This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Feb. 24 may be a relatively quiet trade deadline. The run on defensemen happened yesterday and could wrap up quite soon, although star forwards like Chris Kreider are still up for grabs. There are six games to focus on in this slate, with an Original Six matchup that will be nationally televised in the United States between the Rangers and Blackhawks. Get in on the DFS action with tips from this article.
GOALIE
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA at ANH ($23): Rolling out Bobrovsky has burned fantasy gamers more often than not this year, but he's been respectable on the road in 2020 with a .911 save percentage and 6-3-1 record. The price tag puts him on the radar, and Anaheim's modest 2.6 GF/60 at even strength over the last month, per Natural Stat Trick, makes him worth the risk.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Mike Smith, EDM vs. BOS ($27): Smith has defended the twine well lately, but this matchup is another beast. The Bruins have won nine of the past 10 games and averaged 3.3 goals per contest in that stretch. It's going to be tough to pull off a win, even at home.
CENTER
Ryan Strome, NYR at CHI ($17): Strome has geared up recently with six points (two goals, four assists) over the past five games, including two power-play points. His shot volume is enough to establish a solid floor, and Chicago has let up a modest 3.0 goals per game at home this year.
CENTER TO AVOID
Brock Nelson, NYI at COL ($21): Pointless with a minus-4 rating is tough to swallow for Nelson's last four games, and the Avalanche don't allow much of a ceiling, as they've allowed 1.52 G/60 since the All-Star break.
WINGS
Mike Hoffman, FLA at ANH ($19): it's been a tough defensive month for the Ducks, as their goaltending tandem has a 3.3 GAA. Hoffman continues to produce on the road this season with 12 points (three goals, nine assists) across 12 games in 2020 while making a solid floor out of 35 shots on net.
Joonas Donskoi, COL vs. NYI ($11): Donskoi will get the first audition on the top line with Mikko Rantanen (upper body) facing a long-term recovery. He hasn't played on the top six in a while, but in games where he's logged more than 19 minutes, he's registered 14 points over 14 games.
WINGS TO AVOID
Taylor Hall, ARI at DAL ($23): Since arriving in Arizona, Hall has been quite inconsistent away from home with just one multi-point outing across eight contests. The stud winger will have trouble cracking the Stars, too, as they rank fifth in February with 1.76 GA/60 at even strength.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, EDM vs. BOS ($18): Although performing well with just five points over four games with Connor McDavid (quadriceps) out of the lineup, this matchup will be tough to overcome. The Bruins have let up just 0.65 G/60 at even strength in February, and their PK has been quite strong, too.
DEFENSE
Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. MIN ($19): Hughes has convinced the hockey world that he's just as deserving as Cale Makar for Calder, as he's generated six points -- four on the power play -- over five games. The Wild's penalty kill has been brutal since the All-Star break, too, yielding 9.13 G/60 -- the sixth-most in the league.
Adam Fox, NYR at CHI ($17): Fox is getting much more playing time with Anthony DeAngelo (upper body) out of the lineup, and more notably, he's playing a ton with the man advantage. He's been quite successful on the unit with 13 power-play points, and Chicago's PK is just a tick better than Minnesota's at 8.69 GA/60.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Miro Heiskanen, DAL vs. ARI ($17): Heiskanen is starting to find his game, but not to the point that we can look past how well Antti Raanta is playing in goal. The netminder has a .944 save percentage and 1.76 GAA over his last four starts.
Andy Greene, NYI at COL ($17): Greene notched an assist in his Islanders debut, but he still has just three points over nine games while sporting a sporadic shot volume in that stretch. His ceiling will be tough to reach in this matchup, too, as the Avalanche have recorded a 1.52 GA/60 at even strength in February.
