62 GAA over three games. The Jets' offense is in a good position for a similar result, as it has scored four or more goals in four of five games this season. 

CENTER

Sebastian Aho, CAR vs. CLM ($25): Aho's off to a slow start with just one goal over five games, but he provides a steady floor -- he has fired at least four shots on net in each contest -- which is valuable in a slate this large. Anyway, his cold streak won't last too long, and Columbus provides a good chance to shake it, especially if Elvis Merzlikins ($26), who allowed seven goals in his NHL debut, starts in net. 

CENTER TO AVOID

Jonathan Toews, CHI vs. WPG ($26): Toews hasn't been flashy over the first two games, posting zero points, an even plus-minus rating and four shots on net. The Jets tightened up defensively lately with just three goals allowed over the last two games, so it'll be tough to break the slump.

WING

Mike Hoffman, FLA @ NYI ($20): Hoffman's on a tear with five goals and two assists through the first four games, and he features a steady floor with 21 shots on net in that span. Meanwhile, the Islanders don't look like the league-leading defensive unit they were last year, as they've allowed 10 goals over the last two games. Hoffman comes in at a major bargain and can be stacked with Aleksander Barkov ($28) and Jonathan Huberdeau ($24). 

William Nylander, TOR @ DET ($19): Nylander is living up to his contract so far with a five-game point streak to start the season. The Red Wings allowed the sixth-most goals per game at home last year, allowing 3.10 per contest, so Nylander has a solid chance to keep the streak alive on the road. 

WINGS TO AVOID

Phil Kessel, ARI at COL ($23): Kessel is struggling to get on track in Arizona, as he only has one point in three games. It's not clear what the issue is, but this game has low potential anyway with a 5.5 O/U and the Coyotes as the road dog. He comes at a premium for the low floor. 

Brock Boeser, VAN vs. PHI ($22): Carter Hart ($32) has been spectacular so far with a .946 save percentage, a 2-0-0 record and a shutout. Boeser, on the other hand, only has one point through three games and was a minus rating in two of those contests. 

DEFENSE

Dougie Hamilton, CAR vs. CLM ($20): Hamilton is the clear No. 1 defender on Carolina's blue line after Justin Faulk was traded, and he's executing with three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating through five contests. He looks like he's on pace for a career year, and I don't expect the 1-2-1 Blue Jackets to halt his momentum. 

Neal Pionk, WPG at CHI ($15): The Jets' blue line remains injury-riddles, so Pionk is averaging 24:14 TOI. He has converted the uptick in ice time to four points in the last four outings. As mentioned earlier, I don't like Crawford in this outing for a reason, so Pionk positioned well to keep up the hot streak. 

DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID

P.K. Subban, NJ at BOS ($21): Subban has averaged 0.63 points per game during his career, but that mark drops to 0.48 against the Bruins. He hasn't been able to fire up the offense with New Jersey, either, as he's pointless in the last three games with just four shots on net. Subban has a tough test to get back to his puck-moving ways, as the Bruins have allowed just two points to opposing defensemen in four games so far. 

John Klingberg, DAL vs. WAS ($20): Klingberg is averaging just 3.3 fantasy points per game -- the lowest amount among players priced $20 or more -- and he hasn't finished with a positive plus-minus rating yet this year. In fact, the Stars' blue line isn't as involved in the offense, as none of their defensemen have more than two points over five games.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Jordan Mazzara plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: Mazz30 Yahoo: Mazz30 DraftKings: Mazz30.
RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only NHL Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire NHL fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jordan Mazzara
Jordan has produced NFL and NHL content for RotoWire since 2017. He's the beat writer for the St. Louis Blues and Seattle Seahawks.
NHL Bets: Stanley Cup Playoffs Parlay Picks for Tuesday, April 23
NHL Bets: Stanley Cup Playoffs Parlay Picks for Tuesday, April 23
NHL Picks: Stanley Cup Playoff Bets and Player Props for April 23, 2024
NHL Picks: Stanley Cup Playoff Bets and Player Props for April 23, 2024
FanDuel NHL: Tuesday Targets
FanDuel NHL: Tuesday Targets
DraftKings NHL: Tuesday Breakdown
DraftKings NHL: Tuesday Breakdown
Best NHL Bets Today: Stanley Cup Playoffs Parlay Picks for Monday, April 22
Best NHL Bets Today: Stanley Cup Playoffs Parlay Picks for Monday, April 22
DraftKings NHL: Monday Breakdown
DraftKings NHL: Monday Breakdown