This article is part of our FantasyDraft NHL series.
It's a Saturday in winter, so nobody will blame you for staying in to watch hockey. That's especially true since there are 11 NHL games Saturday night (plus one matinee game not included for daily fantasy contest purposes). Here are some recommendations for your lineups.
GOALIE
Los Angeles King, LOS vs. CAR ($16,900): Don't overthink this one. The Kings have won seven in a row and the Hurricanes are 5-6-3 on the road. Carolina also has scored only 2.74 goals per game, while Jonathan Quick has a 2.20 GAA and a .929 save percentage. With how well Quick and his teammates have performed, it seems quite likely Los Angeles will win once again.
CENTER
Nathan MacKinnon, COL at FLA ($14,400): The 2013 first overall pick is en route to his best season since his rookie campaign. He's scored 10 goals on 81 shots and added 22 assists in 27 games. MacKinnon has also averaged 4:14 on the power play, tallying 13 points with the extra man. The Panthers have allowed 35.8 shots on net per game, and James Reimer has a 3.70 GAA and a .892 save percentage.
David Krejci, BOS vs. NYI ($8,700): In his last five games, Krejci has three goals and three assists, including two power-play points. Overall, he has six points with the extra man in 14 games. The Islanders have a 3.39 GAA and have given up 32.9 shots on net per contest. They also have the 30th-ranked penalty kill, so Krejci's power-play success could continue.
WING
Max Pacioretty, MON vs. EDM ($13,300): Pacioretty has started 60.1 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, tops on the Canadiens. He's also averaged 3:22 per game on the power play, which is great heading into this matchup. The Oilers have the worst penalty kill in the NHL. Pacioretty has put 123 shots on goal through 30 games, and his 6.5 shooting percentage is likely to improve. That could definitely happen against Laurent Brossoit (3.71 GAA, .877 save percentage).
Alexander Radulov, DAL vs. VGK ($12,400): The Golden Knights, who are 7-7-1 away from Las Vegas, are on the road for the second night of a back-to-back. Radulov has 25 points through 29 games, including nine on the power play. Vegas has the 27th-ranked penalty kill overall, making this a favorable matchup for the Russian.
Pierre-Luc Dubois, CLM vs. ARI ($10,600): The 2016 third overall pick has really picked up his play recently. He has eight points and 22 shots on goal in his last nine games, and his minutes are way up, including on the power play. Dubois also has started 62.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, third most on the Jackets. Even if he hadn't improved his performance, this would be a great matchup to have Dubois in. The Coyotes have a 3.52 team GAA, worst in the NHL.
DEFENSEMEN
Jake Muzzin, LOS vs. CAR ($10,300): The Hurricanes have a 3.04 GAA and a .897 save percentage. They also have the 29th-ranked penalty kill. Muzzin has 18 points, including four on the power play, and he's had at least 10 points with the extra man in his last three campaigns. He's notched 73 shots on goal in 30 games, and he's also blocked 65 shots. That means he can add fantasy value on both ends of the ice.
Aaron Ekblad, FLA vs. COL ($9,000): Ekblad has a three-game point streak, and his shooting has increased recently to a point more akin to previous seasons. He's notched 35 shots on net through his last nine games. The Avalanche have a 3.33 GAA, and they've given up 31.6 shots on goal per tilt. That certainly bodes well for Ekblad.
