This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
There's no shortage of selections in Saturday's NHL slate, with 12 games on tap beginning at 3:00 PM Eastern time. Read on to see which players stand out as options to target and which should be avoided.
GOALIE
Alexandar Georgiev, NYR vs. BUF ($30): Georgiev has been pressed into action with Henrik Lundqvist (back) ailing, but New York would likely have opted to take an extended look at the talented rookie down the stretch even if its top netminder was healthy. While the Rangers' defensive deficiencies have caused some problems for Georgiev in the GAA department (3.09), he has a solid .918 save percentage through eight appearances. If you just look at his three games against teams outside playoff contention, Georgiev's 2-1-0 with 114 saves on 121 shots (.942 save percentage). You can't get further out of contention than a Sabres team that's bringing up the rear in the league standings, making Georgiev a strong choice here, especially with Buffalo playing the second leg of a back-to-back.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Jonathan Quick, LA at EDM ($35): The Oilers have represented a favorable matchup for most of the season, but last year's Western Conference semifinalists have found their form just in time to play spoiler down the stretch. Edmonton's 6-2-1 in its past nine games and has lit the lamp 13 times in just the last two, so the downside is very real for Quick in this road matchup with Connor McDavid and company.
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CENTER
Nick Schmaltz, CHI at NYI ($14): With Jonathan Toews (upper body) slated to miss a couple games, Chicago's top line now consists of Schmaltz, Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane. Skating alongside Kane has long equated to picking up plenty of points, and that rings doubly true against an Islanders team that's allowing a league-high 3.61 goals per contest and has surrendered at least six in three of its last five games. At just $14, Schmaltz is a low-risk, high-reward pick given the situation.
CENTER TO AVOID
Erik Haula, VGK at COL ($17): Haula is Vegas' franchise leader in power-play goals (11) and is also tied for the team lead with 18 points in such situations, so extra-man production is a large part of his fantasy appeal. Expect that aspect of his game to be neutralized by an excellent Avalanche penalty kill that ranks third at 83.9 percent.
WING
Mitch Marner, TOR vs. DET ($20): Marner's been on fire for a while now, as he's in the midst of a seven-game point streak and has 26 points (10 goals) over his last 18 games. The defensive attention on him will only decrease now that Auston Matthews (shoulder) is back in the lineup, so Marner's a bargain at $20 against a Red Wings team that's been outscored 3.08 to 2.49 on average this season.
Valentin Zykov, CAR at OTT ($10): Zykov scored two goals Thursday in his second game after being called up from the AHL, which wasn't all that surprising considering he was leading the AHL in both goals (32) and power-play goals (16) prior to the promotion. The 22-year-old Russian should continue to get plenty of run down the stretch with the Hurricanes out of playoff contention, especially with Victor Rask's season-ending shoulder injury creating room on the power play. Don't expect Zykov to remain priced at the $10 minimum much longer, especially with another golden opportunity to light the lamp coming up against an Ottawa team that's allowing the second-most goals per game (3.42).
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WINGS TO AVOID
Max Domi, ARI at FLA ($17): A recent hot streak has bumped Domi's price up to $17, but his average of 4.1 fantasy points per game is still lowest among wingers that cost at least $16. That average is due in large part to an ugly minus-14 rating, which is at major risk of declining further against a Florida team that's cleaned its act up defensively since getting Roberto Luongo back and is 18-6-1 in its last 25 games.
Alex Galchenyuk, MON at WAS ($18): Galchenyuk's always been frustrating to own, but that's even more true now that the team around him is closer to horrible rather than just mediocre. While he does have performances of 9.6, 11.8 and 12.0 fantasy points in his past 10 games, Galchenyuk has just 10.6 combined fantasy points in his seven other appearances over that stretch. That production isn't befitting of an $18 valuation, and Galchenyuk will have a tough time producing against locked-in Washington netminder Philipp Grubauer, who's 4-1-0 in his past five starts with a pair of shutouts.
DEFENSE
Ryan Pulock, NYI vs. CHI ($17): Pulock comes in riding a five-game point streak in which the most recent performance featured two power-play goals and nine shots. The 23-year-old defenseman's 29 points in 60 games this season suggests his offensive skills are legit, and slowing down his momentum will be exceedingly difficult for a Blackhawks team that's starting either Anton Forsberg (3.06 GAA, .905 save percentage) or Jean-Francois Berube (3.93 GAA, .891 save percentage) in net.
Keith Yandle, FLA vs. ARI ($20): Yandle has 24 points in his last 25 games, and maintaining that momentum shouldn't be a challenge against his former team. The Coyotes allow the eighth-most goals per game (3.14) while also posing very little risk to Yandle's even rating since they score the second-fewest (2.46). Expect the puck-moving defenseman to thread the needle on some high-quality passes and for Florida's sizzling forwards to finish those chances off, especially since a Panthers team that's still chasing a playoff spot can't afford to take its foot off the gas against this inferior opposition.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Nick Leddy, NYI vs. CHI ($19): There's no reason to use Leddy against his former team when you can have Pulock for $2 less. While Leddy's having the better offensive campaign overall, he's been significantly outproduced recently, as his one goal and five points in the past 15 games are fewer than Pulock's totals in both categories from the past four games alone. Additionally, Pulock's rating is a bearable minus-7 while Leddy's minus-38 mark is by far the worst in the entire NHL, as nobody else is below minus-32. Just because head coach Doug Weight said Leddy should be in the Norris Trophy conversation earlier this season, that doesn't make it any more true than me saying that I deserve the award.
P.K. Subban, NSH at MIN ($24): Subban's mired in a 20-game goalless drought, and turning things around here won't be easy against Devan Dubnyk and the Wild. Dubnyk's been tremendous at Xcel Energy Center, posting a 19-4-6 record, 2.30 GAA and .925 save percentage at home.
