This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Saturday's 7:00 PM Eastern NHL slate is a busy one, with 28 of the league's 31 teams in action. There's no shortage of options available, but the players below stand out as the night's top value plays and fades.
GOALIE
Ondrej Pavelec, NYR vs. NJ ($22): Pavelec is in the ideal spot for a backup goalie, as Rangers goaltending coach Benoit Allaire has done a masterful job with recent protégés such as Cam Talbot and Antti Raanta. Those guys were also priced in this extremely affordable range early in their respective Rangers tenures, only to shoot up later on. The young Devils team Pavelec faces in his first start with New York is off to a fast start, but that's unlikely to last considering New Jersey scored just 2.20 goals per game last year. Pavelec's chances of grabbing a win are boosted by home ice advantage and the fact that the Devils will be starting backup Keith Kinkaid in net over Cory Schneider.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Carey Price, MON vs. TOR ($35): Price is off to a rough start with a 1-3-0 record, 3.30 GAA and .899 save percentage thus far. While he's likely to rebound before long, doing so will be exceedingly difficult against an explosive Toronto team that's scored 22 goals in its first four games.
CENTER
Sean Monahan, CGY at VAN ($18): The 23-year-old Monahan looks like he's ready to make the leap into elite territory after averaging over 28 goals and 61 points over his previous three campaigns. He heads into the weekend with goals in consecutive contests and four points through four games. Maintaining his stellar form should be easy against a Vancouver team that's projected to struggle defensively once again this year after allowing 2.94 goals per game last season.
CENTER TO AVOID
Connor Brickley, FLA at PIT ($18): Brickley has opened the season on a three-game point streak, but that success is unlikely to last considering he's yet to see more than 13:14 of ice time in a game. Throw in his rating downside against the high-scoring Penguins, and it becomes exceedingly tough to justify spending $18 on Brickley.
WING
Nail Yakupov, COL at DAL ($15): Yakupov has demonstrated the immense offensive prowess that made him the first overall pick in the 2012 draft, potting three goals and dishing out two assists through four contests. He's also been surprisingly responsible in his own end with a plus-6 rating. The Stars have allowed 12 goals through four games after surrendering 3.17 goals per contest last season, so Dallas' defense is unlikely to keep Yakupov down in this one.
Rick Nash, NYR vs. NJ ($16): Nash doesn't have a point this season, but his 21 shots on goal through five games suggest it won't be long until the eight-time 30-goal scorer gets on the board. His breakthrough could well come in this matchup against Kinkaid, who sports an unimpressive career GAA of 2.68.
WINGS TO AVOID
Jason Pominville, BUF at LA ($18): Pominville has a pair of two-goal efforts already this year, but his 24 goals combined over the previous two seasons suggest he's unlikely to keep scoring at anywhere close to his current rate. This matchup with a Kings team that's allowed only five goals through three games won't make life any easier for the veteran winger.
Justin Williams, CAR at WPG ($17): This is a favorable matchup, but Williams still isn't a recommended option at this price. The 36-year-old winger hasn't delivered much in his return to Carolina thus far, and looks old and slow now that he doesn't have the juggernaut Capitals around him to mask his weaknesses.
DEFENSE
John Klingberg, DAL vs. COL ($18): Klingberg already has two goals and three assists through four games, with four of those five points coming on the power play. The 25-year-old defenseman is easily on pace for his fourth consecutive season over 40 points since entering the NHL, yet remains priced at an affordable $18. His prowess with the extra man makes Klingberg extremely dangerous against an Avalanche penalty kill that's operating at a league-worst 66.7 percent thus far.
Oscar Klefbom, EDM vs. OTT ($19): Klefbom doesn't have a point through three games after potting 12 goals in a 38-point campaign last year, but the 24-year-old blueliner likely won't be held off the board much longer. He already has 13 shots on goal and has chipped in eight blocked shots as well, so Klefbom has provided a high floor despite his early lack of scoring. Klefbom's price will likely shoot up once he inevitably starts contributing some points, so grab him at $19 while you still can.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Jacob Trouba, WPG vs. CAR ($18): Trouba has helpers in consecutive games, but he's unlikely to extend that streak considering he's never topped 33 points or six power-play points in a season. His lack of offensive upside makes Trouba a tough sell at $18, especially since his rating's sitting at an ugly minus-4.
Duncan Keith, CHI vs. NSH ($21): Keith has just two assists without a goal thus far, which is incredibly disappointing considering his team has already lit the lamp 23 times. The 34-year-old blueliner seems to have lost a step, and he's unlikely to find the fountain of youth against a Predators team that held him to one assist and a minus-6 rating in sweeping Chicago this past postseason.
