This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
Saturday's 10 evening games beginning at 7 p.m. EST are included in the featured contests at DraftKings. It's a deep player pool with a number of projected close contests. Here's a quick-hit primer to assist with your lineup assembly.
Notable favorites from DraftKings Sportsbook:
Maple Leafs
Blue Jackets
Hurricanes
Avalanche
Potential high-scoring games:
Red Wings-Maple Leafs
Lightning-Capitals
Panthers-Hurricanes
Blackhawks-Avalanche
Team playing for the second consecutive night:
Oilers
Maple Leafs
Capitals
Panthers
Devils
Penguins
GOALIES
The Sens have been competitive this season and own a respectable 12-11-2 record since Nov. 1. However, they rank 21st in goals per hour during the stretch, and Carter Hart ($7,500) has stopped 56 of 58 shots in consecutive games. The price is right.
Another road favorite to consider is Carey Price ($7,500). The Oilers played Friday and are mired in a 3-8-1 stretch with just 2.17 goals per game. Price has also won five of his past six starts with a .942 save percentage and 1.66 GAA. Any risk of a Connor McDavid ($7,800) or Leon Draisaitl ($7,000) breakout is also built into Price's reasonable salary.
As bad as Michael Hutchinson ($8,000) has been this season, the Red Wings have likely been worse. Detroit is 5-16-2 with a league-low 2.12 goals per hour since Nov. 1. So even with the hefty salary, Hutchinson is worth a look with Toronto the largest favorite of the evening.
Joonas Korpisalo ($7,800) has turned his season around of late with a 4-2 record, .940 save percentage and 1.74 GAA, and he draws a soft matchup Saturday. The Devils have scored the fewest goals per 60 minutes on the road this season and are also traveling to play their second game in as many nights.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
The Blackhawks have allowed 16 goals in three consecutive losses to Colorado, and Nathan MacKinnon ($8,000) has recorded three goals and five assists in those three contests. And the superstar boasts an elite 13 tallies, 22 helpers and 92 shots through his past 20 outings.
Delivering at a point-per-game pace this season, Andrei Svechnikov ($6,100) has scored in consecutive games and owns a ninth-ranked 3.73 points per hour this season. Florida suits up for the second consecutive night after winning 7-4 over Dallas on Friday, and the Panthers could allow a pile of goals again Saturday.
Brock Boeser ($5,500) has marked the scoresheet in seven of his past nine outings for two tallies, eight helpers and 25 shots while logging huge minutes (20:01 with 3:42 on the power play). As noted, the Pens are playing their second road game in a row, and likely starter Matt Murray ($7,400) has posted an .844 save percentage and 4.42 GAA through his past five appearances.
With the Devils allowing the second most goals per hour in the league this season, Gustav Nyquist ($5,000) checks out as a mid-priced target with his recent increased production. The Swede has a goal and five assists during his active four-game point streak, which includes consecutive multi-point showings. He's also projected to skate atop the depth chart in all offensive situations.
This is a reasonable salary to take a shot on Kevin Hayes ($4,100). The first-year Flyer is in the midst of a solid stretch with four tallies and eight helpers through his past 15 outings. He's also gone eight games and 25 shots without a goal, so there's potential for positive regression in the goals column. Additionally, the Senators have surrendered the seventh most goals per hour in the league this season.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Stacking pieces of Toronto's No. 1 power-play unit is definitely in play Saturday. The Red Wings own a 30th-ranked, 73.4 penalty-kill percentage, and the Maple Leafs have scored an impressive 10.43 goals per hour with the man advantage since Sheldon Keefe took over behind the bench. Additionally, Auston Matthews ($7,200), John Tavares ($7,100), Mitch Marner ($6,800), William Nylander ($5,600) and Tyson Barrie ($4,800) also provide excellent coverage to the Toronto offensive attack at even strength.
Nashville has surrendered a healthy 3.36 goals per hour on the road this season, and Patrice Bergeron ($7,400), Brad Marchand ($7,400) and David Pastrnak ($7,800) have clicked for an elite 5.86 mark over the past three seasons, including 6.91 this year.
The Oilers are searching for answers, and Friday's line combinations had Connor McDavid ($7,800), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins ($4,700) and Zack Kassian ($4,200) atop the depth chart. McDavid has gone consecutive games without a point, so expecting a rebound showing on home ice with a diminished salary could pay off handsomely. Additionally, it's not out of the question to include Leon Draisaitl ($7,000) and his own decreased price tag in an Edmonton stack.
DEFENSEMEN
With a five-game point streak and impressive 2.06 points per hour for the campaign, Shea Weber ($5,800) stands out as a high-floor, high-ceiling target. The veteran has reached the shot and block bonuses 21 times in 35 games, after all. And the Oilers are in the noted vulnerable schedule spot.
Torey Krug ($5,300) represents a solid addition to a Boston stack at this price. He appears to be back on track with a goal and three assists during his three-game point streak and is locked into the quarterback role on the No. 1 power-play unit. The veteran has also paced the league in points per hour over the past three seasons, which sets up nicely for this soft matchup against Nashville.
As mentioned, the Devils are an opponent to pick on and Zach Werenski ($4,900) is back to his quarterback role on the top power-play unit. He's coming off a two-point showing Thursday, and has recorded a respectable 1.69 points per hour for the campaign.
In his return to action Thursday, Erik Johnson ($3,100) recorded three shots and five blocks through 20:47 of ice time to prove his health and move the fantasy needle. The veteran has provided serviceable secondary offense throughout his career and comes in at a discount Saturday.
Little about Chris Tanev's ($2,500) stat line jumps off the page, but he's worth considering as a source of cap relief at minimum price. The 30-year-old defenseman has recorded a respectable two tallies and eight helpers through 36 games, but he's also reached the block bonus in 16 of those outings to provide a sneaky fantasy floor. Tanev is also projected to receive top-pairing minutes Saturday.
